Croatia Faces Severe Weather After Sunny Saturday, Followed by Temperatures Up to 40 Degrees

Croatia is bracing for a significant change in weather as a predominantly sunny and warm Saturday gives way to a Sunday marked by thunderstorms and the possibility of severe weather, particularly along the Adriatic coast. The Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service (DHMZ) has issued yellow warnings for several regions, anticipating heavy rain, lightning, and strong winds.

Saturday is forecast to be mostly sunny and very warm, with temperatures ranging from 25 to 30 degrees Celsius. Light to moderate south and southwest winds will blow inland, while the coast will experience moderate to strong winds, with gusts of 65 to 75 kilometers per hour in some areas. Yellow warnings are in effect for central and southern Dalmatia due to potentially strong gusts of bora wind.

Sunday, however, brings a shift to variable cloudiness and unstable conditions. Showers with thunderstorms are expected to spread across the country, becoming more frequent and intense in coastal areas, where storms with gale-force winds are possible. Winds will be moderate southwest inland, potentially becoming strong with instability. The Adriatic coast will see moderate to strong southerly winds, possibly reaching gale force before weakening later in the day. Morning temperatures will range from 13 to 18 degrees Celsius inland and 18 to 22 degrees Celsius on the coast, with daytime highs between 26 and 31 degrees Celsius.

DHMZ has issued yellow warnings for strong winds and potential thunderstorms for numerous coastal regions, including Rijeka, Split, Dubrovnik, and parts of Istria and Kvarner. Despite the anticipated weekend turmoil, forecasts suggest a return to stable and sunny weather from Tuesday onwards, expected to last through the following week. By the end of next week, temperatures could climb to 35 degrees Celsius on the coast and reach as high as 40 degrees Celsius inland, signaling the potential start of a new heatwave.