When to go to Bosnia and Herzegovina: The climate

This article is also available in: Italian Portuguese (Portugal)

To decide when to go to Bosnia and Herzegovina it is necessary to take into consideration the type of climate that characterizes the region. The climate of Bosnia and Herzegovina is generally continental with cold winters and hot summers. The differences in temperature are high between day and night and between the various seasons.

The rains are well distributed throughout the year with a tendency to be more frequent during the summer months. Only in the southern part of the country closest to the coast of the Adriatic Sea do you have Mediterranean climate conditions. In this small area, where the city of Mostar and the pilgrimage center of Medjugorje are also located, summer is the driest season.

TEMPERATURES AND PRECIPITATIONS

In the area around Mostar – which enjoys a mixed climate between the Mediterranean and the continental – the climate is mild and very rainy in winter, hot and dry in summer. The rains reach an annual average of over 1,500 mm and are most intense between October and March, while between June and August there is a significant reduction in rainfall. In this area the average summer temperatures are very high and in July and August they reach 31 ° C, in the same months the average minimum temperatures settle around 18 ° C. In winter, temperatures are quite mild compared to the rest of the country, the average minimums vary between 2 ° C and 3 ° C while the average maximum winter temperatures vary between 11 ° C and 8 ° C.

In the interior of the country, the continental climate is influenced by the different heights and by the disposition towards the prevailing winds. In general, however, there are cold winters with average minimum temperatures below zero from December to February. January is the coldest month with average minimums of over -4 ° C recorded both in Sarajevo and in Banja Luka and in Tuzla, while the average maximum temperatures vary between 7 ° C and 3 ° C.

Summers are hot with average maximum temperatures, in July and August, of over 25 ° C in Sarajevo, 26 ° C in Tuzla and over 27 ° C in Banja Luka, the average minimum summer temperatures are around 13 ° C. The rains are well distributed throughout the year without a dry season, but are more abundant in the months between May and August. The average annual rainfall is around 900 mm in Sarajevo and Tuzla, and just over 1,000 mm in Banja Luka.

WHEN TO GO TO BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

The best months to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina are between May and September. These months are characterized by warm days and cool nights, even if they are sometimes rainy.

The climate of Medjugorje.

WHEN TO GO TO BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: CLIMATIC TABLES

SARAJEVO (511 m)
Month	Average low (°C)	Average high (°C)	Precip. (mm)
January	-4,4	2,7	71
February	-2,3	5,9	67
March	0,7	10,4	70
April	4,4	15,1	74
May	8,5	20,3	82
June	11,4	23,1	91
July	12,8	25,5	79
August	12,6	25,7	71
September	9,7	22,0	70
October	5,7	16,5	77
November	1,6	9,7	94
December	-2,8	3,5	85
YEAR			931

MOSTAR (60 m)
Month	Average low (°C)	Average high (°C)	Precip. (mm)
January	1,9	8,4	165
February	3,2	10,8	151
March	5,4	14,6	150
April	8,4	19,0	127
May	12,5	24,0	102
June	15,8	27,6	78
July	18,6	31,1	43
August	18,4	30,8	74
September	15,3	26,9	96
October	11,2	21,0	151
November	6,7	14,5	200
December	3,3	9,7	179
YEAR			1516

ACCOMMODATIONS, APARTMENTS, B & Bs AND HOTELS

Booking.com

This article is also available in: Italian Portuguese (Portugal)