Country guide
Croatia weather by month
June to September is the clearest choice for a Croatia beach holiday; May and October suit city breaks better if swimming is optional. Summer daytime averages reach 28°C, while the sea warms from 22°C in June and still averages 23°C in September. The catch is that autumn becomes wetter as it cools. Dubrovnik is warmer overall than Pula, so your choice of destination matters, especially outside the main summer season.
- Hottest month
- 28.4°CAugust
- Coolest month
- 10.1°CJanuary
- Warmest sea
- 25.3°CAugust
- Destinations tracked
- 4warmest: Dubrovnik
Croatia, month by month
A little perspective
Croatia through the year
Country figures are the mean of the 4 destinations listed below; individual resorts can differ by several degrees.
| Month | Day | Night | Sea | Sun/day | Rain mm | Rainy days | Days 25°C+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10.1°C | 4.8°C | 13.4°C | 4.1 | 138 | 11 | 0% |
| February | 10.8°C | 4.9°C | 12.6°C | 4.9 | 130 | 10 | 0% |
| March | 13.4°C | 7.2°C | 12.8°C | 5.7 | 120 | 11 | 0% |
| April | 16.6°C | 10.3°C | 14.3°C | 6.4 | 114 | 11 | 0% |
| May | 21.0°C | 14.6°C | 18.1°C | 7.6 | 82 | 9 | 10% |
| Junebest | 25.2°C | 18.6°C | 22.1°C | 9.8 | 53 | 7 | 53% |
| Julybest | 28.0°C | 21.0°C | 24.5°C | 11.4 | 37 | 5 | 88% |
| Augustbest | 28.4°C | 21.5°C | 25.3°C | 10.5 | 50 | 5 | 89% |
| September | 23.8°C | 17.6°C | 23.1°C | 7.5 | 135 | 9 | 35% |
| October | 19.5°C | 13.9°C | 20.5°C | 5.6 | 182 | 12 | 1% |
| November | 15.1°C | 10.1°C | 17.9°C | 4.0 | 240 | 14 | 0% |
| December | 11.2°C | 6.2°C | 15.4°C | 4.0 | 188 | 13 | 0% |
Day = average daytime high, night = average night-time low, 1991-2020.Sun is hours per day; rainy days count 1 mm or more.
Day, night and sea
Monthly average temperatures, 1991-2020
- Day
- Night
- Sea
When to go to Croatia
Daytime highs average 25°C or more in June, July, August. The sea reaches a swimmable 22°C from June to September. Winter (December to February) averages 11°C by day - cool, closer to a British spring. November is the wettest month (240 mm) and July the driest (37 mm).
Destinations in Croatia
Each has a 12-month table; our most searched places have month-by-month detail pages.
Warmest place in Croatia each month
| Month | Warmest destination | Day | Coolest destination | Day | Warmest sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Dubrovnik | 11°C | Pula | 9°C | Dubrovnik 14°C |
| February | Dubrovnik | 12°C | Pula | 10°C | Dubrovnik 14°C |
| March | Dubrovnik | 14°C | Pula | 12°C | Dubrovnik 14°C |
| April | Split | 17°C | Pula | 16°C | Dubrovnik 15°C |
| May | Split | 22°C | Pula | 20°C | Cavtat 19°C |
| June | Split | 26°C | Pula | 24°C | Cavtat 23°C |
| July | Split | 29°C | Pula | 27°C | Cavtat 25°C |
| August | Split | 29°C | Pula | 27°C | Cavtat 26°C |
| September | Dubrovnik | 24°C | Pula | 23°C | Dubrovnik 24°C |
| October | Dubrovnik | 20°C | Pula | 18°C | Dubrovnik 21°C |
| November | Dubrovnik | 16°C | Pula | 14°C | Dubrovnik 19°C |
| December | Dubrovnik | 12°C | Pula | 10°C | Dubrovnik 16°C |
Winter and spring: better for walking than swimming
January and February bring cool days and chilly evenings, so pack layers and a waterproof rather than planning around the beach. March offers only a modest improvement, with daytime averages of 13°C. April is more comfortable for walking at 17°C, but the sea remains cold at 14°C. May is the stronger compromise for a city break: days average 21°C and evenings are milder, though an 18°C sea will still feel brisk to many swimmers. Rain remains a consideration throughout spring, so keep outdoor plans flexible. November and December return to cooler, wetter conditions; November has 14 rain days, making it less suited to a weather-dependent trip.
Summer into autumn: choose your balance of heat and sea warmth
June brings a useful balance for beach time and city walks, with daytime averages of 25°C and a sea temperature of 22°C. July and August are hotter and have the fewest rain days, so they suit travellers who prioritise warm, relatively dry beach weather. At 28°C by day, plan gentler outings around midday; nights averaging 21°C offer limited cooling. August has the warmest sea at 25°C. September is a good alternative if you prefer less heat without giving up swimming, with days at 24°C and sea at 23°C. October is more of a compromise: both air and sea average 20°C, but 12 rain days make flexible plans important.
Destination differences: Dubrovnik versus Pula
Dubrovnik is the warmest destination overall, while Pula is the coolest, with average daytime temperatures across the year of about 19°C and 18°C respectively. That makes Dubrovnik the better starting point if warmth is your priority outside summer, but the gap is modest rather than a reason to expect a different season. For Split and Cavtat, the broad seasonal pattern is a useful planning guide, without assuming they match either extreme. For city-focused trips, choose milder spring or autumn conditions over peak summer heat. For beaches, the month matters more than this modest difference between the warmest and coolest destinations.
A little more detail
Croatia weather FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
When is the best time to visit Croatia?
Weighing warmth, low rainfall and sunshine across 4 destinations, the best months for Croatia are July, August, June. August is the hottest month (average high 28.4°C) and January the coolest (10.1°C).
How many months is Croatia over 25°C?
3 months average a daytime high of 25°C or more across our Croatia destinations.
Which is the hottest place in Croatia?
Over the year, Dubrovnik has the highest average daytime temperature of the 4 Croatia destinations we track (19.1°C averaged across all months).
Which month has the warmest sea in Croatia?
August has the warmest average sea temperature at 25°C. July is close at 24°C, while September remains inviting for many swimmers at 23°C. Choose September if you want warm water with cooler daytime conditions than peak summer.
Is May or October better for a city break?
May has a slight weather advantage for walking, with daytime averages of 21°C and 9 rain days, compared with October's 20°C and 12 rain days. October has the warmer sea, so it may suit you better if you also hope to swim.
Is Croatia warm enough for a winter beach holiday?
Not for a typical warm-weather beach holiday. January and February daytime averages are 10°C and 11°C, with the sea at 13°C. Winter is better approached as a cool city break, with warm layers and room to change plans when it rains.
About these averages
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid), 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at 4 destination points.Records are the highest and lowest daily values in that 30-year period, not all-time records. These are climate averages, not a forecast for your trip. How we measure holiday weather
- Hot · 25°C+
- Warm · 20°C to below 25°C
- Mild · 15°C to below 20°C
- Cool · below 15°C