Serbia Sees Up to 38°C Today, Hail and Storms Saturday

Are you already melting again before noon? Serbia’s Republic Hydrometeorological Service (RHMZ) says you probably are. A whole package of warnings is in effect from today, August 28, through September 4, and it covers more than just heat. Tomorrow’s storms, low rivers and parched soil all made the list too.

In brief:

• Up to 38°C today, around 29°C in eastern Serbia
• Saturday brings showers with hail and gale-force wind
• Deliblato Sands under a special wind warning
• The Danube, Sava and Tisa are below low navigation levels
• Calmer weather returns only on Monday, August 31

How Hot Will It Get Today?

According to RHMZ’s morning forecast, today’s low will run between 15°C and 22°C, with daytime highs between 33°C and 38°C. Eastern Serbia is the exception, where the thermometer is expected to stop around 29°C. Belgrade recorded roughly 22°C this morning, with an afternoon peak forecast around 34°C. Nis is expecting much the same, also around 34°C.

Wind will be light to moderate, blowing from the east and southeast. It will pick up in the Kosava wind belt, and southern Banat could see gale-force gusts by the end of the day.

The numbers do not line up perfectly across sources, though. RHMZ’s own special warning on high temperatures puts the peak for most of the period at 32°C to 37°C, while the same service’s daily forecast for today goes up to 38°C. On August 27, the outlet Espreso reported a red weather alert for western Serbia, with values as high as 43°C in lower areas and river valleys. So depending on the source and the part of the country, the figure ranges from 32°C to 43°C, with the highest readings reserved for the west and for low-lying terrain.

What Does Saturday’s Storm Bring?

For Saturday, August 29, RHMZ is forecasting showers and thunderstorms that will locally come with hail and strong or gale-force wind. The statement reads:

Showers and thunderstorms expected across Serbia on Saturday, August 29, will locally be accompanied by hail and strong or gale-force wind.

A special warning has been issued for Deliblato Sands, in southern Banat, because of strong southeasterly wind with gusts of 15 to 17 meters per second, locally reaching 20 meters per second. That area has already been hit by wildfires several times in recent weeks, which makes the added wind a particular hazard there.

Why the Warnings Also Cover Rivers and Fields

Alongside the heat and the coming storm, a hydrological warning is in effect from August 27 to 31. Water levels on the Danube, Sava and Tisa are below their low navigation thresholds, and flow rates on several tributaries are close to their biological minimum.

There is also an agro-meteorological warning, running from August 24 to 31, pointing to water and heat stress in crops and lower yields caused by prolonged drought. RHMZ put it this way:

High temperatures, a lack of rainfall and occasional strong wind will keep drying out vegetation, creating pronounced conditions for wildfires to start and spread quickly outdoors.

In other words, the same heat wearing you down during the day is slowly drying out both the rivers and the fields.

How the Heat Affects Your Body

If you have blood pressure or heart issues, take it easy today. The biometeorological forecast warns that current conditions could affect people with fluctuating blood pressure and heart trouble in particular. Irritability and headaches are listed as possible reactions, classic signs of weather sensitivity.

Earlier reports covered only the heat and the coming rain for this stretch of days. It is now clear the full package of warnings runs further, from tomorrow’s hail and gale-force wind to low rivers and dry fields.

When Does Relief Arrive?

Calmer, mostly sunny weather is not expected until Monday, August 31. Until then, carry water, avoid the sun around midday, and keep an eye on tomorrow’s storm warning, especially if you are in southern Banat.