Climate - Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria)

Veliko Tarnovo: Temperatures - Precipitation - Sunshine hours - Best time


The climate of Veliko Tarnovo is continental, with cold winters and hot summers.
The city is located in north-central Bulgaria, at the edge of the plain to the north of the Balkan chain, and at 220 meters (720 feet) above sea level.
The city is prone to polar cold waves, but it is also prone to foehn-like winds coming down from the mountains (Mount Botev is in the south-west) and that can lead to sudden temperature increases. For this reason, the temperature can exceed 20 °C (68 °F) from December to February, and 25 °C (77 °F) in November and March.
Winter is cold and gray, with snowfalls and frosts, although there are also some quite mild periods, especially when the foehn wind blows. In periods when the atmosphere is stable, there can be cold, foggy days.
During cold spells, which occur every year or so, the temperature drops to -15 °C (5 °F) or below. The cold record of the period 1961-2000 was -28 °C (-18 °F), while from 2001 to 2020, it was -22 °C (-7.5 °F), recorded in February 2012.
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 or exceed 37 °C (98.5 °F). The record heat is 43.5 °C (110.5 °F), recorded in July 2000. The temperature also reached 43 °C (109.5 °F) in July 2007 and in August 2012.

Best Time

The best times to visit Veliko Tarnovo 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.

Veliko Tarnovo - Climate data

In Veliko Tarnovo, the average temperature of the coldest month (January) is of 0.8 °C (33.4 °F), that of the warmest month (August) is of 24.4 °C (75.9 °F). Here are the average temperatures.
In Veliko Tarnovo, precipitation amounts to 615 millimeters (24.2 inches) per year: so, it is at an intermediate level. It ranges from 40 mm (1.6 in) in the driest months (February, March, August, September, October) to 75 mm (3 in) in the wettest one (June). Here is the average precipitation.
In Veliko Tarnovo, there are on average around 2375 sunshine hours per year. Here are the average hours of sunshine per day.