Weather Locations in Croatia

Croatia Weather Overview

The weather across Croatia doesn’t vary too dramatically from North to South; however the climate does change from continental to Mediterranean as you move further away from the cooling influence of Northern Europe and move toward the equator.

Croatia spans along a long, picturesque coast line with the famous and popular tourist destination of the Dalmatian Coast lying in the very south. The influence of the Adriatic Sea along Croatia’s coast has a moderating affect on the climate- you will find conditions become slightly more extreme as you move eastward toward Serbia and interior Croatia.

The DALMATION COAST and the offshore islands of the Adriatic are Croatia’s most well known, and most visited, tourist destinations. Whether you choose to start your journey in Split at the top of the Dalmatian coast and head through a few islands of your choice before ending in the amazing walled city of Dubrovnik, or whether you choose to pick one spot and relax for a week or two, your journey to Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast will be one that is unforgettable as this part of the country is breath takingly beautiful.

The Dalmatian Coast is home to a fairly typical Mediterranean climate that boasts long hot summers and cooler more mild winters in which most of the annual rainfall will occur. If you look at the weather averages for Dubrovnik here, you will gain an idea of what sort of conditions to expect out of your stay.

The most popular time to visit the region, and when the most suitable weather occurs, is during the summer months of June to September. Summers along the coast and in the islands see about 10 to 12 hours of sunshine per day and temperatures in the mid to high 20’s, and occasionally reaching into the 30’s in the very height of summer. Croatia boasts very low humidity, sitting at about 60% so even in the scorching sun the heat is somewhat bearable, you are also never far from the crystal waters of the Adriatic which you can dive into and cool off.

Dubrovnik sees minimums throughout summer of about 18 to 21 degrees and maximum daily temperatures of 25 to 29 degrees. Throughout summer the city, and surrounding areas, only see about 3 to 6 days of rain per month and very minimal precipitation. July is, on average, the driest month in the area and in Dubrovnik, July only records about 26 mm precipitation for the entirety of the month.

Much like the Greek Islands, this popular tourist area becomes somewhat of a ghost town come winter time. While the islands may close down and many businesses may shut their doors, trips to the bigger cities of Dubrovnik and Split are still enjoyable as there are a lot of sights to take in. A walk around the Dubrovnik city walls is enjoyable regardless of what the weather is and you can still learn about the tragic recent history of the once war riddled region.

Keep in mind that, being home to a Mediterranean climate, winters see significant rainfall and the hours of daily sun fall down to about 3 to 5 hours as the sky becomes overcast and the rainfall consistent. On average, each month throughout winter will experience about 13 to 15 days of rain per month and November is generally the wettest month of the year. Minimums will sit at about 6 to 8 degrees, while maximums reach a fairly pleasant 12 to 14 degrees. It is very rare for temperature to fall below freezing, even in the height of winter.

Brac is one of the Adriatic islands that is a beautiful spot to visit if you take one of the ferries from Dubrovnik, Split or one of the other islands. Hvar and Korcula are another two islands that are recommended to visit, with the glitz and glamour of Hvar rivaling Monte Carlo as the play ground for Europe’s rich and glamorous. Korcula is the birth place of Marco Polo so there is plenty of history to top of the amazing scenery.

Brac boast 134 days of clear sky per year and the temperature falls below 0 only once ever 3 years. In July and August the average daily temperature sits at 24 degrees which is the same temperature as the water surrounding it, so it provides for a very pleasurably swimming experience and perfect conditions to dive, Jet Ski or simply lie on one of the many beautiful beaches.

NORTHERN AND CENTRAL CROATIA

The very north of Croatia is home to the Pannonian Plains, which are lowlands that hold a continental climate that has hot summers and cold winters. Within this region you will find the country’s capital city of Zagreb. See here for average conditions in Zagreb.

Central Croatia becomes quite mountainous as the Dinara mountain range takes over the terrain. This area hosts an alpine climate and large forests with the average winter range spreading from -5 to freezing, ad 15 to 20 degrees in the summer months.

As you move into Croatia’s interior and head toward Serbia conditions become more extreme as you are moving further from the moderating influence of the Adriatic Sea. Varying altitude has an affect on the weather; at higher points on the Dinara Mountains you can find snow cover for much of the year.

Moving further to the east the mountains lessen and the terrain forms into the low lying valleys of the Danube. Here in winter it is much colder and there is significantly less rainfall all year round.

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