Weather Front to Usher In Slovenia's New Year With Evening Showers
Slovenia prepares for a wet New Year's Eve as a weather front approaches, promising an unusual combination of rain and exceptionally warm temperatures for the holiday celebration.
Casey Parker
- 2023-12-30
- Updated 07:50 PM ET
(NewsNibs) - A weather front moving across Slovenia is expected to affect the country's New Year's Eve festivities towards the evening. Rainfall is anticipated to commence in the western regions in the afternoon before intensifying and spreading eastward. By midnight, western and central parts of Slovenia will likely experience precipitation, setting a damp tone for the new year's welcome. The eastern areas, however, are forecast to remain dry when the clock strikes twelve.
New Year's Temperature Surge
The country rang in the New Year amidst a remarkable warm spell. Morning temperatures on New Year's Day soared above 15 degrees Celsius in several places, with a notable 15.2 degrees Celsius recorded in Dobliče near Črnomelj. Kočevje and Ptuj saw the mercury hit 13.8 degrees Celsius, while Celje and Rogaška Slatina were at a slightly cooler 13.2 degrees Celsius. Capital city Ljubljana experienced a mild 12.1 degrees Celsius at 7 am, just slightly down from the 12 degrees at midnight.
While rain showers are expected shortly after midnight in areas like Prekmurje, Štajerska, Dolenjska, and Bela krajina, snow enthusiasts may find solace in the elevated terrains where the snow line is expected to rest between 1200 and 1500 meters. The anomalous warmth marks a stark contrast to historical records. Notably, the mercury on past New Year's Eves seldom rose above ten degrees Celsius in Ljubljana, with temperatures of seven degrees recorded as recently as 2017 and 2009. The record lows for the capital tell a chillier tale, with a frigid -12 degrees Celsius in 1968 and a staggering -19 degrees Celsius in 1853.
Thousands Revel in Mild Weather
The unseasonably warm weather drew crowds, including numerous foreign travelers, to Ljubljana's city center for New Year's Eve celebrations. As Slovenia ushers in 2023 with balmy temperatures and impending evening showers, the nation closes a chapter on a year of climatic surprises, marking another milestone in the country's meteorological history.
