Coast winds along the Central Dalmatian coast are important to know in case you decide to take one of the many sailing tours, whether guided or on your own.
My family is originally from Hvar island. My grandfather was an experienced sailor but very often he used to repeat the old sailors saying – ‘Praise the sea, stick to the coast!’ (in Croatian language will be ‘Hvali more drz se kraja’).
The meaning is very simple. Enjoy the beauty of the sea and its deep blue charms, but don’t underestimate its temper.
Before you make a decision on taking sailing tours or hiring your own boat so you are free to go where and when you please, take few moments to distinguish most usual types of winds, their direction and strength, and period of the year when they are the most frequent.
If you are planning to undertake some cruising adventure or if you’re a yacht owner, the best local source for the weather forecast for the Adriatic coast can be found on DHMZ website.
Main Coast Winds:
Bura (North)
The bura is an unpredictable wind that blows from the mainland towards the sea in gushes. It is relatively cold and dry, reaching moderate strength and can last several hours.
It is more frequent in northern parts of Adriatic coast, usually very strong coming from Velebit mountains. Its strength sometimes reaches from 150 to 200 km/h.
It cleans and clears up the atmosphere, therefore visibility after the bura wind is excellent. In Split area bura blows from Mosor and Kozjak mountains. There are two types of bura wind:
- Anticyclone type when the sky is clear. This wind is not particularly strong and it lasts for a shorter period.
- Cyclonic storm type is the wind that blows from the north or north-east and the sky is usually cloudy (this type is usually called ‘dark bura’). It brings rain or snow, and it is a very cold wind.
Jugo (South)
Jugo is a southwestern wind of moderate strength that blows from the sea towards the coast, and it is present along the entire coastline. It brings rain but it’s not a cold wind.
The sky is particularly cloudy. Jugo blows rather strong in Split channel and Split Gate (Splitska vrata), a passage between Brac and Solta islands.
Maestral (Northwestern)
Maestral is a typical Adriatic summer northwestern wind, and one of those winds that guarantee a beautiful and stable weather. It generally starts blowing around 9 am and stops in the late afternoon.
Mistral is “good”, a friendly wind for sailors and windsurfing lovers. This wind is considered as a godsend during the great summer heats, and days without it become very hot and unbearable.
Many sailors may not agree with only these three coastal winds, but all others like Tramuntana, Levant, Lebic and Ostro are only the variant of above main winds.
The best source of coastal winds along the Adriatic sea can be found on Adriatic Sea winds – Wikipedia.
Weather in Split by seasons:
