Why Is Serbia Under a Red Heat Warning in 10 Regions?
A red heat warning covers ten regions of Serbia, with temperatures climbing from 37 to 39 degrees between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. The weather service says the heat wave peaks again tomorrow.
How hot is it really today? By 3 p.m. the thermometer had hit 39 degrees, and a red heat warning is in effect across ten regions.
The Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia (RHMZ) placed Belgrade, Srem, Backa, Banat, Pomoravlje, Sumadija, and western, southwestern, eastern and southeastern Serbia under the red warning for August 5. Kosovo and Metohija remains one level lower, under an orange warning.
A red warning is not a formality. It signals weather that can cause major property damage and put people and animals at risk.
How temperatures climbed through the day
Hourly readings show a steady climb, with no pause:
- 11 a.m.: the hottest spot was Sombor, at 37 degrees. Palic, Novi Sad, Kikinda and Banatski Karlovac reached 36, while Belgrade, Zrenjanin, Sremska Mitrovica and Valjevo hit 35.
- 1 p.m.: 38 degrees in five cities, Belgrade, Novi Sad, Kikinda, Palic and Sombor.
- 3 p.m.: 39 degrees in Palic, Kikinda, Sombor and Novi Sad.
At that same hour, 3 p.m., Zrenjanin, Banatski Karlovac, Belgrade, Loznica and Sremska Mitrovica registered 38 degrees. Valjevo, Kragujevac, Smederevska Palanka, Veliko Gradiste, Negotin, Krusevac, Nis and Leskovac each recorded 37. The gap between the hottest spot in the north and the south of the country was just two degrees, meaning there was nowhere to escape the heat.
Where you could still breathe today
The list is short, and it is all in the mountains. Kopaonik measured 22 degrees at 1 p.m., Crni Vrh 29, and both Zlatibor and Sjenica 28. At that same moment, the gap between Kopaonik and Sombor was 16 degrees.
What does the RHMZ warning say?
The service paired its measurements with a warning about a long and intense heat wave.
Sunny and very hot weather will persist in the coming period, which is why a warning has been issued for a prolonged and severe heat wave.
The warning, then, does not cover a single scorching day but an entire stretch of weather. Maximum daily temperatures today and tomorrow are expected between 35 and 40 degrees, with a weak to moderate east and southeast wind.
No relief overnight
Tropical nights are expected in Vojvodina and Belgrade. Minimum temperatures will range from 20 to 24 degrees, and in Belgrade from 23 to 26. In practice, apartments will not cool down by morning, so the next scorching day starts from a room that never really cooled off.
The heat has been building since late July
This is not the first hot day of the week, or of the summer. RHMZ’s daily forecasts show the maximums climbing step by step: up to 35 degrees on July 29, 37 on July 30, and from July 31 onward, forecasts pointed to 38 and locally 40 degrees. Today that 39 degree mark was actually measured, in four cities.
We already covered the consequences. When the heat first set in, Belgrade installed water tankers with drinking water, and we published a list of ten locations where they stand. Readings like these show why the tankers are there, and why they are not going anywhere this week.
When does it ease?
From Friday through the weekend, forecasters expect some relief, with maximums around 36 degrees. That is not cool, but it is three degrees below today’s peak, and nights should be more bearable.
Along with the red warning comes an appeal from health authorities: avoid sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., drink water regularly, cool down indoor spaces, and watch over children, the elderly and people with chronic illnesses.
Our practical advice for the next two days is simple: shift any errands that involve walking or working outdoors to before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m., and let air conditioning or shade take over in between. Tomorrow is the last day of the peak, after which more normal planning becomes possible.
