Long-range forecast from a U.S. weather company hints at possible cooling around August 18-19, especially in the northern Adriatic and inland areas, but caution is advised due to the uncertainty of such projections.
As Croatia braces for yet another heatwave, the U.S. private weather company AccuWeather, in its long-range projection, points to the possibility of a noticeable drop in temperatures in the second half of August. According to currently available data, the change could be particularly felt around August 18-19, 2026, especially in the northern Adriatic and inland regions.
However, it should be emphasized that this is a forecast for nearly two weeks ahead, so specific temperatures, as well as the exact date of any change, should be taken with a grain of salt. The reliability of weather forecasts decreases the further you look into the future, and the atmosphere is an extremely complex and chaotic system where even small differences in initial conditions can lead to significantly different outcomes.
AccuWeather predicts an extremely hot start to the next week for Rijeka. For August 13, 2026, it projects a maximum daily temperature of as high as 39°C. This will be followed by a gradual decline, with 32°C expected for August 18. The very next day, August 19, the forecast shows a drastic drop to just 23°C. This would mean that the daily maximum could fall by nine degrees in just 24 hours.
A similar, albeit somewhat more gradual, temperature decline is seen for the capital. AccuWeather expects daily highs of 35 to 37°C most often from August 10 to 15. For August 17, it forecasts 29°C, for August 18, 30°C, and on August 19, the temperature would drop to 24°C. Over the following few days, highs would range between 22 and 24°C.
In the central Adriatic, the change would, according to the current projection, be milder. In Split, temperatures are expected to be mostly between 34 and 37°C until mid-month. After that, they would slowly decrease, reaching 31°C on August 18 and 28°C a day later. In the following few days, values would mostly hover around 27°C.
While waiting for potential relief, what is much more certain is that the heat is not done yet. The Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service (DHMZ) forecasts maximum temperatures of 28 to 33°C for today, August 7, 2026, while on the coast and in the eastern parts of the country, they will range from 34 to 37°C. The heatwave will not let up over the weekend or at the start of next week. According to current DHMZ forecasts, daytime temperatures on the mainland will gradually rise, with the highest possibly around 35°C on Monday.
Therefore, AccuWeather's projection for the second half of the month should, for now, be seen only as a possible sign of a stronger reduction in heat, not as proof that the exact date of a major weather change is already known. It will become much clearer whether this sign will persist and how pronounced any cooling might be as mid-August approaches.
