Mediterranean climate on the Croatian coast is bringing on average 2.600 hours of sunshine per year. During the summer, the approximate seawater temperature is around 24 – 27 degrees Celsius. Usually there is a large number of sunny days with high temperatures; maestral winds, low humidity and cool nights keep it bearable.
Along the coast, spring and autumn are mild, and winter is short. Sailing early or late in the season (May or September) you should take into account that darkness comes quickly and early. All year round, twilight is virtually non-existent. During those moments, also the temperature drops rapidly.
Average temperatures in Dalmatia
Longer-term climate information for several coastal cities can be found at EuroWeather
In general, the weather conditions in the Adriatic Sea can be unpredictable. Winds can literally change to opposite directions in minutes, therefore is very crucial to always monitor the weather forecast. Click here for current nautical weather forecast from the meteorological service in Split https://meteo.hr/prognoze_e.php?section=prognoze_specp¶m=jadran
Radio Split broadcasts the weather forecast at 07:45, 14:25 and 21:45 on VHF channels 07, 21, 23 and 81. If you keep channel 16 switched on, there are reminders that the weather forecast will be broadcast 5 minutes before they start, and they also have information about which channel you’ll hear the forecast on. In addition, there are forecasts 24 hours a day on channel 68 (these are detailed forecasts for the entire Mediterranean region including navigational warnings – it is an Italian forecast but given in 3 languages).
We also recommend you these weather forecast applications:
The weather above the Adriatic Sea is determined by cyclones and anti-cyclones above the south and centre of the European mainland. The normal pattern is a cyclone moving from west to east above the Adriatic. At its front, it is bringing southern winds ( Jugo). This wind brings more warm and moist air, generally leading to cloudy and rainy weather. Behind the cyclone, with a strengthened anti-cyclone that moves across the European mainland to the east, you’ll find a north-easterly wind with cool and dry air. Usually a storm follows, which will clear the sky, and after a temporary drop of temperature, the weather stabilises. The weather will be clear and quiet until the arrival of a new cyclone. During the summer, this brings a regular moderate maestral wind. The speed and direction of the cyclones determines the weather variation.
During the summer, cyclones are rarer. They usually pass further north across the European mainland. This leads to only small differences in weather conditions along the Croatian coast. Please see our specific article on this topic – Winds in Croatia
