Despite springtime finally arriving in Europe, Croatia is set to face a significant unseasonable winter blast early next week. Heavy snowfall and strong bura winds – cold and dry northeasterly gusts – are forecasted to impact various regions, as extreme cold from the North Pole arrives.
According to the latest data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), snow will begin to fall on Sunday evening, intensifying overnight and into Monday morning. The Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service (DHMZ) has also issued a red weather warning for the northern Adriatic, particularly the Velebit area, due to very strong and stormy bura winds. Wind speeds are expected to range between 47mph and 99mph, posing a high safety risk.
The heaviest snowfall is expected in mountainous areas such as Gorski Kotar and Lika, while lower-altitude regions may see less accumulation, depending on air temperatures.
The high wind speeds pose a high risk to safety for seafarers in particular and also threatens to cause damage to coastal infrastructure.
Meteorologist Zoran Vakula has revealed that after a few sunny days leading up to the weekend, rain will move in by Saturday evening, first in the interior and later along the Adriatic coast.
Some areas may experience heavy showers with thunderstorms. With temperatures dropping sharply, snowfall is expected, particularly in higher elevations.
Sunday is likely to be noticeably colder than Saturday, with a significant drop in temperatures in inland areas. The strong and stormy bura will create additional difficulties, particularly on the northern Adriatic.
According to weather maps from WXCharts, temperatures could fall to as low as -4C in some inland areas, while the coast with barely reach above freezing.
Tourists and residents are urged to avoid unnecessary travel and to take extra precautions in coastal areas affected by the storm.
With ferry disruptions highly likely, those planning trips have been advised to check schedules in advance.
In April, Croatia normally experiences mild weather, with average temperatures ranging between 10 and 18C, sometimes even reaching 20C in coastal areas.