Weather and seasons
Average temperatures, rain, sunshine and daylight for every month, from Slovenia's official weather agency, and the best time to visit for your kind of trip.
For most first-time visitors, the best time to visit Ljubljana is May, June or September, when afternoons average about 22–26°C (71–78°F) and the days are long enough for the city and a day trip.
July and August are the hottest and sunniest months. November and December are the greyest, with under two hours of sunshine a day, though December makes up for it with the festive lights. The figures on this page are long-term averages from ARSO, the Slovenian Environment Agency, not forecasts. Check the ARSO forecast (opens in a new tab) a few days before you travel.
Average daytime highs and night-time lows, rain and snow, days with at least 1 mm of rain or snow, sunshine and daylight. Tap a month for what it is like and what is on.
| Month | High | Low | Rain and snow | Wet days | Sunshine per day | Daylight (mid-month) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 39°F / 4°C | 29°F / −2°C | 2.6 in (67 mm) | 7 | 2.2 h | 9 h 06 min |
| February | 45°F / 7°C | 30°F / −1°C | 3.3 in (84 mm) | 7 | 3.6 h | 10 h 26 min |
| March | 54°F / 12°C | 36°F / 2°C | 3.3 in (83 mm) | 8 | 5.0 h | 11 h 56 min |
| April | 63°F / 17°C | 43°F / 6°C | 3.8 in (97 mm) | 10 | 6.2 h | 13 h 36 min |
| May | 71°F / 22°C | 51°F / 11°C | 4.5 in (114 mm) | 11 | 7.4 h | 15 h 01 min |
| June | 78°F / 26°C | 58°F / 14°C | 4.9 in (125 mm) | 10 | 8.3 h | 15 h 48 min |
| July | 82°F / 28°C | 61°F / 16°C | 4.8 in (122 mm) | 9 | 9.2 h | 15 h 28 min |
| August | 82°F / 28°C | 61°F / 16°C | 4.9 in (124 mm) | 9 | 8.5 h | 14 h 13 min |
| September | 71°F / 22°C | 53°F / 12°C | 6.3 in (160 mm) | 9 | 5.7 h | 12 h 37 min |
| October | 61°F / 16°C | 46°F / 8°C | 5.9 in (150 mm) | 9 | 3.6 h | 11 h 01 min |
| November | 49°F / 10°C | 39°F / 4°C | 5.4 in (138 mm) | 10 | 1.7 h | 9 h 31 min |
| December | 40°F / 4°C | 30°F / −1°C | 4.1 in (104 mm) | 9 | 1.7 h | 8 h 43 min |
Source: ARSO climate normals for Ljubljana-Bežigrad (opens in a new tab), 1991–2020 averages. Daylight is the day length on the 15th of each month from sunrise-sunset.org (opens in a new tab). Averages, not forecasts.
The coldest month: about 21 frosty nights, snow on the ground on roughly 12 mornings and barely two hours of sunshine a day. It is also the driest month by volume, with seven days of rain or snow.
Still wintry, with 17 frosty nights and snow cover on about 11 mornings, but the light comes back: February gets roughly half as much sunshine again as January and over an hour more daylight.
The month the seasons turn. Afternoons reach about 12°C (54°F), eight frosty nights remain on average, and sunshine climbs to around five hours a day.
Mild afternoons around 17°C (63°F) and cool evenings. Rain becomes more frequent, with about ten wet days, so keep at least one outdoor day flexible.
Warm enough for outdoor cafes most afternoons, with eight days above 25°C (77°F) in an average May. It also has the most wet days of the year, eleven, so carry a light rain layer.
The longest days of the year, with nearly 16 hours of daylight around mid-month, and reliably warm afternoons around 26°C (78°F). An average June has six days above 30°C (86°F).
The hottest and sunniest month: about nine hours of sunshine a day and ten days above 30°C (86°F). Plan Old Town walks for mornings and evenings and keep the middle of the day for museums, the river or a long lunch.
As hot as July, with nine days above 30°C (86°F) on average, but the evenings start drawing in: mid-August has over an hour less daylight than mid-July.
Back to comfortable afternoons around 22°C (71°F). It is the wettest month by volume, but the rain comes in heavier bursts: September shares the most heavy-rain days (five) with November, yet has fewer wet days than May.
Crisp, mild afternoons around 16°C (61°F) and the second-wettest month by volume. Sunshine drops sharply, from almost six hours a day in September to about three and a half.
The greyest month: under two hours of sunshine a day and 13 days with none at all, when low cloud and fog often settle over the city. Bled and the coast average noticeably more November sunshine (see Beyond Ljubljana below).
Short, cold days with under nine hours of daylight and the most sunless days of the year (16), brightened by the festive lights. Snow covers the ground on about nine mornings in an average December.
Ljubljana is not a dry city. ARSO's averages add up to 54 inches (1,368 mm) of rain and snow a year, spread over about 108 days with at least 1 mm. The heaviest totals fall from September to November, while May has the most wet days.
Snow covers the ground on about 40 mornings a year, almost all of them between December and February. The other thing to plan around is grey weather: the city averages 79 days a year without any sunshine, 42 of them between November and January.
On wet or grey days, swap a viewpoint or a mountain day trip for museums, galleries and cafes. The things-to-do guide marks the indoor options, and the caves are the same temperature in any weather.
May, June or September: afternoons around 22–26°C (71–78°F) and long, usable days.
Two days in Ljubljana →May, June, September and early October balance scenery, daylight and crowds. Near Bled, July highs average about 26°C (78°F).
Lake Bled guide →June to September. July and August are the hottest and sunniest months at Portorož, with highs around 29°C (85°F).
Piran guide →Any month: Postojna Cave stays at 10°C (50°F) and Škocjan at 12°C (54°F) all year, a good plan for hot or wet days.
Postojna Cave →Late November to mid-January, when the festive lights and markets run.
Christmas market guide →Late autumn, winter outside the Christmas period and early spring are usually better value. Compare live prices for your dates.
Budget guide →Lake Bled and the Julian Alps are a few degrees cooler than the city, with colder winter nights. The coast around Piran is milder: winter nights stay just above freezing on average, snow is rare, and it gets about 30% less rain and snow than Ljubljana. In late autumn both are noticeably sunnier than the city, which makes a Bled or Piran day a good plan for November.
Underground, the season does not matter: Postojna Cave holds a constant 10°C (50°F) and the Škocjan Caves 12°C (54°F), so bring a warm layer even in August.
| Place | July high | January low | Snow-cover mornings a year | November sunshine | Rain and snow a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LjubljanaLjubljana-Bežigrad | 82°F / 28°C | 29°F / −2°C | 40 | 52 hours | 53.9 in (1,368 mm) |
| Near Lake BledLesce airfield, 509 m | 78°F / 26°C | 24°F / −4°C | 41 | 80 hours | 52.2 in (1,327 mm) |
| The coastPortorož airport, near Piran | 85°F / 29°C | 34°F / 1°C | Under 1 | 94 hours | 37.7 in (958 mm) |
Sources: ARSO climate normals, 1991–2020, for Ljubljana-Bežigrad (opens in a new tab), Lesce (opens in a new tab) and Portorož airport (opens in a new tab). Cave temperatures from the Postojna Cave and Škocjan Caves visitor pages.
Visiting between December and February? The winter guide covers cold-weather plans in more detail.
Related guides
Seasonal
Plan September around variable weather, shorter days, late-summer events, Open Kitchen, day trips, packing, and live booking checks.
Seasonal
Plan a December city break around the confirmed festive season, winter weather, public holidays, crowds, closures, and realistic day trips.
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Cold-weather activities, museums, ski add-ons, Christmas atmosphere, and low-season tradeoffs.
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Plan the light-art festival with evening walks, installations, galleries, free events, and photo tips.
Turn reading into a route
Choose your trip length, season, pace, interests, and main day trip. The planner turns those choices into a practical starting itinerary with the right guides attached.
September is often the best all-round month: afternoons average about 22°C (71°F), crowds tend to be easier than in peak summer and the city is lively. May and June are equally good for weather; July and August are the hottest, with highs around 28°C (82°F).
Average highs range from about 4°C (39°F) in January and December to 28°C (82°F) in July and August, and average lows from about −2°C (29°F) in January to 16°C (61°F) in July. The table on this page lists rain, sunshine and daylight for every month.
By volume, September (160 mm, 6.3 in), followed by October and November. May has the most days with rain (eleven on average), while January is the driest month.
Yes. On average snow covers the ground on about 40 mornings a year (ARSO, 1991–2020), almost all of them between December and February, with January the snowiest month.
In Ljubljana, January averages highs of 4°C (39°F) and lows of −2°C (29°F). Near Lake Bled the nights are colder, around −4°C (24°F) in January, while the coast stays milder, with January lows just above freezing at about 1°C (34°F).
July afternoons average about 28°C (82°F) in Ljubljana, 26°C (78°F) near Lake Bled and 29°C (85°F) on the coast at Portorož, with nights around 14–17°C (57–63°F).
Late autumn, winter outside the Christmas period, and early spring are usually better for value. Exact hotel and flight prices change, so compare dates before booking.
May, June, September, and early October are strong choices for balancing scenery, daylight, and manageable crowds. Summer has long days but more visitors.
