Winter
Dec → Feb5 to 7°
nights -2 to 0°
- 13 rainy days · 125 mm
When is the best time to visit Plitvice Lakes?
- Jan5°not recommended
- Feb7°not recommended
- Mar10°not recommended
- Apr14°fair
- May18°recommended
- Jun23°recommended
- Jul26°fair
- Aug26°fair
- Sep20°recommended
- Oct16°recommended
- Nov10°fair
- Dec7°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Plitvice Lakes, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rainfall | Rainy days | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5° | -2° | 127 mm | 14 d | |
| February | 7° | 0° | 127 mm | 12 d | |
| March | 10° | 2° | 107 mm | 12 d | |
| April | 14° | 5° | 103 mm | 12 d | |
| May | 18° | 10° | 183 mm | 17 d | ✓ |
| June | 23° | 15° | 107 mm | 13 d | ✓ |
| July | 26° | 17° | 103 mm | 11 d | |
| August | 26° | 16° | 85 mm | 10 d | |
| September | 20° | 12° | 128 mm | 12 d | ✓ |
| October | 16° | 9° | 142 mm | 11 d | ✓ |
| November | 10° | 4° | 148 mm | 14 d | |
| December | 7° | 0° | 120 mm | 12 d |
The four seasons in Plitvice Lakes, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Veliki Slap) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May10 to 18°
nights 2 to 10°
- 14 rainy days · 131 mm
Summer
Jun → Aug23 to 26°
nights 15 to 17°
- 11 rainy days · 98 mm
Autumn
Sep → Nov10 to 20°
nights 4 to 12°
- 12 rainy days · 139 mm
Book early for May to June and September to October
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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Daylight in Plitvice Lakes, month by month
The time between sunrise and sunset, from shortest to longest. Not to be confused with the sunshine hours in the table above, which count clear skies. In June there are 15h35 of daylight, in December 8h48, a difference of 6h47.
9h08Jan
10h21Feb
11h47Mar
13h26Apr
14h49May
15h35Jun
15h16Jul
14h03Aug
12h27Sep
10h52Oct
9h29Nov
8h48Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Veliki Slap" (44.90°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Plitvice Lakes, month by month
EventsSpring high water at the fallsApril to MayAutumn coloursOctober to NovemberWinter freezeJanuary to FebruaryDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Towns & culture: March, April, July, August, September, October
- Long days: May, June, July, August
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall), not from an opinion.
What's on in Plitvice Lakes, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. Exact dates change from year to year, so check them before you book.
- April to MaySpring high water at the falls
Snowmelt swells the waterfalls between the sixteen lakes, just as the beech forest turns green again and the crowds are gone.
- October to NovemberAutumn colours
The beeches around the lakes turn yellow and russet, with far fewer people on the boardwalks.
- January to FebruaryWinter freeze
In some years the waterfalls partly freeze; the upper trails close and the park slows right down.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended5°-2° at night
- 127 mm · 14 d
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended7°0° at night
- 127 mm · 12 d
Low season, lower prices
March
Not recommended10°2° at night
- 107 mm · 12 d
Low season, lower prices
April
Fair14°5° at night
- 103 mm · 12 d
Low season, lower prices
May
Recommended18°10° at night
- 183 mm · 17 d
Busy, without the crush
June
Recommended23°15° at night
- 107 mm · 13 d
Busy, without the crush
July
Fair26°17° at night
- 103 mm · 11 d
Busy, without the crush
August
Fair26°16° at night
- 85 mm · 10 d
Busy, without the crush
September
Recommended20°12° at night
- 128 mm · 12 d
Busy, without the crush
October
Recommended16°9° at night
- 142 mm · 11 d
Busy, without the crush
November
Fair10°4° at night
- 148 mm · 14 d
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended7°0° at night
- 120 mm · 12 d
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Deep winter: 5 °C at the warmest of the day, -2 °C at night. A very wet month, 127 mm of rain over 14 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Deep winter: 7 °C at the warmest of the day, 0 °C at night. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (127 mm). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Cool: 10 °C at best, 2 °C at night. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (107 mm). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. Cool: 14 °C at best, 5 °C at night. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (103 mm). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
May. Mild, 18 °C in the afternoon and 10 °C early in the morning. Frequent rain: 183 mm over 17 days. Busy season, without the crush.
June. Mild, 23 °C in the afternoon and 15 °C early in the morning. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (107 mm). Busy season, without the crush.
July. 26 °C in the afternoon and 17 °C at night. Expect 11 days of rain in the month (103 mm). Busy season, without the crush.
August. 26 °C in the afternoon and 16 °C at night. Expect 10 days of rain in the month (85 mm). Busy season, without the crush.
September. Mild, 20 °C in the afternoon and 12 °C early in the morning. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (128 mm). Busy season, without the crush.
October. Cool: 16 °C at best, 9 °C at night. Expect 11 days of rain in the month (142 mm). Busy season, without the crush.
November. Cool: 10 °C at best, 4 °C at night. Frequent rain: 148 mm over 14 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Deep winter: 7 °C at the warmest of the day, 0 °C at night. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (120 mm). Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Plitvice Lakes?
May to June and September to October: over these months, recorded highs range from 16 to 23 °C, with 13 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Veliki Slap).
Which month should you avoid in Plitvice Lakes?
January: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 127 mm over 14 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Veliki Slap).
What is the hottest month in Plitvice Lakes?
July, with 26 °C on average in the afternoon and 17 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Veliki Slap).
What is the coldest month in Plitvice Lakes?
January, with 5 °C at best during the day and -2 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Veliki Slap).
What is the driest month in Plitvice Lakes?
August: 85 mm over 10 days of rain, against 183 mm in May, the wettest month.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Plitvice Lakes guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit Croatia: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
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Photos: Gergely Meszárcsek / Pexels · kallerna / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Maxime Chartier / Pexels · Lukas Lussi / Pexels · Alan Wang / Pexels · Rick Tobin / Pexels