Sofia Live Weather
Sofia weather forecast for the next five days
General information on weather in Sofia
Geography
Sofia city is surrounded on all sides by mountains as it is situated in Western Bulgaria at the foot of the picturesque Vitosha Mountain. Sofia Valley spread over an area of 457.9 m2 and this makes in the largest valley in Bulgaria.
Situated in western Bulgaria at the northern foot of the Vitosha Mountain, Sofia is surrounded on all sides by mountains. With an area of 457.9 sq miles (1,186 sq. kilometres), the Sofia Valley is the largest one in the country. The average altitude of Sofia is 1,804 feet (550 metres).
The upper course of the Iskar River flows in close proximity to the eastern part of Sofia. The city, where Thracians settled years ago, has long been renowned for its several natural thermal and mineral springs.
Sofia Weather
Speaking in general, Sofia has a moderate continental climate with high temperature amplitudes. The hottest month in Sofia is usually August, and January is tend to be the coldest. There are many rainy days especially in autumn and spring. The average daily maximum temperature for the Bulgarian capital variably ranges between 2 degrees in January and 26-32 degrees in August.
Temperatures
The minimal temperature during the day most often reaches from about -4 degrees Celsius for January up to 14 degrees in July. Thus, the number of rainy days frequently changes between about seven for September and October and fourteen for May. Sofia stands on an open plain with height from about 550m above sea level in Western Bulgaria as it is beautifully encircled by the Balkan Mountains on the north and the Vitosha Mountain on the south. August is the hottest month in Sofia, but it is still cooler than other parts of Bulgaria because of the high altitude of the valley where Sofia lies. Yet owing to its altitude, the summers in Sofia are often moderately hot and the winters - cold and snowy, and hence this makes spring and autumn the best seasons to visit Bulgaria’s capital city.
In addition, the average January temperature is about zero degrees Celsius and fortunately, the most frequent summer temperatures rarely exceed 30-32 degrees Celsius. In general, the climate in Sofia is characterized by four distinctive seasons, and it is predominantly moderate continental as well. Generally speaking the weather in the spring is quite changeable because of the cold north and warm south air masses. Thus, the temperatures sometimes could rise significantly, reaching even 20 or 30 degrees Celsius, but it is still pretty cold in the night. A certain snow blanket in this period could be encountered mainly in the high mountains around Sofia, but you should bear in mind that until March short snowfalls could easily surprise the lower valleys in Sofia’s region.
Sofia Summer Weather
Summer temperatures in Sofia can often reach 35 degrees Celsius and the nights are also rather warm due to the relatively small total height of this region and significantly cool winds in the mountains near Sofia., June still remains the coldest month of the summer with daily temperatures about 22-24 degrees Celsius. The North-West and North-East winds in July and August tend to bring some cooler air in the Bulgarian capital, but they naturally are the hottest months in the year.
Sofia Autumn Weather
The weather in autumn in Sofia is essentially influenced by the big cyclones and fronts from North-West Europe and the warm south air masses which usually precede them. Hence, the average daily temperatures during the autumn often are from 5 to 18 degrees Celsius. However, take into account at any rate that in the late October in the Bulgarian capital there could be comparatively long periods with very warm weather, the so called "gipsy summer". On the other hand, the second half of November and the beginning of December are often foggy and rainy as it gradually gets colder.