Climate - Ruse (Bulgaria)

The climate of Ruse is continental, with cold winters and hot summers.
The city is located in the extreme north of Bulgaria. Beyond the Danube, in Romania, is the twin city of Giurgiu. We are in the Danube plain, an area exposed to cold waves in winter as well as heat waves in summer.
Winter is cold and gray, with snowfalls and frosts, although there are also some quite mild periods. Sometimes fog can form.
During cold spells, which occur every year or so, the temperature drops to -15 °C (5 °F) or below. The coldest record is -21 °C (-6 °F), recorded in December 1997 and in January 2010.
Summer is hot and sunny, although thunderstorms can sometimes break out in the afternoon.
The city is particularly exposed to heat waves. In the hottest periods, the temperature can reach 38/40 °C (100/104 °F). The record heat is 43.5 °C (110.5 °F), recorded in July 2007 and in August 2012. In July 2012, the average maximum was 36.3 °C (97.3 °F).
The average temperature of the coldest month (January) is of 0.6 °C (33 °F), that of the warmest month (July) is of 25.7 °C (78 °F). Here are the average temperatures (for the period 2002-2013).

Precipitation amounts to 620 millimeters (24.4 inches) per year: so, it is at an intermediate level. It ranges from 30 mm (1.2 in) in the driest month (September) to 75 mm (3 in) in the wettest (July). Here is the average precipitation.

On average, there are around 2,360 sunshine hours per year. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.

Best Time

The best times to visit Ruse are spring and autumn, namely from mid-May to mid-June, a period when some afternoon thunderstorms must be put into account, and from mid-September to mid-October, a period a bit cooler but also drier. In summer, the heat is sometimes bearable, while at other times, especially in July and August, it can be intense.