Best time to visit Plitvice Lakes
Re-score for me — drag the dial — every chart on the page recolours live for your heat limit 27°C
Default 27 °C is the upper edge of the Holiday Climate Index "ideal comfort" band (Scott, Rutty, Amelung & Tang, 2016). Above this, most warm-tourism travellers report measurable discomfort.
How is this scored? HCI / Steadman / CCI gate — full methodology and citations below.
Compare with another destination
Add as many as you like — stacked below the main strips above. Each row is just the recent-window score strip and (for beach destinations) sea-temperature strip.
Tours in Plitvice Lakes
6 top-rated tours via Viator. Booking links earn this site a commission at no cost to you. Map locations are approximate (centred on Plitvice Lakes).
- 1
Kayaking Adventure on Mreznica River close to Plitvice Lakes - 2
Kayaking on Upper Mreznica River - Slunj, Croatia - 3
Plitvice Lakes Private Tour From Split - 4
Croatia Walking Tour in a Wonderland - 5
Rakovica Private Countryside Bike Tour with Barac Caves - 6
Private Guided Fairy Tale Tour in Ogulin
Last refreshed 2026-05-26.
Similar climatesAnnecy90% · Zurich90% · Munich90%
Other destinations with the most-alike year-round climate to Plitvice Lakes (apparent temperature, rain hours, sunshine — matched within the same trip-profile). The ±N chip compares each match's typical score for the current month against Plitvice Lakes's. Based on the 2020-2024 climatology, not this year's actual weather.
Month-by-month
| Month | Temp °C | Feels °C | Rain days | Rain h | Rain h/day | Humidity | Wind km/h | Sun h | UV | Interest | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -2–4 | 0 | 14 | 213 | 15.2 | 77% | 21 | 125 | 1 | Quiet | 3 |
| Feb | 1–8 | 3 | 9 | 132 | 14.7 | 67% | 23 | 155 | 2 | Moderate | 5 |
| Mar | 1–8 | 4 | 12 | 161 | 13.4 | 61% | 20 | 199 | 3 | Quiet | 4 |
| Apr | 4–12 | 9 | 13 | 161 | 12.4 | 58% | 19 | 216 | 4 | Quiet | 5 |
| May | 9–16 | 15 | 20 | 247 | 12.3 | 67% | 17 | 246 | 5 | Busy | 5 |
| Jun | 14–22 | 21 | 13 | 160 | 12.3 | 61% | 15 | 279 | 7 | Quiet | 7 |
| Jul | 16–25 | 25 | 11 | 108 | 9.8 | 56% | 14 | 302 | 7 | Quiet | 9 |
| Aug | 16–24 | 24 | 12 | 140 | 11.7 | 60% | 14 | 276 | 6 | Peak | 8 |
| Sep | 12–19 | 18 | 13 | 152 | 11.7 | 66% | 16 | 214 | 4 | Quiet | 7 |
| Oct | 9–15 | 13 | 11 | 149 | 13.5 | 71% | 17 | 181 | 3 | Quiet | 6 |
| Nov | 3–8 | 5 | 14 | 193 | 13.8 | 81% | 19 | 122 | 1 | Quiet | 4 |
| Dec | 1–5 | 2 | 14 | 221 | 15.8 | 83% | 19 | 102 | 1 | Quiet | 3 |
UV Index in Plitvice Lakes by Month
UV index in Plitvice Lakes peaks at 7 (high) in July, dropping to 1 (low) in January. June, July, August have high UV — SPF 30+ and sunglasses recommended.
Best months in detail
July
9/1016–25°C · 11 rain days (108h) · 302 sun hours · 56% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 7 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 9 (very high)
August
8/1016–24°C · 12 rain days (140h) · 276 sun hours · 60% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 6 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (very high)
June
7/1014–22°C · 13 rain days (160h) · 279 sun hours · 61% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 7 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 9 (very high)
Every month
Show the other 9 months in detail
January
3/10-2–4°C (feels 0°C) · 14 rain days (213h) · 125 sun hours · 77% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
February
5/101–8°C (feels 3°C) · 9 rain days (132h) · 155 sun hours · 67% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 2 (low)
March
4/101–8°C (feels 4°C) · 12 rain days (161h) · 199 sun hours · 61% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 3 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 4 (moderate)
April
5/104–12°C (feels 9°C) · 13 rain days (161h) · 216 sun hours · 58% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 4 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 6 (high)
May
5/109–16°C (feels 15°C) · 20 rain days (247h) · 246 sun hours · 67% humidity · Busy crowd · UV 5 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 7 (high)
September
7/1012–19°C (feels 18°C) · 13 rain days (152h) · 214 sun hours · 66% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 4 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 6 (high)
October
6/109–15°C (feels 13°C) · 11 rain days (149h) · 181 sun hours · 71% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 3 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 4 (moderate)
November
4/103–8°C (feels 5°C) · 14 rain days (193h) · 122 sun hours · 81% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
December
3/101–5°C (feels 2°C) · 14 rain days (221h) · 102 sun hours · 83% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
Frequently asked questions about visiting Plitvice Lakes
When is the best time to visit Plitvice Lakes?
July is the highest-scoring month (9/10 on the Holiday Climate Index). Typical conditions: 16–25°C (11 rainy days). The top three months by score are July, August, June.
What is the worst time to visit Plitvice Lakes?
December is the lowest-scoring month (3/10). Typical conditions: 1–5°C (14 rainy days).
When are crowds lowest in Plitvice Lakes?
Search-interest seasonality (Google Trends 2021-2025) is lowest in January and peaks in August. Interest tracks both in-trip visitors and lead-time planners, so treat it as a "destination is on people's minds" signal rather than literal arrivals.
Which months in Plitvice Lakes have good weather but fewer tourists?
July (climate 9/10, crowd index 0) and June (climate 7/10, crowd index 39) — shoulder months with above-average climate and below-median search-interest. Often the best value-for-weather trade.
What is the UV index in Plitvice Lakes by month?
UV peaks at 7 (high) in July and is lowest in January at 1 (low). Monthly peak values: Jan 1, Feb 2, Mar 3, Apr 4, May 5, Jun 7, Jul 7, Aug 6, Sep 4, Oct 3, Nov 1, Dec 1.
What is the UV index in Plitvice Lakes in July?
July is the peak UV month in Plitvice Lakes, with a daily-peak UV index of 7 (high). Apply SPF 30+, wear sunglasses, and seek shade during midday hours.
How high can UV get in Plitvice Lakes on the sunniest days?
Most days look like the monthly average, but on the sunniest ~1 in 10 days UV climbs higher than the mean suggests. July is the worst case: typical days average UV 7 (high), but the top 10% of days reach UV 9 (very high) — and even higher. Months where the sunniest days routinely exceed the typical reading: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October. Plan sun protection for the worst case, not the average.
Is air quality in Plitvice Lakes bad for travelers?
PM2.5 (fine-particle pollution) exceeds the WHO sensitive-group guideline (15 µg/m³) in 3 months: January, February, December. The worst month is February with a typical-day mean of 10 µg/m³ (moderate); on the worst 10% of days PM2.5 reaches 18 µg/m³ (unhealthy for sensitive) and higher. People with asthma, heart conditions, or sensitive children may want to avoid these months or limit outdoor activity. Source: CAMS via Open-Meteo.