RHMZ Extends Serbia Heat Warning Until September 6

Is the heat actually easing after this weekend? It is not, at least not yet. Serbia’s Republic Hydrometeorological Service (RHMZ) issued a new warning this morning pushing the end of the heat wave to September 6, and that is not the only warning in effect today.

As recently as yesterday we reported that cooler temperatures and rain would arrive after Friday. Today RHMZ contradicted that with its own document. Alongside the fresh meteorological warning for high temperatures, two more are in effect: a hydrological warning and an agrometeorological warning, both issued the same day. We have not previously covered three warnings from a single institution for the same date, so it is worth breaking down what each one means for you, whether you are planning a day in the sun, a trip to the river, or you have a field or garden to worry about.

What exactly does the heat warning say?

The warning was issued at 4:57 a.m. and remains in effect until 4:57 a.m. on September 6. RHMZ states that “maximum temperatures will reach 32 to 37 degrees Celsius on most days,” meaning the heat does not stop at the end of August but carries straight into the first ten days of September.

The same warning also covers extreme conditions for wildfires starting and spreading outdoors. The cause is a combination of high temperatures, little rainfall, and occasionally strong wind, which dries out vegetation further. The forecast, updated today at 5:10 a.m., confirms the range: from 23 degrees in Kopaonik to 36 in Nis, and tomorrow, Monday, August 31, the range is 24 to 37, again with the highest value in Nis. In Belgrade, today’s low is expected around 21 degrees and the high around 34, with light wind mostly from the east. Brief rain or showers are possible only in isolated hilly and mountainous areas, while the rest of the country stays dry.

What the hydrological warning means for river trips

The second warning was issued today at 6:51 a.m. and remains in effect until 6:51 a.m. on September 3. It concerns water levels, not temperature, and affects anyone planning a trip on the Danube, Sava, or Tisa in the coming days. RHMZ warns that water levels on these three rivers, including at Titel on the Tisa, will fall below low navigable levels.

Conditions are worse on smaller waterways. The service states that flow rates on the Kolubara and its tributaries, on the Jadar, Toplica, and Vlasina, on the tributaries of the West and Great Morava, and on the Black and White Timok, have “approached the minimum average monthly values at 95 percent unreliability (the biological minimum).” In plain terms, these are the lowest flow rates these rivers normally reach, and they have not even hit that mark.

Why there is also a drought warning

The third warning, for agricultural drought, was issued earlier, at noon on August 24, and runs until noon on August 31. It mainly concerns farmers. The service states that “the prolonged drought, combined with high temperatures, has caused continuous water and heat stress in agricultural crops,” and that in many areas this stress has already reduced grain mass and lowered yields. Farmers are advised to take extra care because of the wildfire risk on parched plots.

We covered a similar warning a few days ago. On August 28, RHMZ singled out the Deliblato Sands as the location with “the most unfavorable combination of high temperature, dry combustible material, and strong southeastern wind,” precisely because wind speeds there climb higher than anywhere else in the region.

So when does relief finally arrive? The forecasts disagree

This calls for precision, because the sources do not agree. The official RHMZ warning, the one quoted above, says the 32 to 37 degree heat persists on most days all the way to September 6, with no mention of a drop before then. A long range forecast reported by Nova on August 27 tells a different story: the heat wave runs from August 28 to September 2, temperatures finally fall below 30 degrees on September 4, but climb back above 30 as early as September 7, and pass 31 degrees between September 8 and 12.

So even in the milder version, the cooler spell lasts only two to three days before the heat returns. Anyone planning something more involved for the first week of September, a trip or outdoor work, for example, should realistically expect it to still be hot.

What this means for you

• If you are planning a day outdoors before September 6, expect 32 to 37 degrees in most parts of the country, with Nis typically topping the scale.
• If you are heading to the Danube, Sava, or Tisa, check the water level before you leave. Navigable levels are low, which also affects where a boat is allowed to dock.
• If you have a garden, a field, or live near dry vegetation, avoid open flames and cigarettes outdoors. Conditions for fires to spread are currently extreme.
• If you are tracking the forecast for the first week of September, do not rely on a single source. RHMZ and the long range forecast disagree this time on how quickly the heat will ease.

The most reliable approach while the warning is active is to follow the RHMZ website directly, since it could still be extended or shortened before September 6.