April 1998 is repeating: Temperatures up to 30°C on Friday

By Nedim Sladić/Patria

When people say that February is the most fickle month of the year, most people forget what March is actually like by its nature. That March can show two completely different faces is evidenced by examples from 1952, 2001, and 2005.

On March 30, 1952, as much as 36 degrees was measured in Veles and Gevgelija in Macedonia, which was later confirmed as verified and relevant data by the Hydrometeorological Service of FNRJ. On March 25, 2001, 27 degrees (summer-like) was measured in Sarajevo, which is still the March record for the Sarajevo area. Four years later, on March 2, the temperature "slipped" deep into the minus, so that on that morning, as much as -21 degrees was measured in Sarajevo near the airport, and "warmer" -17 degrees in the city. Therefore, do not be surprised by the sudden change from jackets to short sleeves. True, it will be quite unpleasant and cool for short sleeves on Tuesday, but as we move towards the end of the week, a different story will be told.

Tuesday will bring, due to the presence of a shallow and fast-moving cyclone, slightly more moisture and moderate southerly winds. During the night, the cyclone will move quickly over northern Bosnia and only here and there, rarely, bring small amounts of rain (from 0.5 to 3 liters per square meter). Due to occasional moderate southerly winds and the influx of warmer air masses from the Mediterranean towards us, the temperature on Tuesday will be above 14°C everywhere. Clearing will occur quickly, so northern Bosnia will enjoy sunny weather from the morning, while the central part will only see the sun in the afternoon.

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and very likely Saturday and Sunday will be characterized by abundant sunshine and very high air temperatures for this time of year, with a chance of isolated local rain showers accompanied by thunderstorms on Sunday afternoon, primarily in the hilly-mountainous part of central and eastern Bosnia.

On Wednesday, temperatures in a large part of the country will exceed 20 degrees, on Thursday reach the 25° mark, and very high temperatures, especially on Friday, will be a consequence of the movement of a large amount of warmer air mass from the Mediterranean towards our area, with weak to moderate southerly and southwesterly upper-level flow. However, the Genoa cyclone will be "responsible" for the sudden temperature increase during this period.

On Friday, with abundant sunshine, temperatures will range from 22 degrees up to 30 degrees. Mornings will no longer be cold either, as from Thursday, morning temperatures will be above 8 degrees everywhere. In the north of the country, do not be surprised if for the first time this year, morning temperatures on Friday and Saturday are around 15°, and even a degree or two above 15 degrees.

The likely cities where the first thirty-degree temperatures can be measured for the first time this year are, as expected, Zenica, Banja Luka, Mostar, Valjevo, and Loznica. In 1998, a similar situation occurred at the beginning of April as is expected to happen now. Coincidentally or not, 1998, like the current year, was a year of the El Niño climatological phenomenon.