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Sailing info | Our services | Guide
More than 2.500 hours of sunshine per year rank Croatia as one of the sunniest regions in the Mediterranean. The climate in Croatia is Mediterranean, which means that winters are mild and summers are hot. The sailing season is between April and October with the peak in July and August, when the temperatures can reach 38°C. June and September are less crowded, but the weather is generally still very warm and sunny. April, May and October can surprise with summer temperatures or with occasional showers, but these months are ideal for those looking for peace and good sailing winds.
The bora and the jugo are the dominant winds. The bora is a dry cold, north-easterly wind that gusts most strongly in the Velebit Channel and the Kvarner Bay. It cleans and freshens the summer air. The jugo (sirocco) is a southerly, humid wind that flows from the sea and freshens the southern coast. The maestral is a landward-blowing wind which gives pleasant sailing along the Istrian coast, especially in the summer, but gathers force as it sweeps down to Dalmatia. The burin is a north, northeast wind that is strongest before dawn and soon dies down. Watch out for the nevera, a strong summer westerly wind that brings bad weather. It whips up the sea very suddenly, usually accompanied by thunder and then quickly dies down. It is most common in the Northern Adriatic.
Bora NE – As a cold wind, the north-eastern (in Croatia called ‘bura’) is blowing from the continent, from the eastern side of the Adriatic towards the open sea and brings bright weather. It starts abruptly and blows in squalls toward the sea. For sailors, this wind is very unreliable: she comes suddenly and with heavy gusts. In the summer blows as a local wind and then lasts only a few days. In the winter it may continue for six to fourteen days. When it’s local it can start and stop within 24 hours, but if it’s wide and continental it can last the entire week, and in that period it gets weaker or stronger a couple of times. Sudden starting of the wind is one of its most dangerous sides, especially for less experienced sailors. At the coast, it can easily reach 40 – 50 knots, during the winter even more. Usually, she precedes clear weather, but during the Bura conditions get foggy because of foam and water drops carried by the strong winds. Bura is the strongest in Gulf of Trieste, Kvarner (near Krk), Velebit channel, Nin bay, Sibenik, cape Ploča, a bay of Vrulje (between Omiš and Makarska), Trstenik bay on a peninsula of Peljesac.
Levant E – Levanat from the east is a wind comparable to Bura, but not so often.
Jugo SE – In Croatia called “Jugo” or “Sirocco” is a warm, moist, south-easterly wind. It blows through the Adriatic, during the cyclone it brings clouds and rain. The air pressure falls. It develops slowly; Jugo can blow from ESE SSE directions, and then it can be very powerful, with big waves and low clouds, and usually a lot of rain. There are also, so-called dry south winds, they last longer, do not bring rain, but can be powerful as a storm. It is not a ‘sudden’ wind like Bura, but it develops gradually over a 24 – 36 hour period. As it blows through the canal, it produces high, but long waves. It usually lasts much longer than the north-eastern wind, five to seven days. In the summer it may appear as a local wind and is more frequent in the southern part of the Adriatic.
Lebic SW, Ostro S – These winds present variations of the Jugo wind (SE) and have similar characteristics.
Tramontana N – Tramontana blows from the north, but sometimes, locally can blow from NNW. It is similar to Bura, but usually, not as wild and strong. It is a local and dry wind that brings cold air. Usually, it blows from 15-25 knots. It brings bright skies and high pressure. It is more common in the southern part of Adriatic. Away from the coast it gets stronger and creates bigger waves.
Maestral NW – Maestral is a typical summer wind, caused by the temperature differences of land mass and the sea, and it blows from the north-west. It starts during the morning (around 11:00 AM), and it gradually builds up until the 4 PM, dying towards the sunset. It is a moderate wind, and it brings beautiful weather and white clouds.
Burin NE- Burin is also a typical summer wind, like Maestral, but it blows during the night from the opposite direction, from the north-east, and it is also a moderate wind, a light breeze usually. It can start with the sunset, and continue until the sunrise when it is the strongest. Burin brings nice weather.
Nevera (A SUDDEN STORM) – Next to the north-eastern the sudden storm on the Adriatic is possibly the most unpleasant experience. They are thermal storms that come speeding from the west, from the open sea; they last short but have great force. They are the most often in the summer, and they get very powerful as fall comes. On the smallest sign of the storm you should, with no delay, take every precaution, because the time is short. If there is any possibility of getting away from its way, you should. Before the storm starts it’s totally quiet, and often in the last minutes before it breaks a breeze blows, very shortly towards the storm – it makes it impossible to hear the sounds of thunder, that’s why a lot of people were caught by the storm totally unready.
More than 2.500 hours of sunshine per year rank Croatia as one of the sunniest regions in the Mediterranean. The climate in Croatia is Mediterranean, which means that winters are mild and summers are hot. The sailing season is between April and October with the peak in July and August, when the temperatures can reach 38°C. June and September are less crowded, but the weather is generally still very warm and sunny. April, May and October can surprise with summer temperatures or with occasional showers, but these months are ideal for those looking for peace and good sailing winds.
The bora and the jugo are the dominant winds. The bora is a dry cold, north-easterly wind that gusts most strongly in the Velebit Channel and the Kvarner Bay. It cleans and freshens the summer air. The jugo (sirocco) is a southerly, humid wind that flows from the sea and freshens the southern coast. The maestral is a landward-blowing wind which gives pleasant sailing along the Istrian coast, especially in the summer, but gathers force as it sweeps down to Dalmatia. The burin is a north, northeast wind that is strongest before dawn and soon dies down. Watch out for the nevera, a strong summer westerly wind that brings bad weather. It whips up the sea very suddenly, usually accompanied by thunder and then quickly dies down. It is most common in the Northern Adriatic.
Bora NE – As a cold wind, the north-eastern (in Croatia called ‘bura’) is blowing from the continent, from the eastern side of the Adriatic towards the open sea and brings bright weather. It starts abruptly and blows in squalls toward the sea. For sailors, this wind is very unreliable: she comes suddenly and with heavy gusts. In the summer blows as a local wind and then lasts only a few days. In the winter it may continue for six to fourteen days. When it’s local it can start and stop within 24 hours, but if it’s wide and continental it can last the entire week, and in that period it gets weaker or stronger a couple of times. Sudden starting of the wind is one of its most dangerous sides, especially for less experienced sailors. At the coast, it can easily reach 40 – 50 knots, during the winter even more. Usually, she precedes clear weather, but during the Bura conditions get foggy because of foam and water drops carried by the strong winds. Bura is the strongest in Gulf of Trieste, Kvarner (near Krk), Velebit channel, Nin bay, Sibenik, cape Ploča, a bay of Vrulje (between Omiš and Makarska), Trstenik bay on a peninsula of Peljesac.
Levant E – Levanat from the east is a wind comparable to Bura, but not so often.
Jugo SE – In Croatia called “Jugo” or “Sirocco” is a warm, moist, south-easterly wind. It blows through the Adriatic, during the cyclone it brings clouds and rain. The air pressure falls. It develops slowly; Jugo can blow from ESE SSE directions, and then it can be very powerful, with big waves and low clouds, and usually a lot of rain. There are also, so-called dry south winds, they last longer, do not bring rain, but can be powerful as a storm. It is not a ‘sudden’ wind like Bura, but it develops gradually over a 24 – 36 hour period. As it blows through the canal, it produces high, but long waves. It usually lasts much longer than the north-eastern wind, five to seven days. In the summer it may appear as a local wind and is more frequent in the southern part of the Adriatic.
Lebic SW, Ostro S – These winds present variations of the Jugo wind (SE) and have similar characteristics.
Tramontana N – Tramontana blows from the north, but sometimes, locally can blow from NNW. It is similar to Bura, but usually, not as wild and strong. It is a local and dry wind that brings cold air. Usually, it blows from 15-25 knots. It brings bright skies and high pressure. It is more common in the southern part of Adriatic. Away from the coast it gets stronger and creates bigger waves.
Maestral NW – Maestral is a typical summer wind, caused by the temperature differences of land mass and the sea, and it blows from the north-west. It starts during the morning (around 11:00 AM), and it gradually builds up until the 4 PM, dying towards the sunset. It is a moderate wind, and it brings beautiful weather and white clouds.
Burin NE– Burin is also a typical summer wind, like Maestral, but it blows during the night from the opposite direction, from the north-east, and it is also a moderate wind, a light breeze usually. It can start with the sunset, and continue until the sunrise when it is the strongest. Burin brings nice weather.
Nevera (A SUDDEN STORM) – Next to the north-eastern the sudden storm on the Adriatic is possibly the most unpleasant experience. They are thermal storms that come speeding from the west, from the open sea; they last short but have great force. They are the most often in the summer, and they get very powerful as fall comes. On the smallest sign of the storm you should, with no delay, take every precaution, because the time is short. If there is any possibility of getting away from its way, you should. Before the storm starts it’s totally quiet, and often in the last minutes before it breaks a breeze blows, very shortly towards the storm – it makes it impossible to hear the sounds of thunder, that’s why a lot of people were caught by the storm totally unready.