Shutter-shaking gusts of wind

Late in the afternoon on my arrival day, high hazy clouds turned the sky milky white and obscured views of the evening sunset. I woke up the next morning to the sound of strong winds shaking the shutters outside my hotel room window. The wind continued to gust throughout the morning while the sun and clouds fought for control of the sky. Few tourists were in sight at scenic Little Venice, where big waves smashed against the seaside, splashing tables and chairs on the vacant cocktail bar terraces. Sunshine started to prevail in early afternoon and, once the winds let up, the rest of the day was beautiful.

May 16 was a gorgeous sunny day, with only a few clouds, and May 17 started off looking much the same. It was a perfect beach day until around 3 in the afternoon, when clouds pulled over the island and parked above Mykonos for a couple of hours before clearing away during the evening. Around sunset, the wind began picking up strength again, and weather reports warned that a major thunderstorm system would move across Mykonos overnight, bringing heavy rainfalls. It did in fact rain while I was asleep, but Mother Nature saved the biggest deluge for just past breakfast on May 18. The sky filled with jet-black, angry clouds that unleashed their fury for nearly two hours, pelting the island and passengers tendering to shore from the Celebrity Equinox anchored near the Old Port. Luckily, the storm let up at at lunchtime, but the clouds hung around the rest of the day, breaking up briefly to reveal a brilliant rainbow arc followed by a golden sunset.

 

Two sunny beach days in a row

May 19 brought mainly sunshine and warm temperatures plus a few big fluffy clouds that didn’t bother sunbathers at the beaches. May 20 was another wonderful beach day; the skies were mainly clear until evening, when clouds pushed in to provide a dramatic backdrop for a spectacular fiery sunset. But on May 21 — my last full day on Mykonos — the sun made only brief appearances, and the cloudy sky threatened rain most of the day. It sprinkled lightly a few times, but nobody needed to take out their umbrellas. And, of course, it was sunny and hot on May 22 when I had to pack my bags and catch a ferry to Paros.

The wacky weather didn’t interfere with my holiday whatsoever. Although some beach buffs were upset that the thunderstorm interrupted their suntanning plans, most people took the bad weather in stride, seizing the opportunity to catch up on sleep or curl up with a good book. At breakfast on May 18, a female college student looked ready to cry while she watched thunderclouds filling the sky. “What’s there to do on Mykonos when it’s raining?” she wondered. “Read. Sleep. Visit some of the museums and galleries. Or check out all the stores — there’s hundreds of them,” I replied. Her eyes lit up and her lips broke into a broad smile as she turned to her friends and exclaimed: “We’re going shopping!”

There’s always something to do on Mykonos, whatever the weather!

Below are photos showing some of the dramatic skies above Mykonos on the days it wasn’t clear and sunny during my visit.

 

Massive stormclouds above nearby Tinos island advance toward Mykonos

 

It’s still sunny on Syros island in the distance, but it’s a completely different story at Mykonos, where stormclouds pass above the Celebrity Equinox, anchored near the Old Port.

 

I watched the entire morning thunderstorm from the shelter of the bar terrace beside the Hotel Tagoo’s seaview swimming pool

 

The evening looks more promising as blue sky begins breaking through the stormclouds

 

The Hotel Tagoo swimming pool reflects the slowly-dispersing stormclouds

 

Intriguing colours and textures appear in the sea and sky as sunset approaches

 

A giant rainbow arcs high in the sky above Hotel Tagoo shortly before sunset

 

The sunset casts a fiery orange glow on the thick cloudcover above the sea

 

The stormclouds add high drama to the sky at sunset

 

Giaros island is visible in the distance during sunset on May 19

 

A tender boat approaches a cruise ship anchored near the Mykonos Old Port as the island enjoys a brilliant sunset on May 15 2012

 

 

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