Crete has been at the mercy of a severe storm for the past 24 hours, with the network of the National Observatory of Athens / meteo.gr recording unprecedented rainfall levels across the island on Friday, October 2nd, and Saturday, October 3rd. The epicenter was Xyloskalo in Chania, where an astonishing 440 mm of rain was recorded — equivalent to 440 liters of water per square meter, or 440 tons of water per 1,000 square meters.
Crete storm: A year’s worth of rain falls in 48 hours in Xyloskalo, Chania
According to meteo data, extremely high rainfall levels have been recorded across the mountainous and northern parts of the island, as clearly illustrated in the rainfall intensity color scale on the map below — confirming the forecast data highlighted in a recent weather bulletin issued by the meteo unit of the National Observatory of Athens.
Based on the automatic meteorological station network of the National Observatory of Athens / meteo.gr, rainfall at Xyloskalo in Chania reached 440 mm. To put this in perspective, 1 mm of rainfall equals 1 liter of water over 1 square meter, or equivalently, 1 ton of water over 1,000 square meters.
How the storm is developing in Crete
The severe weather continues to batter various parts of Crete, with disruptions to the island’s regional road network persisting. According to the latest announcement from the General Regional Police Directorate of Crete, in the Regional Unit of Chania, traffic has been cut off on the provincial road between Petra Seli and Semprona in the Municipality of Platanias.
In the Regional Unit of Lasithi, traffic has been suspended on the provincial road between Ierapetra and Sitia at the 15th kilometer (Agia Fotia) and the 22nd kilometer (Koutsouras), while traffic on the 28th kilometer of the provincial road between Agios Nikolaos and Exo Potamon is restricted to a single lane.
In the Regional Unit of Rethymno, traffic has been cut off on the provincial road from Vistagi towards Platania in the Municipality of Amari, while traffic has been restored on the provincial road from Krana to Zoniana and on the road from Axos to Zoniana.
In the Regional Unit of Heraklion, traffic closures remain in effect at several points, including the Irish crossing on Kastorias Street in Katsampas (Municipality of Heraklion), the Irish crossing on Lykiou Street in the Koroni Magara area (Municipality of Heraklion), and the Irish crossing in Damania towards Melidochori (Municipality of Archanes-Asterousia). The entrance and exit of the provincial road between Archanes and Sylamos, along the Sylamos Gorge, also remains closed. Traffic on the Chersonissos-Kastelli provincial road has since been restored.
Drivers are urged to stay regularly updated on weather conditions in their area, avoid unnecessary travel, exercise extreme caution while driving, and follow the instructions of traffic officers.
The Greek Police website “astynomia.gr” features a dedicated banner with continuous updates on weather events, road closures, and the use of snow chains across the country, along with road safety tips.
Emergency weather bulletin remains in effect
The emergency bulletin for dangerous weather phenomena remains active, with heavy rain and thunderstorms expected today, Saturday, October 3rd, in Crete and from midday onward in the Dodecanese. Meanwhile, very strong northeasterly winds of up to 8 to 9 Beaufort are forecast locally across the Aegean.
The Hellenic National Meteorological Service (EMY) has updated the emergency bulletin, while the National Observatory of Athens / Meteo is warning of a new round of intense rainfall in Crete, with particularly high precipitation levels expected mainly in the island’s mountainous and semi-mountainous regions.
Severe weather in Crete expected through the night
In detail:
1. Locally heavy rain and thunderstorms are forecast:
- In Crete today, Saturday. A gradual easing of conditions is expected from late night onward.
- (Orange warning) In the Dodecanese (mainly the southern sections) from Saturday midday through to Sunday midday.
2. Locally very strong northeasterly winds of 8 to 9 Beaufort will blow across the Aegean today, Saturday, through to the afternoon.
A new round of intense rainfall
According to the latest forecast data from the National Observatory of Athens / Meteo.gr, following a brief lull in conditions over Crete, a new round of intense rainfall is expected to hit the island, with the weather system forecast to persist through Sunday, October 4th, 2026.
The rainfall already underway in Crete since the afternoon of Friday, October 2nd, is set to intensify, with thunderstorms developing. Conditions will remain severe across the mountainous, semi-mountainous, and northern parts of the island through Saturday evening, October 3rd. On Sunday, October 4th, intermittent rain and local thunderstorms are forecast through midday, gradually easing thereafter.
The map below shows the estimated cumulative rainfall through Sunday evening, October 4th, for the southern mainland and island regions of Greece, as calculated by the numerical weather prediction model of the National Observatory of Athens / Meteo.gr.
Map: Estimated cumulative rainfall through Sunday evening, October 4th, for the southern regions of Greece, as calculated by the numerical weather prediction model of the National Observatory of Athens / Meteo.gr.
According to the Rainfall Episode Classification Index (RPI) applied by the METEO unit of the National Observatory of Athens, the rainfall episode for Saturday, October 3rd, is classified as Category 4 (Very Significant).
Across the rest of Greece, increased cloud cover is expected in the eastern and southern regions, with local showers on Friday, October 2nd, in Eastern Central Greece, Euboea, and the Cyclades. From Saturday afternoon, October 3rd, through Sunday morning, October 4th, local thunderstorms are forecast in the Dodecanese — particularly on the island of Rhodes. Strong northerly winds across the eastern mainland and the Aegean will persist through Saturday, October 3rd, with some weakening on Sunday, October 4th.
Crete storm: 23 people rescued in Ierapetra as floods and debris block roads
The severe weather that struck Crete overnight caused significant disruption, with the most serious impacts recorded on the eastern side of the island. The worst conditions occurred in the early morning hours of Saturday in the wider Ierapetra area — particularly in Ferma and Makrys Gialos — where heavy rainfall triggered widespread flooding.
The Fire Service was called to intervene in a series of incidents, rescuing a total of 23 people from homes and vehicles. Emergency services also received dozens of calls to pump out floodwater, as the sheer volume of rainfall caused flooding in residential properties and business premises.
‼️🚨‼️Crete storm 🌧️ — A night of anxiety as severe weather strikes the island
🆘Emergency alert 112: “Limit your movements” until Saturday afternoon — Focus areas: ⚠️Anogia, ⚠️Zoniana and the ⚠️Lasithi Plateau.
112 warnings and traffic bans have been issued… pic.twitter.com/9GUlBcuBZK
— Ε🇬🇷Λ🇬🇷Λ🇬🇷Α🇬🇷Σ (@GRHellasGR) October 2, 2026
Debris and flooding in Flamouriana
Intense weather events were also recorded in Flamouriana, in the Municipality of Agios Nikolaos, where floodwaters swept large quantities of debris onto the road network, hampering traffic and blocking access at several points.
Crews are on the ground working to clear the roads and remove debris in order to gradually restore normal traffic flow.
Fire service on high alert: 22 people evacuated to safety
The Fire Service Operations Center in Crete received a total of 31 emergency calls from Friday morning through to 6:00 AM on Saturday, due to the severe rainfall battering the island.
The most serious incidents were recorded in the Regional Unit of Lasithi, where one water pumping operation was carried out and 20 people were evacuated to safety in the Ferma area of Ierapetra. Traffic on the national road between Ierapetra and Sitia, at the entrance to the village, has also been suspended due to debris on the road and rising water levels on the carriageway. Two municipal machinery units are working to clear the debris and restore traffic.
In the Regional Unit of Heraklion, one water pumping operation was carried out, while in Zoniana, Rethymno, two pumping operations were conducted and two individuals were transported to safety. The severe weather conditions in Crete are expected to continue through Saturday afternoon, with fire service units remaining on heightened standby.
