This document discusses climate monitoring in Croatia in 2014. It notes that 2014 was one of the warmest years on record for Zagreb. Heavy precipitation in May 2014 led to catastrophic flooding across eastern Croatia and neighboring regions. International cooperation on meteorological and hydrological data sharing is important for flood forecasting and management, as weather events do not stop at political borders.

1. Tanja Likso
Meteorological and Hydrological
Service of Croatia

2.  Introduction
 Climate monitoring
 Publications
 Weather reports for different users
 Catastrophic floods affecting Croatia in May
2014
 Conclusion

3. Fig. 1 Geographical location of Croatia in the European Union.

4.  Extreme climate conditions such as heat and cold
waves and extremely dry and wet periods are of
particular importance because they affect both people
and economy
 Recognising these periods on different time scales
(month, season, year) is an excellent basis for further
analysis of their impact on the economy (agriculture,
tourism, transport, etc.) and sometimes,
unfortunately, it results in the loss of human lives

5. Fig. 2 Air temperature anomalies for Croatia in 2014.

6. Fig. 3 Precipitation amounts expressed as percentages (%) of
multi-annual average (1961-1990) for Croatia in 2014.

7. Fig. 4 Average annual air temperature trend, Zagreb-Grič (1862-2014).

8.  A comparison of the average annual air
temperature for the Zagreb-Grič Observatory
during the period 1862-2014 indicates that the
year 2014 is on a par with the year 2000 as
the warmest year on record.
 For the Zagreb-Grič Observatory the average
annual air temperatue for the year 2014 is
13.8°C

9.  Air temperature trend in Croatia is in
accordance with the global warming trend
with a certain inter-annual fluctuations
 Such temperature is followed by heavy
precipitation events and floods in many
regions of Croatia especially in May 2014
which is in accordance with the expectations
related to the climate change

10.  Monthly, seasonal and annual reports
regarding climate anomalies for temperature
and precipitation are avaiable online (
www.meteo.hr)
 Publications (Meteorological and Hydrological
Bulletin, Reviews, Climate Atlas of Croatia
1961-1990, 1971-2000, etc.)

11. Fig. 5 Title page of the Meteorological
and Hydrological Bulletin.

12. Fig. 6 Title page of the
publication Reviews.

13. Fig. 7 Climate Atlas of Croatia.

14.  Media
 Transportation
 Electric power industry (national power company “Hrvatska
elektroprivreda”)
 Legal entity for water management (“Hrvatske vode”)
 Insurance companies
 Courts
 Government and the president
 Forest fire defence
 Sport, culture and other institutions
Users:

15. Fig. 8 A request for meteorological
data and weather reports.

16. Fig. 9 Number of requests for meteorological data and information during
the period 1998-2013.

17. Fig. 10 Flooded Gunja hydrological station.

18. Fig. 11a

19. Fig. 11b

20. Fig. 11c

21. Fig. 11 (a-d) Eastern Croatia devastated by the catastrophic
flood in May 2014.
Fig. 11d

22. Fig. 12 Precipitation amounts expressed as percentages (%) of multi-annual
average (1961-1990) in April 2014.

23. Fig. 13 Precipitation amounts for Croatia in May 2014.

24. ▪ The flood occured in the lower Sava
river basin is a consequence of heavy
rainfall in the period 15-18 May 2014.
▪ The most affected areas are along
the Sava river (Eastern Croatia,
Northern Bosnia and Serbia).
▪ Due to abnormal intensity and
stationarity of the cyclone → extreme
rainfall (in some places several times
exceeded the average monthly
precipitation amounts → large-scale
flood

25. Hydrological aspects
▪ soil was saturated with water
▪ rivers were full
▪ water spills over the river
banks
▪ river banks burst in several
places
▪victims and damage (people,
animals, crops, property,
infrastructure)

26. ▪ Political borders do not impact on weather and floods → much closer
cooperation in meteorological and hydrological data and information
sharing between neighbouring countries should be established
▪ International exchange of quality controlled data and information is
an essential element for the implementation of basin-wide activities
ranging from flood forecast and warnings to wide range of aspects of
water resources management
The issue has to be addressed from several points of view:
► Establishment of arrangements on the data and information
exchange policy
► Improvements and optimization of the current data exchange
mechanisms
► Consistency of the measurement carried out at hydrological stations
located at the state borders

27.  Increasing number of extreme weather events
→ increasing number of requests for
meteorological data and weather reports
(courts, insurance companies, scientific
community, etc.)
 Maps of climate anomalies can help upon
analysis of extreme events like catastrophic
floods affecting Croatia in May 2014

28.  Political borders do not impact on weather and
floods → much closer cooperation between
neighbouring countries should be
established
 International exchange of quality controlled
data and information is an essential element
for implementation of activites ranging from
flood forecast and warnings to various
aspects of water resources management