Inland, a continental climate
The northern region has a continental climate, with harsh winters and hot, dry summers. In the Dinar Alps, some twenty mountain peaks over 1,000 m in altitude have been recorded, the highest of which, Dinar, rises to 1,830 m. You can ski at Sljeme or Platak. Temperatures at altitude range from - 5°C (January) to + 15°C (August). Rainfall extremes range from 30 mm (July) to 270 mm (March). Average annual relative humidity is around 75%. On the whole, few people live in these inhospitable mountains. Population density increases as you descend into the central valleys and plains. The climate becomes semi-continental, with cold winters alternating with frequent snowfalls and often sub-zero temperatures. Summers are hot, with an average of 26°C, peaks around 35°C and violent storms at the end of the season, as the country also suffers the effects of climate change.
In the east, rainfall extremes range from 30 mm (February) to 180 mm (July). Average annual humidity is 68%. In the spring of 2014, Slavonia, bordering Serbia and Bosnia, experienced the worst rainy depression in its history - a cumulative 205 mm in Belgrade, which caused the Save River to overflow its banks and dykes to collapse. The toll was heavy: two deaths in Croatia, loss of livestock, displacement of populations and destruction of infrastructure.
The Mediterranean climate of the Adriatic coast
Mediterranean in character, Istria and Dalmatia enjoy year-round sunshine. Mild temperatures range from 7°C (February) to 30°C (July and August), with peaks over 35°C at the height of the summer season. From June to October, water temperatures fluctuate between 20 and 26°C, with prolonged Indian summers. In autumn and spring, thunderstorms and sudden bouts of rain can be surprising. Extreme rainfall of 15 mm in spring can reach 135 mm (December).
Of the winds - important factors in the Croatian climate - we'd like to highlight the most influential. The bora (north-east), with gusts that can reach 200 km/h, is strongly felt on the coast bordering the Lika mountains, sometimes even as far as Dubrovnik, where air traffic is halted when it is too strong. On the other side, the rather warm jugo (from the southeast) heralds thunderstorms. Finally, the maestral (north-west), an ally of windsurfers, can bring continuous light breezes in summer.
During the summer months, with peak temperatures of around 35°C and strong winds, huge forest fires broke out, sweeping away hundreds of hectares of pine forests on the outskirts of Split, Zadar, Šibenik and Dubrovnik. At the end of July 2023, a dozen kilometers from the historic city, in the municipality of Župa dubrovačka, the fire also triggered explosions of anti-personnel mines dating back to the last war. Fortunately, the area currently being cleared of mines is completely closed to the public.
