RHMZ Orange Alert: What It Means for Your Child Today
RHMZ has put Serbia under an orange heat alert right as kids headed back to school. Here's what the warning means and how to keep your family safe in the coming days.
Your child just walked into the schoolyard for the first time this year, and it’s still as hot outside as the middle of July. Is it safe for them to wait for the bus in the sun, or head to practice this afternoon? The short answer is yes, but with caution. Serbia’s national weather service, the Republic Hydrometeorological Service (RHMZ), has put the entire country under an orange heat alert, and the warning doesn’t end today.
RHMZ issued the warning on August 31, placing the whole country under an orange alert for high temperatures. For Srem, Banat and Backa, a separate orange warning for thunderstorms is also in effect, along with a warning for extreme wildfire risk, covering both the outbreak and spread of fires. In practice, that means forecasters are tracking not just the heat itself, but the risk that any small spark outdoors could turn into a real fire.
How hot is it going to get?
RHMZ’s morning forecast put the daily low between 16 and 22 degrees Celsius and the daily high between 29 and 34. For the period from Tuesday, September 1, through Saturday, September 5, the agency forecast daily highs of 30 to 34 degrees, and for the weekend of September 5 and 6, it expects readings around or just above 35.
RHMZ also released its monthly outlook alongside the short-term forecast. For September 7 to 13, it forecasts an average high of 24 to 31 degrees, and for September 14 to 20, a high of 23 to 28 degrees. In other words, real autumn weather is running more than two weeks behind schedule.
In a forecast published on August 30, RHMZ described the days ahead like this:
Mostly sunny and warm, with slight to moderate cloud development. Around midday and in the afternoon, brief local rain or showers are expected in some hilly and mountainous areas.
On Wednesday, brief local rain is expected only in isolated spots, in the southwest and south of the country.
When will the heat finally break?
Here’s where some caution is warranted, because outlets don’t agree on when the heat lets up. On August 30, Informer reported a forecast for a brief cooldown with rain across most of the country on Thursday, September 3. Tanjug and Kurir, on the other hand, both forecast a return of temperatures above 35 degrees for the September 5 and 6 weekend, with no mention of any relief on Thursday. The numbers for this week don’t line up either: on August 29, B92 reported that daily highs for most of the first ten days of September would run from 32 to 37 degrees, while Kurir, writing on September 1 about that same week, put the range at 30 to 33 degrees. Until the forecasts agree, the safest bet is to plan around the hottest scenario and be pleasantly surprised if it turns out cooler.
What else comes with this alert
Alongside the warning for high temperatures and drought, RHMZ also issued an agrometeorological warning for agricultural drought and a hydrological warning for low water levels. The Danube, Sava and Tisa near Titel are expected to stay below low navigable levels over the coming days. The prolonged drought, combined with the heat, has already put crops under continuous water and heat stress, resulting in smaller grain and lower yields, an effect that eventually shows up indirectly in market prices.
Practical advice for parents and people with chronic conditions
RHMZ rates the current biometeorological conditions as unfavorable for people with chronic illnesses, particularly those with high blood pressure, with headaches and insomnia expected as weather-related reactions. Here are a few concrete steps you can take today, tested for everyday use in weather this hot:
- avoid strenuous exercise and outdoor sports between noon and 5 p.m.
- pack a water bottle and a hat for kids waiting for transport, even for a short walk to school
- if you have high blood pressure, keep to your medication schedule and check your readings regularly
- don’t light a grill or an open fire outdoors while the wildfire warning is in effect; dried-out vegetation catches easily
Our earlier report, RHMZ: Heat Up to 37 Degrees Lasts Through September 7, already flagged that summer wasn’t backing down easily. This latest bulletin only confirms it, adding that RHMZ is now tracking drought and wildfire risk as well, not just temperature. While the orange alert stands, the plan is simple: less sun between noon and 5 p.m., more water in the bottle, and a regular check of the RHMZ website before heading out, especially if there’s a child in the house who now starts school every morning.
