Cavtat (pronounced as thÏtat) is a small Mediterranean coastal town in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of the recently independent nation of Croatia. Located at the southern Croatian Adriatic coastline, Cavtat is an ideal place for people wanting a mild subtropical Mediterranean climate with long periods of sunshine during summers. Situated in the narrow coastal plain, the small village of Cavtat is a paradise hidden in the shadow of the more renowned city of Dubrovnik.
Climate
The generally dry weather in Cavtat and its
environs is one of the primary reasons why droves of tourists visit the village.
Cavtat is a picturesque village of pastel-coloured structures and buildings.
The
climate on this particular part of the Mediterranean Sea is categorised as dry,
sub-tropical Mediterranean, and is divided
into four seasons. Although the climate is usually dry, people in the region of
Cavtat can still experience the occasional wrath of thunderstorms.
Spring
The pleasant spring climate in Cavtat usually starts in the
month of March. The temperature gradually rises from its winter slumber. At
11°C, the mean daily average temperature is significantly warmer than that of
the previous monthâs 7°C.
The sea temperature is pegged at 14°C. Sunshine and
daytime hours start to be longer by the beginning of the month. Daytime spans
12 hours with up to 5 hours of sunshine.
Rainfall diminishes to 106mm of
rainfall with a probability of seeing some rain or drizzle for 13 days within
the month. Ultra-violet (UV) radiation is at a moderate level 4.
Humidity and
heat discomfort in Cavtat during springtime is non-existent. Wind speed is
around 15kph on average, which can last until April when it diminishes to 14kmph
on average. However, gustiness reaching the speed of 78kmph has been recorded.
The occurrence of fog during spring is very minimal on Cavtat.
The month of April brings an increase in mean daily average temperature at 13.5°C. Tourists arriving at Cavtat during this season will find no heat or humidity discomfort even though the place has a 13 hours of daytime and at least 6 hours of unobstructed sunlight. Sea temperature by April is around 15°C on average. UV, however slightly, increases to a moderate level 5.
The last month of spring starts a dramatic increase in
temperature. The daily mean average temperature rises to 17.5°C.
During the
month of May, the daytime period further increase to 15 hours with 8 hours of
sunshine. Rainfall is at 75mm or 2.95in on average with a moderate humidity of
61 percent.
With precipitation and humidity altogether, the heat and humidity
discomfort level is still at zero. The chance of rain or drizzle is only around
10 days monthly on average.
The UV level, however, increases in intensity to
level 7, which is a welcome bonus to sunbathers. Seawater temperature is around
18°C on average. The months of May until July are the most favourable months to
visit Cavtat.
Summer
Summer in the village
of Cavtat is marked by a
significant increase in humidity and heat discomfort. At an average of around
15 hours of daytime, with an estimated 9 hours of cloudless sunshine, the UV
strength reaches a very high level of 8.
Precipitation level drops down to a
seasonal average of 19mm, thus limiting the rain formation to an average of
51mm with an estimated probability of rain or drizzle for about 10 days within
the month of June.
The moderate temperature at the start of summer month is at
a mean daily average of 21.5°C in the month of June. Seawater average temperature is pegged at a soothing 21°C.
Wind speed averages at 14kmph
throughout summer, but wind speed up to 52kmph has been recorded in recent
years.
During the mid-summer months of July to August, the
temperature in and around Cavtat reaches the mean daily average of 24.5°C.
People living in Cavtat can experience an average of 9 to 10 hours of
unobstructed sunshine within a 15-hour period of daytime.
However, the UV
radiation average is very high at level 9 in July, and gradually diminishes to
level 8 by August. Due to low precipitation averaging at 20mm daily during July
and 15mm during August, along with the low humidity at 52 to 54 percent, the
humidity and heat discomfort level is categorised as moderate.
Rainfall
measures at 31mm on monthly average, and there is a probability of 5 days with
some rain and drizzle throughout the month of July. Furthermore, in the month
of August, rainfall gradually increases to 46mm of rain with a probability of
merely 3 days of rain or drizzle.
Autumn
During the month of September, the temperature around Cavtat
starts to be milder. Daily mean average temperature
gradually decreases from 21.5°C in September to 17° in October and 13.5°C in
November.
Daytime period decreases by an hour monthly, from 12 hours in
September to 10 daytime hours in November. Sunshine hours during autumn greatly
diminish, and by November there is only about 4 hours of unobstructed sunshine.
UV radiation readings, however, decrease along with the humidity and heat
comfort level, which stabilise to minimum by the month of October.
Precipitation and rainfall increase during this season. Wind speed on average
is at about 13kmph throughout the season.
Winter
On average, Cavtat has a very mild winter. The daily mean
average temperature is around 8°C with a minimum reading of 4°C. Precipitation,
on average, is less than that of autumn, but rainfall reaches 176mm, with a
probability of seeing rain for 13 days on average.
Fog is minimal in Cavtat,
even during winters. And sunshine hours, during winter, are limited to 4 hours
daily, even in a 9-hour daytime period.