Theclimate of Serbia is between a continental climate in the north, with cold dry winters, and warm, humid summers with well distributed rainfall patterns, and a moreMediterranean climate in the south with hot, dry summers and autumns and average relatively cool and more rainy winters with heavy mountain snowfall. Differences in elevation, proximity to theAdriatic Sea andAegean Sea and large river basins, as well as exposure to the winds account for climate differences.[1]
Most of Northern Serbia possesses a typical continental climate, with air masses from northern and western Europe which shape its climatic profile. South and South-east of Serbia is subject to strong Mediterranean influences (hotter summers and milder winters). However, theDinaric Alps and other mountain ranges contribute to the cooling down a large part of the warm air masses. Winters are quite harsh inRaška (region) because of the mountains which encircle the plateau.[2] One of the climatic features of Serbia isKošava, a cold and verysqually southeastern wind which starts in theCarpathian Mountains and follows theDanube northwest through theIron Gate where it gains ajet effect and continues toBelgrade and can spread as far south asNiš.[3] Mediterranean micro-regions exist throughout southern Serbia,[4] in Zlatibor[5] and the Pčinja District around valley and riverPčinja.[6]
The average annual air temperature for the period 1981–2017 for the area with an altitude of up to 300 m (984 ft) is 11.6 °C (52.9 °F). The areas with an altitude of 300 to 500 m (984 to 1,640 ft) have an average annual temperature of around 11.0 °C (51.8 °F), and over 1,000 m (3,281 ft) of altitude around 7.5 °C (45.5 °F).[7]
Serbia is one of few European countries with avery high risk exposure to natural hazards (earthquakes, storms, floods and droughts).[8] It is estimated that potential floods, particularly in areas of Central Serbia, threaten over 500 larger settlements and an area of 16,000 square kilometres.[9] The most disastrous were thefloods in May 2014, when 57 people died and a damage of over 1.5 billion euros was inflicted.[10]
The lowest recorded temperature in Serbia was −39.5 °C (−39.1 °F) (January 26, 2006,Karajukića Bunari inPešter), and the highest was 44.9 °C or 112.8 °F (July 24, 2007,Smederevska Palanka).[7][11][12]
| Climate data forBelgrade (1991–2020, extremes 1936–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 20.7 (69.3) | 23.9 (75.0) | 30.0 (86.0) | 32.4 (90.3) | 34.9 (94.8) | 37.4 (99.3) | 43.6 (110.5) | 40.0 (104.0) | 41.8 (107.2) | 33.7 (92.7) | 28.4 (83.1) | 22.6 (72.7) | 43.6 (110.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 5.2 (41.4) | 7.8 (46.0) | 13.1 (55.6) | 18.9 (66.0) | 23.6 (74.5) | 27.1 (80.8) | 29.3 (84.7) | 29.7 (85.5) | 24.3 (75.7) | 18.7 (65.7) | 12.2 (54.0) | 6.1 (43.0) | 18.0 (64.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 1.9 (35.4) | 3.8 (38.8) | 8.3 (46.9) | 13.6 (56.5) | 18.2 (64.8) | 21.9 (71.4) | 23.8 (74.8) | 23.8 (74.8) | 18.5 (65.3) | 13.3 (55.9) | 8.1 (46.6) | 3.0 (37.4) | 13.0 (55.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −0.7 (30.7) | 0.6 (33.1) | 4.2 (39.6) | 8.8 (47.8) | 13.2 (55.8) | 16.7 (62.1) | 18.4 (65.1) | 18.5 (65.3) | 14.1 (57.4) | 9.4 (48.9) | 5.1 (41.2) | 0.5 (32.9) | 9.1 (48.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −24.5 (−12.1) | −20.5 (−4.9) | −12.4 (9.7) | −3.4 (25.9) | 0.4 (32.7) | 4.6 (40.3) | 8.3 (46.9) | 6.7 (44.1) | 0.6 (33.1) | −6.9 (19.6) | −8.3 (17.1) | −15.8 (3.6) | −24.5 (−12.1) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 47.9 (1.89) | 43.5 (1.71) | 48.7 (1.92) | 51.5 (2.03) | 72.3 (2.85) | 95.6 (3.76) | 66.5 (2.62) | 55.1 (2.17) | 58.6 (2.31) | 54.8 (2.16) | 49.6 (1.95) | 54.8 (2.16) | 698.9 (27.52) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.1 mm) | 13.5 | 12.3 | 11.3 | 12.4 | 13.5 | 12.2 | 10.0 | 8.4 | 9.5 | 10.5 | 10.8 | 13.8 | 138.2 |
| Average snowy days | 9.7 | 7.3 | 4.2 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 3.0 | 7.8 | 32.8 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 77.9 | 71.4 | 62.7 | 59.9 | 61.9 | 62.5 | 59.8 | 59.5 | 65.8 | 71.4 | 75.1 | 79.5 | 67.3 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 70.7 | 96.2 | 146.7 | 186.7 | 224.7 | 253.9 | 278.8 | 262.6 | 192.6 | 155.0 | 92.1 | 60.3 | 2,020.3 |
| Averageultraviolet index | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Source 1: Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia[13] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Weather Atlas (UV),[14] Meteo Climat (record highs and lows)[15] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data forNiš (1991–2020, extremes 1940–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 21.7 (71.1) | 24.0 (75.2) | 33.5 (92.3) | 33.0 (91.4) | 35.3 (95.5) | 40.3 (104.5) | 44.2 (111.6) | 42.2 (108.0) | 39.6 (103.3) | 35.0 (95.0) | 29.0 (84.2) | 22.2 (72.0) | 44.2 (111.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 5.3 (41.5) | 8.3 (46.9) | 13.6 (56.5) | 19.0 (66.2) | 23.8 (74.8) | 27.9 (82.2) | 30.4 (86.7) | 30.9 (87.6) | 25.4 (77.7) | 19.5 (67.1) | 13.0 (55.4) | 6.3 (43.3) | 18.6 (65.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 0.9 (33.6) | 3.1 (37.6) | 7.5 (45.5) | 12.6 (54.7) | 17.2 (63.0) | 21.1 (70.0) | 23.1 (73.6) | 23.1 (73.6) | 18.0 (64.4) | 12.6 (54.7) | 7.4 (45.3) | 2.3 (36.1) | 12.4 (54.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −2.5 (27.5) | −1.1 (30.0) | 2.4 (36.3) | 6.7 (44.1) | 11.1 (52.0) | 14.6 (58.3) | 16.2 (61.2) | 16.2 (61.2) | 12.1 (53.8) | 7.6 (45.7) | 3.3 (37.9) | −0.9 (30.4) | 7.1 (44.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −23.7 (−10.7) | −21.6 (−6.9) | −13.2 (8.2) | −5.6 (21.9) | −1.0 (30.2) | 4.2 (39.6) | 4.1 (39.4) | 4.6 (40.3) | −2.2 (28.0) | −6.8 (19.8) | −14.0 (6.8) | −16.6 (2.1) | −23.7 (−10.7) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 42.9 (1.69) | 39.0 (1.54) | 47.6 (1.87) | 55.9 (2.20) | 69.8 (2.75) | 57.6 (2.27) | 49.4 (1.94) | 43.9 (1.73) | 49.0 (1.93) | 55.8 (2.20) | 49.0 (1.93) | 53.9 (2.12) | 613.8 (24.17) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.1 mm) | 13.1 | 12.4 | 12.3 | 12.6 | 13.2 | 10.9 | 9.0 | 7.5 | 9.5 | 9.6 | 10.4 | 13.6 | 134.1 |
| Average snowy days | 9.8 | 8.0 | 4.9 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 3.0 | 8.2 | 35.1 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 79.1 | 73.3 | 65.3 | 63.0 | 66.0 | 64.6 | 60.6 | 60.3 | 66.8 | 73.5 | 76.5 | 80.3 | 69.1 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 67.5 | 93.7 | 156.0 | 179.2 | 212.5 | 250.2 | 272.7 | 275.6 | 200.6 | 142.4 | 84.4 | 51.6 | 1,986.4 |
| Source 1: Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia[16][17] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Meteo Climat (record highs and lows)[18] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Rimski Šančevi,Novi Sad (1991–2020, extremes 1948–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 18.9 (66.0) | 22.4 (72.3) | 30.0 (86.0) | 31.5 (88.7) | 34.2 (93.6) | 37.6 (99.7) | 41.6 (106.9) | 40.0 (104.0) | 37.4 (99.3) | 30.1 (86.2) | 26.9 (80.4) | 21.0 (69.8) | 41.6 (106.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 4.3 (39.7) | 6.9 (44.4) | 12.7 (54.9) | 18.4 (65.1) | 23.1 (73.6) | 26.6 (79.9) | 28.8 (83.8) | 29.2 (84.6) | 23.9 (75.0) | 18.3 (64.9) | 11.5 (52.7) | 5.1 (41.2) | 17.4 (63.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 0.7 (33.3) | 2.3 (36.1) | 7.0 (44.6) | 12.4 (54.3) | 17.3 (63.1) | 20.9 (69.6) | 22.5 (72.5) | 22.4 (72.3) | 17.2 (63.0) | 12.0 (53.6) | 6.8 (44.2) | 1.8 (35.2) | 11.9 (53.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −2.5 (27.5) | −1.7 (28.9) | 1.9 (35.4) | 6.6 (43.9) | 11.4 (52.5) | 14.9 (58.8) | 16.1 (61.0) | 16.1 (61.0) | 11.8 (53.2) | 7.3 (45.1) | 3.2 (37.8) | −1.2 (29.8) | 7.0 (44.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −30.7 (−23.3) | −28.6 (−19.5) | −19.9 (−3.8) | −6.2 (20.8) | −0.4 (31.3) | 0.2 (32.4) | 5.4 (41.7) | 6.9 (44.4) | −1.6 (29.1) | −6.4 (20.5) | −13.8 (7.2) | −24.0 (−11.2) | −30.7 (−23.3) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 38.9 (1.53) | 36.4 (1.43) | 38.6 (1.52) | 46.6 (1.83) | 77.3 (3.04) | 92.2 (3.63) | 68.1 (2.68) | 59.7 (2.35) | 58.8 (2.31) | 58.6 (2.31) | 51.5 (2.03) | 49.1 (1.93) | 675.8 (26.61) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.1 mm) | 12.1 | 10.5 | 10.6 | 11.2 | 13.4 | 11.1 | 9.9 | 8.1 | 10.1 | 10.1 | 10.8 | 12.9 | 130.8 |
| Average snowy days | 6.4 | 5.8 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.9 | 4.9 | 22.2 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 85.5 | 80.2 | 70.8 | 64.4 | 67.9 | 69.7 | 68.2 | 67.4 | 72.5 | 77.1 | 82.1 | 86.7 | 74.5 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 67.9 | 100.6 | 164.1 | 205.8 | 257.3 | 284.8 | 316.2 | 298.9 | 207.1 | 160.9 | 94.7 | 59.4 | 2,217.7 |
| Source 1: Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia[19][20] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Meteo Climat (record highs and lows)[21] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data forKragujevac (1991–2020, extremes 1961–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 20.6 (69.1) | 25.2 (77.4) | 29.4 (84.9) | 32.0 (89.6) | 35.4 (95.7) | 39.4 (102.9) | 43.9 (111.0) | 40.4 (104.7) | 37.8 (100.0) | 34.7 (94.5) | 27.6 (81.7) | 21.0 (69.8) | 43.9 (111.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 5.7 (42.3) | 8.2 (46.8) | 13.1 (55.6) | 18.4 (65.1) | 23.0 (73.4) | 26.9 (80.4) | 29.3 (84.7) | 29.6 (85.3) | 24.3 (75.7) | 18.8 (65.8) | 12.7 (54.9) | 6.5 (43.7) | 18.0 (64.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 1.3 (34.3) | 3.0 (37.4) | 7.1 (44.8) | 12.1 (53.8) | 16.7 (62.1) | 20.7 (69.3) | 22.6 (72.7) | 22.3 (72.1) | 17.3 (63.1) | 12.2 (54.0) | 7.4 (45.3) | 2.4 (36.3) | 12.1 (53.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −2.4 (27.7) | −1.3 (29.7) | 2.0 (35.6) | 6.1 (43.0) | 10.5 (50.9) | 14.4 (57.9) | 15.9 (60.6) | 15.6 (60.1) | 11.6 (52.9) | 7.2 (45.0) | 3.3 (37.9) | −0.9 (30.4) | 6.8 (44.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −27.6 (−17.7) | −24.4 (−11.9) | −18.3 (−0.9) | −5.8 (21.6) | −0.6 (30.9) | 2.7 (36.9) | 7.2 (45.0) | 4.6 (40.3) | −2.2 (28.0) | −6.6 (20.1) | −16.4 (2.5) | −20.7 (−5.3) | −27.6 (−17.7) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 42.1 (1.66) | 40.1 (1.58) | 46.6 (1.83) | 54.3 (2.14) | 70.3 (2.77) | 77.2 (3.04) | 65.8 (2.59) | 56.0 (2.20) | 53.6 (2.11) | 54.2 (2.13) | 44.6 (1.76) | 47.0 (1.85) | 651.8 (25.66) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.1 mm) | 12.8 | 12.5 | 11.6 | 11.9 | 13.4 | 11.3 | 9.3 | 7.6 | 9.7 | 10.2 | 10.7 | 12.8 | 133.8 |
| Average snowy days | 8.5 | 7.7 | 3.8 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 2.5 | 6.6 | 29.9 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 79.5 | 74.9 | 68.5 | 66.6 | 69.4 | 67.7 | 64.2 | 65.3 | 70.7 | 75.4 | 76.7 | 80.8 | 71.6 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 71.9 | 91.3 | 148.4 | 184.7 | 225.7 | 260.1 | 293.3 | 280.2 | 197.0 | 148.5 | 92.5 | 62.3 | 2,055.9 |
| Source: Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia[22][23] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data forLeskovac (1991–2020, extremes 1961–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 20.0 (68.0) | 24.8 (76.6) | 27.8 (82.0) | 32.6 (90.7) | 35.0 (95.0) | 38.6 (101.5) | 43.7 (110.7) | 41.3 (106.3) | 37.4 (99.3) | 35.0 (95.0) | 28.6 (83.5) | 21.4 (70.5) | 43.7 (110.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 4.8 (40.6) | 8.0 (46.4) | 13.3 (55.9) | 18.7 (65.7) | 23.4 (74.1) | 27.5 (81.5) | 30.0 (86.0) | 30.5 (86.9) | 25.1 (77.2) | 19.1 (66.4) | 12.4 (54.3) | 5.7 (42.3) | 18.2 (64.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 0.2 (32.4) | 2.4 (36.3) | 6.9 (44.4) | 11.8 (53.2) | 16.4 (61.5) | 20.4 (68.7) | 22.3 (72.1) | 22.0 (71.6) | 16.8 (62.2) | 11.5 (52.7) | 6.4 (43.5) | 1.7 (35.1) | 11.6 (52.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −3.6 (25.5) | −2.1 (28.2) | 1.3 (34.3) | 5.3 (41.5) | 9.9 (49.8) | 13.5 (56.3) | 14.7 (58.5) | 14.3 (57.7) | 10.5 (50.9) | 6.0 (42.8) | 1.9 (35.4) | −1.6 (29.1) | 5.8 (42.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −30.5 (−22.9) | −26.8 (−16.2) | −18.2 (−0.8) | −6.1 (21.0) | −1.7 (28.9) | 2.7 (36.9) | 5.4 (41.7) | 4.4 (39.9) | −3.8 (25.2) | −8.7 (16.3) | −19.6 (−3.3) | −21.7 (−7.1) | −30.5 (−22.9) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 46.2 (1.82) | 45.5 (1.79) | 52.1 (2.05) | 62.8 (2.47) | 69.4 (2.73) | 61.7 (2.43) | 51.2 (2.02) | 45.1 (1.78) | 52.2 (2.06) | 60.7 (2.39) | 55.5 (2.19) | 58.2 (2.29) | 660.6 (26.01) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.1 mm) | 13.9 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 12.9 | 14.2 | 11.0 | 8.5 | 7.3 | 9.7 | 10.4 | 11.3 | 14.0 | 138.2 |
| Average snowy days | 9.0 | 7.4 | 4.7 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 2.8 | 7.6 | 32.6 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 81.6 | 76.1 | 69.0 | 67.6 | 69.8 | 66.9 | 63.8 | 64.3 | 71.1 | 76.7 | 79.7 | 83.1 | 72.5 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 67.0 | 88.3 | 146.1 | 178.6 | 219.6 | 264.6 | 301.2 | 293.0 | 202.6 | 139.8 | 84.8 | 50.5 | 2,036.1 |
| Source: Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia[24][25] | |||||||||||||
| History |
|  | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geography | |||||||||||
| Politics |
| ||||||||||
| Economy |
| ||||||||||
| Society |
| ||||||||||
