The heatwave that has been affecting Western Europe in recent days is expected to reach the Balkans tomorrow, Saturday, with the entire Croatian coast of the Adriatic Sea already under a red alert as of today, according to the MeteoAlarm service.

Temperatures are expected to reach 39 degrees Celsius starting Sunday in parts of Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Montenegro, according to national meteorological services, and the heat wave in the region is forecast to last at least until Monday.

In Belgrade, temperatures are forecast to reach 36 degrees Celsius tomorrow, Saturday, 38 on Sunday, and 39 on Monday and Tuesday —breaking the all-time heat record for the Serbian capital: 38.7 degrees Celsius in June 2021.

In Serbia, where the last three summers have been the hottest on record since measurements began in 1951, more than one in five workers are employed outdoors, according to the specialized website Klima 101, and construction workers can be seen working on job sites under the scorching sun at noon today.

Despite the heat wave, thousands of people are expected in Belgrade on Saturday for an outdoor rally organized by the ruling party.

Today, with temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius, residents were already seeking shade and water. “I’m having a hard time enduring the intense heat. I feel better here,” 60-year-old Aleksandar told Agence France-Presse, dipping his feet into a fountain in the city center. His dog, a dachshund named Luna, was splashing around next to him: “She loves it!”

A few meters away, on a central pedestrian street, a boy was selling lemonade to thirsty passersby.

In Pristina, Kosovo, the usually bustling main street was nearly deserted at noon today, with the few pedestrians quickening their pace to avoid the heat.

Mailinda, a 41-year-old civil servant, rushed to buy her medication before the weekend, shielding herself from the sun with an umbrella.

“The heat wave is expected to intensify over the weekend, and I want to stock up on everything I need so I don’t have to go out tomorrow or the day after,” she told Agence France-Presse.

On the Adriatic coast, the heat is also reflected in the sea: today, Friday, the water temperature in Pula, Croatia, exceeded 27 degrees Celsius at 8:00 a.m.

The summer of 2025 had already been marked by heat waves in the Balkans. Kosovo experienced its hottest day on record in July 2025, with a temperature of 42.4 degrees Celsius, while Albania was hit by numerous wildfires, which burned tens of thousands of hectares, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate their homes.