Rain and local storms persist in Crete as Heraklion port authority warns vessel owners
Rain and local storms are expected to continue across eastern and southern Crete and the Dodecanese on Sunday, October 4, 2026, according to the Greek weather service meteo.gr, while strong, at times near gale-force, northerly winds are forecast to affect the Aegean.
The forecast calls for sunshine with limited cloud cover, becoming temporarily heavier in eastern and southern areas, with rain and local storms in Crete and the Dodecanese. Meteo.gr said the phenomena would be intense in the morning across northern, eastern, mountainous and semi-mountainous parts of Crete, and would persist into the afternoon in the Dodecanese, mainly on Rhodes. The service warned of strong winds reaching up to 7 Beaufort, with gusts exceeding 80 km/h.
Temperatures are expected to range from 17 to 22°C in Crete and the Cyclades. Elsewhere in Greece, forecasters predict 8 to 24°C in the north (3 to 21°C in Western Macedonia), 13 to 23°C in central and southern Greece, 11 to 26°C in the west, 15 to 23°C in the eastern Aegean islands, and 17 to 22°C in the Dodecanese.
In the Aegean, winds are forecast to blow from the north at moderate to strong force, 5 to 6 Beaufort, temporarily reaching near gale-force 7 Beaufort during the morning with gusts of 70 to 80 km/h, before gradually easing. In the Ionian Sea, winds are expected to be weak to moderate from the east, 3 to 4 Beaufort, shifting to the northwest with similar intensity after midday.
Port authority urges precautions
The Heraklion Port Authority said in a statement that owners of ships and small boats should take all appropriate measures to secure their vessels. Professional fishing boats, leisure craft and small boats anchored in the area were asked to avoid putting to sea for as long as the weather warning remains in effect.
According to the authority, tugboats, lifeguard units, fishing vessels and volunteer rescue teams have been told to remain on standby to provide assistance if needed. The port authority added that it has placed all personnel, as well as available marine and land equipment, on alert to respond to incidents and assist any vessels, small boats or people at risk.
The warning follows a stretch of severe weather that left parts of Crete under a red alert in recent days, with officials saying conditions would gradually ease. Earlier disruption to maritime traffic on the island had already prompted authorities to warn that gale-force winds were grounding ferries and urging residents to limit non-essential travel.
