Well you won't see much of this at sea level, but it did happen in 2004.

Crete does not have prolonged periods of freezing cold at sea level, but in the winter there can be light frosts at night. The mountains do freeze with snow lasting on them until April or May. Rivers from the mountains are very cold even in the middle of summer and can give a cool microclimate.

It can get quite cold at night, when the sky is clear, right through the year. Have something you can pull over yourself if you wake up in the night.

Bring a fleece or jumper if you want to dine out by the sea, in April May or June, If the sea breezes start up you might need it.

At all times of the year there can be very high winds, in the summer these can start up with very little warning, Always fasten or wedge windows and doors.

Crete is as far south as Greece gets, but it is cooled by the sea. Temperatures can be cooler than the northern mainland-but the sun is stronger, beware.

January, February-expect long periods (weeks) of rain and cool temperatures, 10-14 C° with occasional days of shirt sleeve weather. Cupboards on external walls need to be aired to prevent mould.

March- longer periods of dry shirt sleeve weather, but it can be overcast or wet for a week or more, by the end of the month it's about 15 C°.

April- At the beginning of the month you can still get overcast and showery weather for a week, by the end it's mostly sunny with very occasional showers. 17-20 C°.

May- Prolonged periods of hot sunny days mixed with days of scattered cloud. 20-25 C°

June, July, August- Hard sunshine with occasional scattered cloud, temperatures reaching 30 plus. Showers rare and short, thunderstorms rare, usually clear up overnight.

September, October- mild warm weather with some overcast days and showers. 20-25 C°

November December- Occasional warm sunny days but mostly cloudy, some heavy rain.