RHMZ Extends Serbia Heat Warning Until September 7
How much longer does the heat last? RHMZ has an answer: the high temperature warning now holds until September 7, with highs near 37 degrees today and an extreme fire risk.
Is the Heat Ending With August?
Not yet, at least not right away. On August 31, the last day of the month, the Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia (RHMZ) extended its high temperature warning for the entire country. The new warning runs until September 7 at 10:22 am, and was issued on Monday at 10:20 am.
Today’s lows ranged from 16 to 22 degrees, with highs between 34 and 37 degrees Celsius. In Belgrade, the morning started around 22 degrees before the thermometer climbed to roughly 36 degrees in the afternoon. All of Serbia is under an orange heat alert, and Srem, Banat and Backa have an additional orange warning for thunderstorms.
Everything in Effect as of August 31
- A high temperature warning, running until September 7 at 10:22 am
- A hydrological warning for low water levels, until September 7 at 9:16 am
- An agrometeorological warning for drought, until September 7 at 12:08 pm
- An orange heat alert covering the whole country, with an added thunderstorm warning for Srem, Banat and Backa
When the Heat Eases, and When It Comes Back
There is some good news for anyone worn down by the heat. From Tuesday through Saturday, September 1 to 5, daily highs drop to 30 to 33 degrees. It is the first real break after weeks of heat, and it is worth using for anything you have been putting off, a walk, airing out the house, working in the garden.
The break is short. RHMZ’s warning states it plainly:
“Warm weather is persisting. Today and over the weekend it will be very warm, with the highest temperature in most places around or above 35 degrees Celsius.”
By the first weekend of September, on the 5th and 6th, temperatures climb back above 35 degrees.
In the evening in the north, and overnight in western, central and eastern Serbia, forecasters expect passing cloud cover with rain and thunderstorms, as winds shift to the northwest. It is the only significant rainfall forecast for the coming days, and it will not meaningfully change conditions on the ground.
Why Is RHMZ Also Warning About Drought and Rivers?
Alongside the heat warning, RHMZ issued two more alerts on August 31, warnings that rarely land on the same day.
The hydrological warning, issued at 9:16 am and valid for the next seven days, explains the situation this way:
“On the Danube, the Sava and the Tisa near Titel, water levels will stay below the low navigable thresholds over the coming days.”
The agrometeorological drought warning, issued at 12:08 pm and also valid for seven days, states that prolonged drought combined with high temperatures has put crops under water and heat stress, and on many plots has forced an early end to the growing cycle, resulting in lower grain weight and reduced yields. RHMZ is urging farmers to take extra caution because of the risk of field fires.
We covered this same heat wave and its earlier extension a few days ago, in “RHMZ Warning Until September 6: The Heat Returns.” This is already the second extension of the same warning in under a week.
What Do September and October Have in Store?
RHMZ also published its seasonal autumn forecast on August 31. For Belgrade, September is expected to bring an average low around 14 degrees and an average high around 23.2 degrees, roughly 0.5 to 1 degree above the multi-year average. October brings what is locally called miholjsko leto, Serbia’s version of an Indian summer, with an average low near 10.3 degrees and an average high near 19.2 degrees.
The rainfall picture is less clear, and sources disagree. The seasonal forecast carried by AgroSmart projects up to 5 millimeters more rain than average across most of Serbia in September, and 5 to 10 millimeters more in Vojvodina and Macva. A 30 day forecast for Vojvodina, carried by RTV, says the opposite: total rainfall will fall below average, drought conditions will deepen in places, and temperatures will range from lows of 14 to 20 degrees to highs of 28 to 33, locally around 34 degrees, through September 6. For October, RHMZ forecasts about 5 millimeters less rain than average across most of the country, and roughly 38 millimeters in Belgrade.
Five Practical Tips for the Days Ahead
For anyone working outdoors, looking after older relatives, or simply trying to get through another hot day, here is what makes sense while the warning holds.
- Plan outdoor physical activity before 10 am or after 7 pm, when the sun is weakest
- Older family members and small children should drink water even when they are not thirsty, do not wait for the thirst signal
- If you have a garden or yard, water it early in the morning or after sunset, so less water evaporates before it reaches the roots
- Do not burn dry brush or cut grass outdoors while the warning is active, RHMZ describes the fire risk right now as extreme
- Use the short break from Tuesday to Saturday for anything you postponed because of the heat, since temperatures climb back above 35 degrees after the first weekend of September
