Weather in Croatia
Croatia's climate is largely broken up into two - a continental climate and a Mediterranean one - depending on different regions within the country. A continental climate is felt in the cities and regions located in the mainland of the country while the cities along the Adriatic coast experience a Mediterranean climate. However, the weather in these climates can fluctuate slightly from year to year. This means the weather is slightly different in both areas of the country but, on the whole, Croatia enjoys mild winters and warm to hot summers.
Weather on the coast
Temperatures in summer can reach as high as 30°C+/86°F but usually average around the mid to high 20°Cs/82°F for most of the season thanks to the proximity of the Adriatic coast. Along with the warm, sunny weather, the months of June, July, and August rarely see any rainfall making it the best season to experience some of Croatia's incredible beaches and the many water-based activities that you can participate in. Temperatures start to slowly decrease as it moves into Autumn, however, they're still high enough to enjoy spending long periods of time outside without getting too cold (think high teens to low 20°Cs/68°F). With the arrival of Autumn comes the arrival of frequent rainfall, and as it moves into winter, this rainfall can increase to a heavy level.
While temperatures in winter on the coast can lower to 5°C/41°F, it's unlikely that coastal areas will ever see snow. On some occasions, a light dusting of snow has fallen in areas such as Zadar and Split but it's very uncommon and is often difficult to predict.
Weather in the mainland
The weather in summer can get extremely hot in the mainland regions of Croatia with temperatures around the mid to high 30°Cs/high 80°Fs to low 90°Fs quite common, especially in July. However, it can often feel warmer than that because of the lack of wind/sea breeze that the coastal areas experience. Don't let those high temperatures deter you from visiting though as temperatures are more likely to sit around the mid to high 20°Cs/82°F. Similar to the climate of the coast, summers tend to experience little rainfall until the months of autumn and winter so travelling to the country in June, July, and August is the best time to enjoy the warm, Croatian sunshine.
Does it snow in Croatia?
If you're travelling to Croatia in search of snow then you'll definitely find it with the mainland areas of the country experiencing copious amounts of snow during winter. Temperatures in winter usually average around 0°C/32°F making it the perfect condition for snow to fall and stick to the ground for an extended period of time. Although temperatures are conducive to frequent snowfall, snowfall is unlikely to be extremely heavy so if you're interested in doing snow-based activities such as skiing or snowboarding, travel to the ski resorts in the height of winter (January) to enjoy the deepest amount of snow.
Below are a list of cities/regions that experience the most snow in Croatia during winter:
- Motovun
- Gorski Kotar
- Sljeme
- Hrvatsko Zagorje region
- Plitvice Lakes National Park
Average temperatures in Croatia
MONTH |
AVERAGE HIGH |
AVERAGE LOW |
March to May |
18°C/64°F |
9°C/48°F |
June to August |
28°C/82°F |
18°C/64°F |
September to November |
17°C/62°F |
10°C/50°F |
December to February |
7°C/45°F |
1°C/33°F |
Read more about the best time to visit Croatia
Read more about Europe
Dec 16, 2021
Why you should do a guided walking...
If you were planning to take on one of Europe’s famous Great Walks, would you...
Apr 02, 2022
5 cities in Luxembourg you simply...
Luxembourg City isn't the only city in Luxembourg worth exploring.
Apr 05, 2022
Feast at these 6 tastebud-tingling...
Sit back, put your feet up (figuratively speaking), and dig in.
Aug 29, 2017
The best cities in Europe for LGBTQI...
While much of Europe is welcoming and safe for LGBTQI travellers, here’s a list of...
Apr 10, 2022
Where to celebrate pride in Europe 2022
With European summer just around the corner, it’s time to get your Pride plans in...
Apr 18, 2022
Meet the 66-year-old Black solo...
Diana Petterson is often the only Black solo traveller in her tour groups – and...
Mar 14, 2017
Visiting Greece? Here’s what you need...
From hearty street food to fresh fine dining and even sampling some of the...
Jan 19, 2018
Lesser-known Croatia: 7 stunning...
While hotspots like Split and Dubrovnik will always be packed in high season,...
Aug 23, 2020
The top 10 destinations for travel in...
Europeans, here are our recommendations for your close-to-home adventures this...
Sep 01, 2019
The top 10 destinations for travel in...
Whether you’ve always wanted to admire the Victoria Falls in Zambia, sip a pint or...
Sep 02, 2019
The top 9 destinations for travel in...
Whether you’ve always wanted to get off the beaten track in Romania, watch the...
Sep 03, 2019
The top 8 destinations for travel in...
Whether you’ve always wanted to slurp schnapps at a Swedish celebration, track...
Sep 04, 2019
The top 10 destinations to travel in...
We're looking at where to travel in May, a balmy, sunshine-in-a-bowl sort of month...
Sep 05, 2019
The top 8 destinations for travel in...
From witnessing Bolivia's salt flats, to staring in wonder at the cherry blossoms...
Sep 06, 2019
The top 8 destinations for travel in...
From rum tasting in Cuba, to gondola riding along Venice’s many canals. Here's...
Oct 01, 2019
Tram carts and custard tarts (and...
Travellers be warned: to visit Lisbon is to fall under its spell. The Portuguese...
Dec 23, 2019
10 reasons why Baku, Azerbaijan needs...
There are few places in this big ol’ world left under the radar, but Baku is one...
May 12, 2017
Split: The Croatian city that should...
While Split may never shine as brightly as the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’ by tourist...
Mar 01, 2022
10 reasons why you should visit the...
Remote, wild and insanely beautiful. Find out why you should add the Faroe Islands...
Mar 02, 2022
6 reasons why you should do a guided...
Here are 6 reasons why you should do a guided Camino walk instead of going it alone.
Dec 14, 2021
5 Of The Best Walks in Europe – The...
For anyone seeking a truly rewarding holiday, the Great Walks of Europe offer a...
Dec 16, 2018
Everything you need to know about...
Walking the Camino de Santiago is special, but it's not exactly a unique...
Jan 25, 2018
3 Baltic capitals that should...
Fairytale-esque architecture, tasty food, friendly people and incredible culture?...
Oct 30, 2018
Everything you need to know before...
While Turkey has long been a popular tourist spot — currently the eighth most...