Croatia — Water Temperature in Seas, Lakes and Rivers
Check today’s water temperatures across Croatia, including seas, lakes, and rivers. View real-time updates and seasonal ranges for both coastal and inland waters. We find every place where you can swim and show you the water temperature there today and throughout the year.
Sea Water Temperature Along the Coast
Chart of Average Temperature Changes Over the Last 60 Days
Places with the Warmest Sea Water Today
The Most Popular Seaside Places
Coastal Seas and Oceans
Water Temperature in Lakes and Rivers
Popular Lakes
Popular Rivers
Popular Places
Water Temperature and Swimming Overview
Regions and Map
- Brod-Posavina County
- Dubrovnik-Neretva County
- Istria County
- Karlovac County
- Koprivnica-Križevci County
- Krapina-Zagorje County
- Lika-Senj County
- Međimurje County
- Osijek-Baranja County
- Požega-Slavonia County
- Primorje-Gorski Kotar County
- Šibenik-Knin County
- Sisak-Moslavina County
- Split-Dalmatia County
- Varaždin County
- Virovitica-Podravina County
- Vukovar-Srijem County
- Zadar County
- Zagreb City and County
Water Temperature Trends
Croatia’s long Adriatic coastline offers a range of sea temperatures that vary by season and by region. Along the northern and central coast, typical sea surface temperatures run from about 8–12 °C (46–54 °F) in the coldest winter months to roughly 22–24 °C (72–75 °F) in peak summer. The southern Dalmatian coast and the offshore islands warm more, often reaching 25–28 °C (77–82 °F) on hot summer days, while winter values there are milder, commonly 12–16 °C (54–61 °F). The swimming season on the coast is generally from late spring through early autumn; many people find the sea comfortably swimmable from May to October when temperatures commonly exceed 20 °C (68 °F). Beaches are widely accessible and monitored in tourist areas, though occasional jellyfish blooms or weather conditions can temporarily limit swimming.
Swimming Conditions
Inland, lakes and rivers show greater variation depending on altitude and season. Lowland lakes and slow rivers may warm to about 20–25 °C (68–77 °F) in summer, offering pleasant swimming, while alpine and karst lakes, including many in national parks, remain much colder—often 5–15 °C (41–59 °F) even in summer. Rivers can be quite cold in spring due to snowmelt (around 4–12 °C / 39–54 °F) and warm to 15–24 °C (59–75 °F) in summer in lowland stretches. Swimming is permitted in most natural waters, but some protected areas restrict access to preserve ecosystems. Visitors should consider water quality, local rules, currents, and cold-water shock in rivers and mountain lakes when planning to swim.