What is the weather like in Montenegro by month? On the coast, afternoons average 11.6 °C in January and 31.5 °C in August, and Podgorica reaches 33.2 °C in August. The sea is coldest in February at about 13.9 °C and warmest in August at about 26 °C. Summer 2026 was the hottest on record in Budva, with an average of 28 °C.
Montenegro has three climates in a short distance: a Mediterranean coast, a hot and dry plain around Podgorica and snowy mountains in the north. The figures below come from the Institute of Hydrometeorology and Seismology (ZHMS) and a sea temperature archive, checked on 25 September 2026.
What are the temperatures month by month?
| Month | Coast (Tivat), afternoon | Podgorica, afternoon | Žabljak, average daily high | Sea (Budva) | Rainy days on the coast (Bar) |
| January | 11.6 °C | 9.2 °C | 0.3 °C | 14.4 °C | 13 |
| February | 13.3 °C | 12.4 °C | 0.9 °C | 13.9 °C | 13 |
| March | 15.1 °C | 15.1 °C | 3.7 °C | 14.1 °C | 12 |
| April | 18.7 °C | 19.5 °C | 7.8 °C | 15.7 °C | 12 |
| May | 22.5 °C | 23.6 °C | 13.4 °C | 19.3 °C | 9 |
| June | 27.6 °C | 29.1 °C | 16.8 °C | 23.4 °C | 7 |
| July | 30.7 °C | 32.8 °C | 19.5 °C | 25.6 °C | 5 |
| August | 31.5 °C | 33.2 °C | 19.6 °C | 26.0 °C | 5 |
| September | 26.1 °C | 26.9 °C | 16.3 °C | 24.1 °C | 7 |
| October | 22.0 °C | 21.7 °C | 11.5 °C | 21.3 °C | 9 |
| November | 17.6 °C | 16.2 °C | 6.1 °C | 19.3 °C | 14 |
| December | 13.6 °C | 11.5 °C | 1.9 °C | 16.4 °C | 14 |
The coastal and Podgorica columns are the average temperature at 13:00 UTC at Tivat and Podgorica airports in 2013–2022, which is the warm part of the afternoon. The daily average for the whole year is 16.1 °C in Tivat and 16.5 °C in Podgorica. Žabljak, at about 1,450 m, and the rainy days are long-term averages for 1961–1990. Žabljak's average in January is -4.5 °C, so snow and frost are normal there from December to March.
When does it rain?
Most rain falls from October to April, and November is the wettest month everywhere. In Bar about 182 mm falls in November, against 37 mm in July, and the coast has about 120 rainy days a year. Podgorica gets about 1,659 mm a year. The mountains are wetter still: Žabljak has about 172 rainy days a year and Kolašin about 2,158 mm of rain and snow. Summer is sunny, with about 350 hours of sunshine in July on the coast and about 2,530 hours a year in Bar.
How warm is the sea?
Swimming is comfortable from June to early October, when the sea stays above about 21 °C. It averages 23.4 °C in June, 26 °C in August and 24.1 °C in September, and on 25 September 2026 it was 24.6 °C at Budva. ZHMS publishes a daily sea temperature measured at 12:00 UTC. How clean the water is at each beach is covered in our guide to sea water quality in Montenegro.
How hot was summer 2026?
| Measure | Summer 2026 |
| Average temperature | From 16.8 °C in Žabljak to 29.2 °C in Podgorica |
| Compared with the 1991–2020 normal | 2.3 °C warmer |
| Budva | 28 °C, the hottest summer on record (previous record 27.8 °C in 2024) |
| Days of 30 °C or more | From 2 in Žabljak to 84 in Podgorica |
| Nights above 20 °C | 78 in Podgorica, 77 in Budva, 73 in Bar, 57 in Ulcinj and Herceg Novi |
| Rain | From 30 mm in Ulcinj to 244 mm in Bijelo Polje |
Hot nights are what make a flat hard to live in without cooling. Installers for air conditioning can be found through Glatko's air conditioner installation services.
When is the best time to visit?
- Beach: June to September, with the warmest sea in August; late September is quieter and the sea is still above 24 °C.
- Sightseeing and hiking: May, June, September and October, when afternoons on the coast are 22 to 28 °C. Trails and permits are explained in our guide to hiking in Montenegro.
- Skiing: mid-December to March in Kolašin and Žabljak, as our guide to ski resorts in Montenegro explains.
- Avoid: Podgorica in July and August if you do not like heat, and the mountains from November to April without winter equipment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the hottest month in Montenegro? August, with afternoons averaging 31.5 °C on the coast and 33.2 °C in Podgorica.
When is the sea warm enough to swim in Montenegro? From June to early October, when the sea is above about 21 °C; it peaks at about 26 °C in August.
Does it snow in Montenegro? Yes, in the mountains. Žabljak averages -4.5 °C in January; on the coast snow is rare.
What is the rainiest month in Montenegro? November. Bar gets about 182 mm of rain in November and about 37 mm in July.
Is Montenegro warm in October? Yes, on the coast afternoons average 22 °C and the sea about 21.3 °C, but there are about 9 rainy days.
How hot was summer 2026 in Montenegro? It was 2.3 °C warmer than the 1991–2020 average, and Budva had its hottest summer on record at 28 °C.
Sources
Afternoon and daily temperatures come from the ZHMS climatography of Podgorica airport and Tivat airport for 2013–2022, and the long-term averages for Žabljak, Bar, Podgorica and Kolašin from the ZHMS climate normals. Summer 2026 figures are from the ZHMS summer 2026 analysis, and the daily sea temperature from the ZHMS measurements page. Monthly sea temperatures are averages from seatemperature.info. Checked on 25 September 2026. Fijaka is a classifieds platform; weather varies from year to year, so check the official forecast before you travel.