The campaign site is the Finokalia station (35.338°N, 25.670°E) on the north coast of Crete, Greece. The nearest large urban centre is Heraklion with 150.000 inhabitants located 70 km west of Finokalia. The station is located at the top of a hilly elevation (252 m asl) facing the sea within a sector 270° to 90°. The nearest village with 10 inhabitants is at 3 km to the south of the station. No significant human activities occur at a distance shorter than 15km within the above mentioned sector.

Meteorology of the area

The campaign area is characterized by the existence of two well-distinguished seasons equally distributed throughout the year: the dry season (from April to September) and the wet season (from October to April). Based on a classification of 5-days backward trajectories performed for 8-year period (1997 - 2003), the dry season is mainly characterized (up to 90%) by winds of N/NW direction (Central and Eastern Europe and Balkans) and high speed. During the wet season the prevalence of the N/NW sector is less pronounced while important transport from the Sahara desert (S/SW winds; occurrence up to 20%) takes place.

For further information visit the station's website.

Recent activity