STA, February 4, 2018 - Slovenia received more than average sunshine last year, basking in one of the warmer years on record, but far from the extremes recorded in 2014 and 2015, Environment Agency data shows.
Since the mid-1970s, Slovenia has warmed up by about two degrees Celsius. The warmest on record was 2014 at almost two degrees Celsius above long-term average.
Last year was "just" one degree above compared with the reference period of 1981-2010, which makes it the ninth warmest year. It was also warmer than any one between 1961 and 1993.
2017 was also a very sunny year, with about 10% more sunshine than the long-term average. It was a normal year precipitation-wise.
However, it was also a rather dynamic year, starting with a very cold January, in some parts of the country the coldest in 30 years, followed by a very warm February and one of the warmest Marches on record.
The summer was one of the hottest five on record in most of the country, especially in the south-east. The country was also hit by drought. But then a rainy September brought an abrupt end to the summer.
Climatologist Gregor Vertačnik also noted the changeable December with mornings as cold as minus 20 Celsius as well as balmy weather with 19 degrees measured in Dobliče near Črnomelj in the south.
The biggest extremes of 2017 were the frost on 21 April with temperatures well below zero, and fierce winds that wrecked havoc in swathes of the country in mid-December.
