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The
two most common elements of climate for which Mykonos is famous
are sunshine and wind. Rainfall is infrequent, generally falling
between the months of February and March, allowing the sun to
shine for as many as three hundred days of the year. Because of
this arid condition natural vegetation is limited. During the
summer months the temperature may occasionally reach the upper
30's but due to the cooling factor of the frequent winds an average
of 28°C can be expected. Winters on the island are mild with an
average temperature of 15°. It is only on very rare occasions
the thermometer may reach freezing. Due to the moderating influence
of the surrounding sea the island's temperatures are usually 2
degrees warmer in the winter and 2 degrees cooler in the summer
than mainland Athens. This condition directly effects the cycle
of both domestic and wild vegetation as the growing season occurs
from the beginning of winter and ends in mid summer.Of
the winds that effect the island two kinds are most common. During
the winter months heavy winds from the south arrive and often
bring with them electrical storms. Of these the most famous wind
is the "Sirocco" which every spring brings sand from
the deserts that boarder the Mediterranean in the form of red
rain. As the season heads toward summer the north wind takes over
and with various degrees of strength, blows daily. The most notable
of these winds is the "Meltemi" that during July and
August will blow steady throughout the day and then reduce its
velocity during the night. Gale-force winds are not uncommon.
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