- by croatiaweek
- May 20, 2026
- in
Croatia
Just days after an unusually cold spell, Europe is preparing for a dramatic change in weather conditions as a powerful heat dome develops across the continent.
According to Severe Weather Europe, a strong mass of hot air is moving from north-west Africa towards south-western and western Europe before expanding further north and east during the remainder of May.
Forecasters say temperatures could exceed 30°C in some areas from Sunday and during the first days of next week.
The warmest conditions are expected initially across Spain, Portugal, France, the Benelux countries and the United Kingdom. By the middle of next week, the unusually warm air mass is forecast to spread further across northern, central and eastern parts of Europe.
Meteorologists warn that temperatures in some regions could rise between 12°C and 16°C above the seasonal average for late May, with some localised areas potentially experiencing even greater anomalies.
The Mediterranean region, Italy, central Europe and the Balkans are also expected to see temperatures steadily climb towards 30°C during the coming days.
Croatia is forecast to experience notably warmer conditions as well. According to NRK and The Norwegian Meteorological Institute, temperatures next week could reach up to 30°C in Zagreb, and Split.
The developing weather pattern is being linked to a phenomenon known as a heat dome, which has been associated with several significant and record-breaking heatwaves across Europe in recent years.
A heat dome forms when a large area of high pressure becomes stationary over a region, trapping very warm air beneath it.
Severe Weather Europe describes the phenomenon as acting like a lid on a pot, preventing warm air from escaping while layers of air sink towards the ground and continue to heat up.
Such systems are more commonly associated with peak summer conditions, but forecasters say the upcoming event is expected to bring unusually high temperatures for this stage of May across much of Europe.