Slovenia has been gripped by what meteorologists say is the worst heatwave of this summer with western and southeastern parts of the country seeing the highest temperatures.

The mercury hit 38 degrees Celsius in Dobliče, a village near the southeastern town of Črnomelj, on 13 August in what the Environment Agency says was the highest temperature measured so far this year.

Temperatures inched close to that mark in the southeast also the day before and have been hovering close to that mark in the west as well, in particular in the Nova Gorica area.

High temperatures have also been recorded at higher altitudes. Thermometer showed 32.5 degrees in the north-western village of Krn, which sits at an altitude of 918 metres, in what is an all-time high for the location.

Even though no records have been reported there heat has been oppressive in urban areas in particular. In many places temperatures have not dropped below 20 degrees Celsius even during the night.

Bathing waters are also very warm with the agency's data showing that the sea at the port administration in Koper warmed up to just over 30 Celsius on 13 August.

Lake Bohinj had 24.3 degrees at the measuring point at the Church of Holy Spirit and Lake Bled 26.9C at Mlino on 14 August.

Heatwave to persist until the end of the week

The ongoing heatwave will persist at least until the end of this week, meteorologist Veronika Hladnik Zakotnik told the Slovenian Press Agency.

A new summer 2024 record could be set on 16 August, a day after the Assumption of Mary bank day holiday, when it will be particularly hot in the east, northeast and the southeastern region Bela Krajina.

The heatwave has been interspersed with showers and storms in parts of the country. The centre of Ljubljana received a shower on 13 August that brought down temperatures a bit but also increased humidity.

The Environment Agency does not expect another heatwave at the end of August, but Hladnik Zakotnik said temperatures will likely persist at around 30 degrees until the end of next week.

The highest temperature on record in Slovenia was measured on 8 August 2013, when the weather station in Cerklje ob Krki in the east recorded 40.8 degrees.

Earliest grape harvest yet

The warm weather has prompted what is the earliest grape harvest at the Puklavec Family Wines, the biggest winery in Prlekija wine country in the northeast of the country.

"The weather is an ally and a mentor to winegrowers, so it taught us something new this year," said Branimir Žličar, head vineyard manager of Puklavec Family Wines.

They knew the harvest would be early, planning it for 19 August, but they started picking grapes for the Blue Pinot for the classic sparkling wine on 14 August.

"Lab samples showed that the grapes were optimal for harvest, so we had to react quickly," Žličar said. He hopes the weather conditions will stabilise and the harvest will slow down.

"The harvest parameters are as expected and really perfect for sparkling wines, but the harvest started three weeks early," Luka Radiček, the winery's chief oenologist, said.