Spring is usually a time in Croatia when the short sleeved t-shirts and shorts come back out of the wardrobe and people laze on the grass of town centre parks. This May in Croatia has however been marked with freakishly cold temperatures, storms, torrential rain and destructive winds. Snowfall as substantial as anything seen midwinter has fallen on Sljeme, the mountain immediately to the north of Zagreb, as well as in some areas of Lika and Gorski Kotor. Luckily, though, the bad weather stops here and the country should be back to its sunny best from Friday.
As reported in Time Out Croatia last week, the unsettled conditions have affected much of Europe as Arctic winds have made their way down onto the continent. Residents of Zagreb are usually happy with late snow falling on their nearby mountain as it extends the skiing season. But, this year's weird conditions have taken most people by surprise. Just two weeks ago, people were climbing the mountain in summer clothes; now, access to the peak is closed due to the bad conditions. The coldest temperatures ever recorded for this time of year have also been taken on some parts of the coast.
Snowfall on Sljeme
Zagreb has been battered by storms within the last week. The force of the gales was enough to bring down many trees, damage the outdoor terraces of many bars and cause rubbish to be strewn across the city centre and its squares. Effects on the country's agricultural industries could be a lot more longlasting and difficult to deal with.
The incredibly popular Zagreb Beer Fest, due to take place this weekend, has been forced to rejig their running order slightly. Thursdays opening evening and its headlining artists have now all been moved to Monday evening, meaning the festivities will now begin on Friday, when UK act Morcheeba will headline. The event are very confident in weather predictions which claim that everything will be back to normal from Friday. Although the official start of summer lies one month away, warm and sunny conditions should arrive this weekend and remain. Good news at last!
Photographs supplied by Zagreb Facts