Medvednica, in comparison to surrounding lowland area, behaves as an «island» in its climate characteristics, with more precipitation, lower temperatures, duration and quantity of snow cover.


clouds above Zagreb

Medvednica area is located in temperature zone where air temperature decreases for 0.5°C for every 100 meters elevation. According to characteristics of annual rate of precipitation, Medvednica is characterized with continental precipitation regime with maximal precipitation during the warm part of the year (IV-IX month).

Relative air moisture is largest during the cold part of the year, and generally is larger on stations with higher altitude because of lower temperatures, but luxuriant vegetation.


Sun breaking through the forest

During summer one can find pleasant refreshment on Medvednica. During winter temperature inversion is sometimes present. Anticyclone forms above the cold continent during winter. When its center is close, in Zagreb it is cold and gloomy, and on Sljeme it is warmer.

Mean annual air temperature on Medvednica is 6.2°C, and in Zagreb 11.4°C. Mean temperature in summer months is on average 6°C lower than it is in Zagreb.

On average there are 15 days with temperature below –10°C, 8 days a year have average daily maximum higher than 25°C, and only one day above 30°C.

The coldest month is January with mean monthly air temperature -3.1°C.


Medvednica's "see" Frozen waterfall on Bliznec stream

The warmest month is July with average temperature 15.2°C.

Insolation is much bigger than the one in Zagreb , about 100 hours annually. This difference is present during the colder period of the year, from October to March, when there is more fog in Zagreb . More clear skies on Medvednica than in the city are a good reason for pleasant winter excursions.

Annual precipitation on Medvednica is about 50% higher in comparison to Zagreb ( Zagreb 844 mm, Sljeme 1238 mm, Kraljičin zdenac 1159 mm, Faculty goods 1142 mm).

Average number of days with hoar is 40 ( Zagreb 4).

Mean annual number of days with snowfall on the top of Medvednica is 54 days.

Snow most usually falls in January and February.


Trees covered with snow on Medvednica

Dominant winds are northern and northeast wind.

Number of days with strong wind is 91 ( Zagreb 26), and they are more frequent during the cold part of the year, and the number of days with storm wind is 21 ( Zagreb 2), also during the cold part of the year.

Number of days with relative moisture above 80% is greatest on Puntijarka (158 days annually), and it decreases with the decrease in elevation, for example on station Zagreb-Grič it is 67 days annually.

On all stations the most thunderstorm days are in the warm part of the year (from April to September), when they are often connected to showers. The most thunderstorm days occur in June (Puntijarka 7).


Medvedgrad "island"

Forests of Medvednica have been heavily stricken by a catastrophic ice break which devastated forests (mainly beech) in November 1980, and later, in February 1983 large devastations occurred as a result of strong wing (large damage on fir). Effects of such a strong wind can still be seen in the area of Adolfovac.

The most recent climatologic data are taken from a report "Regional plan for area with special characteristic in Nature Park Medvednica – Starting points and goals of regional planning. Concept, Zagreb, July 2003.