Kosovo Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Pristina, Prizren, Peja, Ferizaj, and Gjakova
Summary
Kosovo recorded its 9th warmest May to July period on record, driven by summer heat that kept temperatures well above long-term baselines. While July ranked 18th warmest locally, seasonal heat across Europe remained pronounced. Globally, land temperatures reached the 2nd highest level on record for May to July, with warmer conditions expected to persist through late summer.
This month in numbers
The month recorded an average temperature of 21.35°C in Kosovo, sitting 2.0°C above the 1961-1990 baseline and ranking as the 18th warmest July in 87 years of records. The May to July seasonal average reached 18.93°C, marking the country's 9th warmest such period since 1940. Globally, land temperatures for the month ranked 3rd highest on record at 15.8°C with a 1.6°C anomaly, while the May to July global land average reached 14.34°C, the 2nd warmest three-month stretch on record worldwide.
What changed
This seasonal warmth follows an exceptionally mild February and a hot June, which collectively lifted the three-month anomaly to 2.1°C above historical averages. This aligns with Kosovo's long-term trend, which shows 1.75°C of warming above baseline. The year 2025 ranked as the country's 2nd warmest calendar year at 11.7°C, just behind 2024. Globally, European nations accounted for 6 of the 10 highest three-month temperature anomalies.
What’s driving change?
Summer heat across the region is heavily shaped by that allow high-pressure atmospheric ridges to stall over southern Europe. Because , interior Balkan landscapes heat rapidly during these setups, with maximum temperatures reaching 38°C in Pristina during recent heatwaves. Kosovo avoided mass disaster events during this spell, unlike the 31 active wildfires currently monitored in Angola on our live map at Extreme Weather tracker.
Looking ahead
Seasonal outlooks suggest near-average to above-average temperatures will likely persist across the Western Balkans through late summer and into early autumn.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – Global
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance (countries & continents) · Met Office (UK) · US states & climate regions. Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – Kosovo
Köppen Cfa · TemperateKosovo has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfa: Humid subtropical), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 22.1°C, while January is the coldest at 0.2°C. Annual precipitation averages around 848mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly rain, with snow (water-equivalent) shown separately.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – Kosovo
Precipitation, Sunshine, Frost and Snow are converted to standard deviations from their own average so they can share an axis with Temperature.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Heatwave Days – Kosovo
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Kosovo
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Monthly Temperature – Kosovo
Latest month is provisional and may be revised by the data provider in the next update cycle.
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Records – Kosovo
Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Dfb · ContinentalHow spring and autumn have shifted in Kosovo. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (9.3°C, from 1940–1969); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 22.7°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Feb (+3.9°C). The warmest month has shifted from Aug to Jul.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Kosovo
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
Country-level temperature anomaly, sourced from Copernicus ERA5 and Hadley HadCRUT5.
Annual country and global CO₂ emissions, from the Global Carbon Project.
Monthly rainfall - Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD) preferred, World Bank CCKP/CRU TS fallback where GPCC lacks direct coverage.
Frost Days and Heatwave Days (Warm Spell Duration Index), ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Kosovo changing?
Kosovo is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
What is the climate like in Kosovo?
Kosovo has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfa: Humid subtropical), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 22.1°C, while January is the coldest at 0.2°C. Annual precipitation averages around 848mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Where does the climate data for Kosovo come from?
Climate data for Kosovo comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Kosovo climate data cover?
The Kosovo climate profile covers Pristina, Prizren, Peja, Ferizaj and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Kosovo
How often is the Kosovo climate update refreshed?
The Kosovo climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the Kosovo climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the Kosovo climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.