The Climate of
North Macedonia
Warrior on Horseback monument, Skopje
Climate Map
Climate map of North Macedonia
What is the climate of North Macedonia like?
North Macedonia is a landlocked country on the Balkan Peninsula of southern Europe. It shares borders with Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Albania.
The climate is a blend of continental and Mediterranean, with very cold winters and hot summers. The average annual temperature for the country is 12°C (53°F). In July the average temperature is between 20° and 24°C (70° and 75°F). The average temperature in January is between –20° and 0°C (–4° and 32°F). Maximum summer temperatures in the lowlands can reach 40°C (104°F), and the coldest winter temperatures can drop to around 30°C below zero (22°F below zero).
Due to the influence of the Mediterranean Sea, which lies south of the Balkan Peninsula, rainfall is moderate in the Vardar River valley. Summer is often sunnier and drier than the summer in Serbia, North Macedonia's northern neighbour. Warm winds blow up the Vardar Valley from the Aegean into North Macedonia, making subtropical agriculture possible in some parts of the country.
Much of the country is mountainous or hilly, and winter snow lies for long periods in the higher regions. Annual rainfall is scattered throughout the year and only averages about 500 to 700 millimeters (20 to 28 inches).
Skopje is representative of weather conditions in North Macedonia.
| Climate data for Skopje (1991-2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 4.8 (40.6) | 9.0 (48.2) | 14.5 (58.1) | 19.4 (66.9) | 24.4 (75.9) | 29.2 (84.6) | 32.0 (89.6) | 32.3 (90.1) | 26.7 (80.1) | 20.1 (68.2) | 12.5 (54.5) | 5.9 (42.6) | 19.2 (66.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 0.2 (32.4) | 3.0 (37.4) | 7.7 (45.9) | 12.4 (54.3) | 17.2 (63.0) | 21.7 (71.1) | 24.1 (75.4) | 24.1 (75.4) | 19.0 (66.2) | 13.1 (55.6) | 6.9 (44.4) | 1.8 (35.2) | 12.6 (54.7) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −3.3 (26.1) | −1.6 (29.1) | 1.9 (35.4) | 5.7 (42.3) | 10.3 (50.5) | 14.3 (57.7) | 16.3 (61.3) | 16.2 (61.2) | 12.2 (54.0) | 7.6 (45.7) | 2.8 (37.0) | −1.4 (29.5) | 6.7 (44.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 30 (1.2) | 29 (1.1) | 38 (1.5) | 40 (1.6) | 43 (1.7) | 54 (2.1) | 38 (1.5) | 36 (1.4) | 34 (1.3) | 49 (1.9) | 45 (1.8) | 48 (1.9) | 483 (19.0) |
| Source: www.pogodaiklimat.ru | |||||||||||||
References
- E. A. Pearce, Charles Gordon Smith, (1990) The Hutchinson World Weather Guide, John Murray Press. ISBN 1859863426
- Timothy L. Gall, (ed.), (2003), Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations, Eleventh Edition, Thomson Gale
- Federal Research Division, Library of Congress, (1992), Yugoslavia: a country study. Claitor's Pub. Division. ISBN 0844407356
- Hugh Chisholm, (ed.), (1911), Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh edition, Cambridge University Press
The Climate of
North Macedonia
In summary:
The climate of North Macedonia combines continental and Mediterranean features, with cold winters and hot summers. In July the average temperature is between 20 and 24°C (70 and 75°F). The average temperature in January is between –20 and 0°C (–4 and 32°F).
Annual rainfall is scattered throughout the year and only averages about 500 to 700 mm (20 to 28 in).