A Guide to the Weather in Croatia

Croatia has two climates as the interior is separated from the coast by the Dinaric Mountains. The interior experiences a continental climate with hot summers and cold, snowy winters, while coastal areas have a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and short, mild and somewhat wet winters.

Does it snow in Croatia?

If you're travelling to Croatia for snow, then you're in luck! Interior regions get copious amounts of snow during winter, including Motovun, Gorski Kotar, Sljeme, Plitvice Lakes National Park and the Hrvatsko Zagorje region. Winter temperatures usually average 0°C/32°F so the ground is cold enough for snow to stick for an extended period. Although temperatures are conducive to frequent snowfall, it's unlikely to be extremely heavy, so if you're interested in skiing or snowboarding, travel to the ski resorts in the height of winter (January) to enjoy the best powder.

Weather in coastal regions

Along the coast, average temperatures in summer (June to August) linger in the mid to high 20°Cs/82°F thanks to the proximity of the Adriatic coast, but it's not uncommon to reach 30°C+/86°F. There's hardly any rain, making it the best season to experience Croatia's incredible beaches and water-based activities.

Temperatures slowly decrease as autumn (September to November) sets in, but they're still high enough to spend long periods outside without getting too cold (think high teens to low 20°Cs/68°F). Autumn can be quite wet, and even more so as winter (December to February) approaches.

A light dusting of snow falls can fall in Split, but it's uncommon and often difficult to predict.

MONTH	AVERAGE HIGH	AVERAGE LOW
March to May	18°C	12°C
June to August	29°C	21°C
September to November	20°C	14°C
December to February	11°C	6°C

Weather in interior Croatia

The weather in Zagreb and other interior regions sees hot summers with temperatures often hitting the mid to high 30°Cs/high 80°Fs. However, it often feels warmer because of the lack of sea breeze. Similar to the coast, rainfall is low to none in summertime.

Winter in the interior regions is cold. Temperatures hover between -5°C and 5°C (23°F to 41°F) and moderate to heavy snowfall is common, particularly at higher elevations.

MONTH	AVERAGE HIGH	AVERAGE LOW
March to May	17°C	8°C
June to August	27°C	17°C
September to November	16°C	9°C
December to February	5°C	0°C

Weather in Plitvice Lakes National Park

Plitvice Lakes National Park is located in central Croatia. The park sits in a continental climate zone with four distinct seasons, though rain is plentiful year-round. With diverse weather, the scenery changes considerably throughout the year.

Summers are fairly short with average highs of 23-27°C, though midday temps often rise above 30 °C. Winters are freezing with heavy snowfall, and some areas of the park may close if it's particularly heavy.

Autumn and spring can be unpredictable and quite wet, so we recommend bringing a mix of warm and cold weather gear.