Relentless Heat: Even the Sea Offers No Relief in Zadar
Heatwave Continues to Grip Croatia. In Zadar, Temperatures Near 40°C, Sea at 27°C, and Nights Bring Little Respite. In Lika, Locals Await Nightfall for Some Relief.
Heatwave Continues to Grip Croatia. In Zadar, Temperatures Near 40°C, Sea at 27°C, and Nights Bring Little Respite. In Lika, Locals Await Nightfall for Some Relief.
The heatwave that has engulfed Croatia shows no signs of easing. While the coast 'boils' at temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius, only the mountains offer some relief, and even then, only after nightfall. The sea, usually a natural cooling system, has become so warm that it offers almost no refreshment.
The situation is particularly severe in the Zadar area. Meteorologist Duško Kraljev confirmed the grim forecasts for Radio Zadar. "The sea temperature is indeed high, 26 to 27 degrees, and in some places even higher," Kraljev stated. Due to the influence of a high-pressure system, this stable and scorching weather will persist.
Yesterday's measurement at Zadar Airport showed a worrying 39.6 degrees, practically 40. According to Kraljev, these temperatures will hold throughout the week, with no relief at night either, as nights will be muggy with temperatures around 25 or 26 degrees. "That's why we have air conditioners and fans; we'll need them all," the meteorologist added. Today's forecast for Zadar predicts a maximum daily temperature of 36 to 38°C.
Lika presents a completely different picture, where nights are more pleasant with temperatures just above 20 degrees. However, even there, the days are unbearable. Hrvoje Račić, manager of a picnic area in Lovinac, Lika, admits he cannot recall such high temperatures in this region. "These days we're seeing extreme temperatures; I don't remember them in these parts, 35 or 36 degrees Celsius," Račić said.
These cool evenings have become a major draw for tourists and hikers. Račić described how guests who stayed overnight on Velebit, at the Cvituša site, reported a truly wintry atmosphere on Sveto Brdo. "Friends of mine were on that mountain; they told me how cold it was, and they had to put on puffer jackets," Račić recounted, highlighting the incredible temperature contrast between the coast and the mountain peaks.
A similar situation is unfolding in Serbia, where the peak of the heatwave is expected in the middle of next week. Meteorologist Nedeljko Todorović notes that this is historically the hottest time of the year. "Looking at the measurement data, the hottest part of summer in Serbia is the last ten days of July and the first ten days of August," Todorović said, reminding that on this day in 1917, Belgrade recorded 41.6 degrees.
Still, a glimmer of hope is on the horizon. Todorović announces a slight cooling, by a degree or two, between August 7 and 10, when temperatures could drop to between 30 and 35 degrees. However, a bigger problem than the heat itself is the catastrophic lack of rain. In most places in Serbia, July precipitation fell below 50 percent of the norm, and there are no signs of significant rainfall in the next seven days, further threatening the already low water levels of the Danube.
