Today's weather for Sunny Beach, Bulgaria26th Jul 2008 11:00

back to top

Weather Overview for Sunny Beach

Sunny Beach, it sounds like a resort doesn’t it? Well you’ve hit the nail on the head as Sunny Beach is Bulgaria’s most popular resort, sitting in an enviable location on the Blacksea coast, 35 kilometres north of the larger coastal city of Burgas.

Sunny Beach is home to over 500 hotels which sleep more than 110 000 tourists and over 130 restaurants feed the demand. The resort town is home to a very small permanent population, with it close to closing down in the off season- however in the peak season of summer 1000’s of tourists flock to the coast to enjoy the beach side ambience of Sunny Beach.

While the interior of Bulgaria is home to a continental climate, Sunny Beach witnesses a much more moderate climate due to the influence of the Black Sea. The weather could be best classified as moderate continental, though it also exhibits qualities of a Mediterranean climate- hot dry summers, and cooler mild winters.

Sunny Beach is home to a spectacular 8km long golden sandy beach, that is 30 to 60km wide in parts and stretches along a wide semi circular bay which faces east. Under the waters of the Black Sea the continental shelf (or the shore, as most people would be calling it) increases in depth ever so slightly.. so the shallow waters extend for quite a while, making it a very family friendly beach. The beach has also been awarded a coveted Blue Flag from ecological advantages- making it one of the best beaches in the world for cleanliness and management. It is also one of the only places along the Black Sea coast where you can still find well formed and seemingly untouched sand dunes.

Sunny Beach lies in an enviable position in close proximity to mountain ranges and sea side- making the air that blows through the region extremely fresh and beneficial to those with respiratory problems. The World Health Organisation recognised the Sunny Beach region as one of the healthiest microclimates in the world. The fresh air that blows down from the mountain peaks is devoid of heavy pollution, and is crisp and refreshing once it reaches the winds that blow off the Black Sea.

Summer is the best time to visit the area, as it is bustling with activity and all businesses will be up and running as the resort is in full swing for peak season. June sees an average temperature of 18 degrees, before picking up to average daily temperatures of 22 degrees in July and August. In the midst of summer daily highs will usually reach into the high 20’s, and the breezes off the Black Sea provide relief from the heat in the afternoons. The sea temperature is a pleasant 20 to 23 degrees, which is slightly cooler than in the Mediterranean but proves to be refreshing and not bath like. During this time there are 8 to 11 hours of sunlight during the day, and rainfall continues to be steady.

It can rain any time of the year in Sunny Beach, and the locals will tell you when it rains- it pours, so you may be stuck inside for a few hours waiting for the downpour to finish- though in the aftermath the air is even cleaner and you will be met with days and days of clear skies. While the wettest period of the year is the winter months, where 70 to 90mm of rain will fall per month, June to August see between 50 and 70mm of rainfall. September and October are the driest months with about 38mm of precipitation on average falling across each month.

Winters in Sunny Beach get quite chilly, with an average daily temperature of 2 degrees in January, and 3 and 4 degrees in February and December respectively. Hours of daily sunlight fall to 5 to 6 hours, and the sea temperature has cooled right down to 14 degrees or below. Average precipitation in January and February is over 80mm and begins to die down only by April. Sunny Beach is a beautiful spot and will be beautiful at any time of the year, though winter will see it turn into somewhat of a ghost town, so its best to plan your trip in Spring or Summer.

The shoulder seasons of Spring and Autumn can be good times to visit as there won't be as many tourists, accommodation will be slightly cheaper and the temperatures are still pleasant. In addition, Autumn is the driest time of the year so you wont be dodging as much rainfall.

back to top