The climate of the Czech Republic is moderately continental, with cold winters (during which the temperature is often below freezing) and warm summers, during which nights remain cool.
Most of the country is located between 200 and 500 metres (600 and 1,600 feet) above sea level, and has a fairly homogeneous climate. In the capital Prague, the altitude varies between 180 and 400 metres (600 and 1,300 feet).

Precipitation is fairly frequent, but it's not abundant in most of the country, around 400/500 millimetres (15/20 inches) per year; however, being scarcer in the winter months (when the vegetation goes to rest) and more abundant in late spring and summer, it's generally sufficient for agriculture. The only moderately rainy areas are that of the Sudetes Range, where precipitation exceeds 1,000 mm (40 in) per year, that at the foot of the same mountain range (in Ostrava, precipitation exceeds 700 mm or 27.5 inches per year), and that of the south-west, along the border with Germany and Austria.
Here is the average precipitation in the capital Prague, where 525 mm (20.5 in) of rain or snow per year fall.

Since the amount of winter precipitation is not high, snowfalls are frequent but generally not abundant. On the contrary, during summer, on sunny days there can be thunderstorms in the afternoon, while Atlantic weather fronts, which can move over the country even in this season, may bring some cool and rainy days.
Here are the average temperatures of Prague.

In Prague the sun is rarely seen from November to February, while in summer the sun can be obscured, as well as by Atlantic disturbances, by cloudiness in the afternoon, which can also lead to thunderstorms.

During winter, from December to February, in Prague and the other Czech cities, temperatures hover around freezing (0 °C or 32 °F) or just below, the weather is often dull and cloudy, and some light snowfalls can occur. On the contrary, outbreaks of cold from Russia can bring frosty days, in which the temperature can drop to -20/-25 °C (-4/-13 °F).

In spring, from March to May, the weather is unstable, so that the first warm days alternate with the return of cold weather: frosts and snowfalls are still possible in April, especially in the first part of the month. A turning point is usually the second half of May, when the maximum temperatures regularly reach 18/20 °C (64/68 °F), and a stay in the country becomes enjoyable.

Summer, from June to August, is usually warm. There is a moderate amount of sunny days, during which some showers or thunderstorms in the afternoon may occur. In summer there can be cool and rainy days, with highs around 20 °C (68 °F), but also hot periods, in which the temperature may exceed for a few days 30 °C (86 °F). However, temperatures are usually pleasant, with highs around 22/24 °C (72/75 °F), and lows around 12/13 °C (54/55 °F).

Autumn, which goes from September to November, is initially pleasant in the first half of September, and becomes progressively more cloudy and cold, with fairly frequent rains.



In the north, in the mountainous area of the Sudetes, on the border with Poland, temperatures decrease with altitude, especially in summer: at 800 metres (2,600 feet) above sea level, summer is cool, and the daytime temperature is typically around 18 °C (64 °F).
The highest point in the Czech Republic is Mount Snežka, 1,603 metres (5,259 feet) high. Here are the average temperatures on the top of Mount Praded, at 1,500 metres (5,000 feet) above sea level, in the Eastern Sudetes.

When to go

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The best time to visit the Czech Republic runs from mid-May to mid-September, being the warmest, or at least the mildest. Temperatures can be cool in May and September, and sometimes in June, while they are normally higher in mid-summer (July and August).

What to pack

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In winter: warm clothes, sweater, down jacket, hat, gloves, scarf.
In summer: light clothes, t-shirts and shorts, but also long pants, jacket and sweatshirt for the evening or for cooler days; raincoat or umbrella.