Spring: March - May
Sunshine:
Not every day will be a sunny day, but you can expect some very pleasant weather in March / April, and by May it will start to get hot.
Flowers:
Spring is when the whole place bursts into flower, with a succession of different species as the months progress.
Tourists:
The people visiting this time of year, tend to be those who enjoy experiencing the real Crete, those who enjoy walking and those desperate for sunshine after the cold, dull winter months at home. There will a fair number of people around, generally quite a good atmosphere, but not overrun. The more touristy places tend to re-open after Easter
Swimming:
The sea is still warm is warming up after the winter, and can still be a little fresh early in the season. The beaches will be much quieter, and some almost deserted, making it an excellent time to visit locations such as Balos and Elafonisi.
Walking:
The slightly cooler temperatures make this excellent walking weather.
Summer: June - August / September
Sunshine
If blazing sunshine - and lots of it - is what you crave, then June - August / September are the best months to visit. You would be unlucky experience much more than one rainy day a month. During the heat of the day, tavernas are packed with people trying to escape the sun. there is also the siesta option!
Flowers:
It can be very dry, with very few flowers after June, unless you head for the cooler temperatures in mountains
At night you will have clear skies, (perfect for star-gazing) and you can go to sleep to the soothing sound of crickets chirping away.
Tourists:
If you like the buzz of loads of people, then the summer months will be perfect.
Destinations like Balos, Samaria and Elafonisi will be heaving with people.
During the month of August, each village in the area will have one or more nights of music. This quite often carries on till about 4am.
Swimming:
The sea will be pleasantly warm (27C is not uncommon) but still refreshing enough to cool down. Expect the beaches in the resort towns to be very busy. Less well known beaches may be preferable.
Walking:
Unless you are an experienced walker, it is likely to be too hot for walking, unless you do so ear;y in the morning, or late evening.
Autumn: October - December
Sunshine: Not every day will be a sunny day, but you can still expect some very hot weather during October, and some very pleasant days during November & December.
Flowers:
You may think of Autumn as the season when everything dies down and prepares for Winter. Not so in Crete. As soon as the first rains fall, usually during October, or could be as early as end of September, the island turns into an oasis of greenery, and with it, all the autumn flowers. Colchicum (often referred to as autumn crocus) Sternbergia
Tourists:
The people visiting this time of year, tend to be those who enjoy experiencing the real Crete, rather than see it as another sunny holiday location.
Swimming:
The sea is still warm enough to swim in (above 20C), especially on a sunny day. The beaches will be much quieter, and possibly deserted
Walking:
The slightly cooler temperatures make this excellent walking weather. There are still a fair number of people around, so still quite a buzz, but not the crowds
Winter: December - February / March
Sunshine: This is the rainy season, and you can expect about 50% rainy days. It is quite possible to have a whole week of unsettled weather. Also expect thunderstorms and even snow. The wind can be quite chilly and night time temperatures will be single figures, but rarely below 8C.
Flowers
The most abundant flowers during this time are the miniature narcissus, anemone, crocus and from January / February, orchids and irises
Swimming:
Only for the very brave!
Eating Out:
During winter months you will find that a number of tavernas close or they only open certain days, especially in the more touristy locations. If you head to the more traditional villages, it is almost business as usual, the big difference being that everything is now indoors, and you will receive the warmest of welcomes. As a rule, there will be somewhere to eat in every village, especially in those tavernas / kafeneions catering for the locals.
Tourists:
You are very unlikely to find any of the usual excursions available. In some cases, because there is no demand, but in others because of the weather, e.g. Samaria Gorge. If you do venture out on your own, you need to bear in mind that in places, roads may have been damaged by floods.
If you suffer from breathing difficulties such as asthma, then it is a good idea to avoid the months of January - March, which is when the island can be battered by sand storms. These can be quite severe and can affect anybody.
Olive Harvest
Olives are being harvested between October and January, depending on what the growing season was like.