Number of days with snow for all districts in Serbia: This is the list

Long-term weather forecast for autumn and winter 2024/2025 in Serbia reminds of forecasts from 10 or more years ago when temperatures and precipitation were in accordance with the calendar, and according to the orientation forecast of prof. Dr. Aleksandar Valjarević and meteorologist Ivan Ristic, this year there will be significantly more snowfall than previous years, and the first snowflakes are expected in the second half of November.

Valjarević and Ristić made a map with the number of days under snow by district, and it shows that the most days with snow will be south of Belgrade:

Morava district - 30
Jablanica and Peć districts - 28
Pčinja and Zlatibor districts - 27
Nišava, Pirot, Toplica districts - 26
Raška, Zaječar districts - 25
Bor, Morava, Rasina, Pomoravlje districts - 24
Braničevo, Northern Banat districts - 19
Northern Bačka, Middle Banat, Mačva districts - 18
Belgrade, Western Bačka, Southern Bačka, Kolubara, Podunavlje, Srem districts - 17

How many snow days will there be in the mountains?

It is estimated that, unlike last season, the ski centers will be under snow for significantly more days:

Goc - 30+

Stara planina – 30-40

Zlatibor - 35+

Golija - 35+

Kopaonik - 45+
 

The first snow in November, the most snow in January and February

"According to our indicative long-term forecast, the first snowfall will be in the second half of November, most likely at the end of that month, especially south of Belgrade, but also in Belgrade. There will be two to three snow episodes in December, while the most snow will be in January and February. The characteristic of this winter is that the Azores and Siberian cyclones will dominate, and when the cold air comes above us, there will be a lot of snow. So, the cold air from the north and northeast of Europe and the humid Mediterranean air will form a polar front with snow''.

"A polar, sometimes arctic front, will occasionally wave over Serbia", Ivan Ristić tells "Blic".

He explains that we have an Arctic front when cold air arrives from the Arctic, and a polar front if it comes from Russia.

"The coldest with the most snowfall will be in the second half of winter. The polar and artic front will be right above our country this season and this will cause a greater amount of precipitation. Cold air from the north and northeast of Europe will be with us, and in the south it will be the Mediterranean a cyclone that will direct moist air from the south and therefore there will be a lot of snowfall. This winter will remind us most of the winter of 1981, and what is happening now and the cold snow that will arrive in a few days are characteristic of the autumn of the seventies and eighties. In those years, there was also a penetration of cold air from the Vlah Plain, which will move towards Košava," says Ristić.

Change in circulation in the atmosphere

Ever since Ristić and Valjarević published their joint forecast for autumn/winter, the data have been more than 95 percent in agreement with the events in the atmosphere. Namely, after 14 months of above-average temperatures, at the end of August and the beginning of September, there was a change in circulation on Earth, it all started with unusual floods in the Sahara and the cessation of hurricanes in the Atlantic.

The Balkans have been among the hottest regions on the planet for more than a year. This change in circulation led to the penetration of cold arctic air into the heart of Europe and, in addition to the severe cold and snow on the mountains, due to the huge amount of precipitation, there were floods on almost all rivers that have their sources in the Carpathians and the Alps.

Beginning of the colder period from October

Ristić reminds that the weather from October to the end of February will be affected by the combination of the Azores and the Siberian anticyclone.

"In the second half of October and the first half of November, we are entering a colder period. The morning temperatures will be from 5 to 10 degrees, and the maximum between 10 and 15 degrees. Some days will be foggy, especially in the basins and river valleys, where the fog can stay longer part of the morning. It is expected that there will be rain on some days, and some snowflakes on the mountains," says the meteorologist.

In the second half of November, with a stronger penetration of cold Arctic air, there will be a lot of precipitation, mostly rain, on the snow mountains.

At the end of November, snow is also expected in the lower areas south of the Sava and Danube rivers.

The lowest temperatures at the end of November will be from -2 to 5 degrees, and the maximum from 3 to 8 degrees.

Snow and temperature drop in December

"In December, the changeable weather will look more and more like real winter. At the beginning and middle of the month, we expect two shorter thaws with maximums of around 10 degrees, as a prelude to the arrival of a cold front that will bring snow to most of the country and a drop in temperature to around 0 degrees. At the end and in the first half of the month, there will also be a snow cover, so there is a great chance to welcome the New Year after who knows how many years in a real winter environment with a snow cover", says Ristić to "Blic".

Real winter in January and February

Valjarević and Ristić say that "according to the current forecast, January and February will be real winter, it will mainly snow occasionally, the highest daily temperature will range from 0 to 5 degrees, the minimum temperature on some days up to -10 degrees".

"The end of winter and the thaw will arrive at the end of February and the beginning of March. This winter could be the coldest in the last 10 years," they conclude.