Albanian Climate

Albanian Climate

Albania is situated in a zone with the Mediterranean climate.

Albania is characterized by hot summer, bright sunny days, generally mild winter and abundant rainfalls. The period from June to September is hot, while from October to May it is cool and wet.

The meteorological conditions change rapidly from southwest to Northeast, the temperatures and the precipitation diminish in this same direction. The amount of rain and snowfall is sufficient (about 1.200 mm per annual), but is unevenly distributed during the year. The average annual temperature varies from 14.80C (Shkodra, North of the country) to 16.50C (Vlora, South of the country), while the absolute maximal temperature vary from 38.30C (Shkodra) and slow down in the vicinity of the sea. The hottest month is July with an average temperature of 250C. The highest recorded summer temperature is at Kucova 43.90C. The coldest month is January with an average temperature of 60C. The eastern part of Albania has very cold winters. The lowest recorded temperature being –340C at the resort of Biza, 35 km East of Tirana. The winds have a seasonal character, during the cold half of the year and especially during the winter months, the air moves from the land towards the sea reducing the land temperature. The winds are numerous and have different directions. The most typical are sea breezes, ice winds especially in the Northern part and hot and dry winds which blow in the Southwestern direction. The situation is reversed during the summer months. The most characteristic winter wind is the “murlan”, a cold dry and very strong wind. The “Sirocco’ or native “Juga” wind is a warm, moist oppressive wind laden with rain. In the regions along the sea, sea breezes that blow during the months of June, July and August predominate.