Like the rest of the world, Slovenia experienced its warmest year on record in 2024. The average temperature was 1.8 degrees Celsius above the average for 1991-2020.

Data presented by the Slovenian Environment Agency (ARSO) on 16 January show the average temperature climbed to 11.3 degrees Celsius in 2024 , half a degree higher than the year before.

Meanwhile, global estimates show the global average last year was about 15.1 degrees Celsius, meaning 1.6 degrees above pre-industrial levels and the warmest since around the mid-19th century from when enough relevant data have been available.

Warming accelerates to 0.7C per decade

"Almost everywhere in Slovenia, last year was the warmest in 75 years. It was also the third consecutive record-warm year," climatologist Katja Kozjek Mihelec explained.

After 2022 and 2023 exceeded the long-term average by around 1.3 degrees, last year was an additional half a degree warmer.

Monthly records were recorded in February, July, and August, while March was the second warmest on record.

Slovenia has seen a steady rise in temperature since the 1970s but the warming accelerated over the past 20 years to what is currently 0.7 degrees per decade, according to Kozjek Mihelec.

Lots of rain, little snow and record-high sea temperature

Slovenia also experienced an above-average amount of rainfall last year. 2024 was the country's 11th wettest since 1950, with certain months getting over 50% above long-term average precipitation.

However, snowfall was sparse in line with trends, with significant snow limited to late January.

Slovenian rivers, particularly Alpine systems like the Soča, Sava, and Drava, saw 15% higher levels on average compared to 1991-2020.

Moreover, the average temperature of the sea was the highest on record. At 18.6 degrees Celsius it was 0.6 degrees warmer than the previous record measured in 2023.

But Slovenian hydrologists did not record a new annual maximum sea temperature last year. It stood at 30.5 degrees Celsius, the fifth highest to date.