Climate

The climate of Velebit varies dramatically at relatively small distances (10 km), ranging from a sub-Mediterranean climate in the Velebit Channel, a mountain climate on the denuded peaks of Velebit, to a continental climate on the plateau of Lika.

There are also significant differences in the microclimate of individual parts of Velebit, which among other are caused by the specific landscape (karst planes and valleys, coves, crests, white peaks).

The nature park area is characterized by complex precipitation patterns. In the highest parts of Velebit, average annual precipitation exceeds 3000 mm, which mostly falls in the most exposed area of southern Velebit (1200 – 3000 mm).  Precipitation declines from southeast to northwest. The outer edge of Lika abounds in greater quantities of rain (1884 mm) than on the coastal slope of Velebit (1188mm). Almost two-thirds of the precipitation occurs in the winter half year. However, this may vary locally due to the landscape or by altitude.

As the air masses of various temperatures mix together above the edge of Velebit, between the coast and the inland, fog occurs quite frequently, i.e. 187 days/year, in the highest part of the Velebit ridge.

The entire area of Velebit is exposed to strong and frequently gale-force winds. The coastal slope of Velebit and its foothills are open to gusts of NE winds (mainly in winter), which are the strongest in the mountain passes.

The number of days with a snow cover higher than 30 cm varies widely.  On the coastal slope of Velebit it is almost negligible, the highest parts of Northern Velebit are covered in snow for about 70 days a year, while the top of Southern Velebit is covered in snow even more than 100 days a year.  On the Lika slope of Velebit, the snow cover may last between 20 to 40 days.