Average temperatures were over 3°C higher than normal, surpassing even the notorious heat of 2012. The capital, Belgrade, saw temperatures climb a staggering 6°C higher than historical averages, marking an alarming new chapter in the region’s climate history.
This summer, Serbia endured five distinct heatwaves – prolonged periods of at least five consecutive days of extreme heat. Two of these heatwaves, in mid-July and mid-August, were particularly severe, with temperatures reaching 10°C above seasonal norms.
What is perhaps most concerning is the baseline against which these figures are measured. Today’s “normal” temperatures are already elevated due to climate change. The standard used by the RHMZ for comparison is the 1991-2020 average, which is 2°C warmer than the previous baseline from 1961-1990
Such extremes, once unimaginable, have become increasingly common; in the mid-20th century, Serbia typically saw just one heatwave per year. Now, that number has quadrupled, with four heatwaves annually in the last decade.
This means that when current temperatures are compared to those of previous decades, the figures are even more stark. For instance, in Zaječar, 78 out of 92 summer days were classified as tropical, with temperatures exceeding 30°C. Even traditionally cold towns like Sjenica recorded an unprecedented 25 tropical days.
Belgrade, notorious for its urban heat island effect, recorded a record-breaking 60 tropical nights this year, where temperatures didn’t drop below 20°C. This obliterated the previous record of 51 nights in 2012. On 17 July, the apparent temperature in the capital reached a scorching 46.2°C, highlighting the increasingly severe impact of climate change on the region.
