The meltemi and what it does to ferries

The meltemi is a dry northerly that blows across the Aegean mainly from mid-July through August, commonly at Beaufort 5–7 and sometimes 8. Small high-speed catamarans stop first, often around Beaufort 7, while large conventional ferries usually keep running to 7 and are cancelled from 8 upwards; the port authority and the operator decide route by route. In August 2026 gusts above 100 km/h produced a general sailing ban from Rafina and Lavrio with cancellations out of Piraeus, so never book an island hop for the same day as an outbound flight.

Season

All year round

Know something missing or changed? Sign in