Because Greece is located in the Mediterranean area, water management is crucial. Nearly all of Greece's rivers dry up in the summer because of the lack of rain. As a result, fresh water must be stored during the winter for use during summer. In the wintertime, Greek islands and their coastal regions have milder temperatures than the mountains interior regions. The western areas are much wetter than the eastern areas.
Snow falls heavily in the colder regions with higher elevation during the winter.
On the other hand, snow in the lowlands is rare in any season. The frost provides a large amount of water to nearby streams and rivers. During the summer, the skies are clear, and along the coast, a cool breeze flows. The islands and the coastal regions do have hot summers with temperatures usually cooler in the inland mountains. The average yearly precipitation in the summer is the lowest year-round.