Croatian Winds: Bura, Jugo and Maestral

On a typical settled summer day along the Dalmatian coast, the morning is calm or nearly calm. As the land heats up, a north-westerly sea breeze starts to fill in, usually from late morning. It strengthens through the early afternoon, holds steady for a few hours and then eases off around sunset, leaving a quiet evening.

This is the maestral, and it is the wind most guests will sail in during June, July and August. It tends to be moderate, regular and predictable, which makes it good sailing wind. It sets the rhythm of many sailing days: a calm morning swim, sailing in the afternoon breeze, and arrival as the wind dies.

Passages heading north-west can mean sailing upwind into a short chop, so skippers often time them for the calmer morning.

The bura (often spelled bora in English) is a north-easterly wind that pours down from the mountains behind the coast towards the sea. It is cold and dry, and it usually comes with clear, sharp visibility and blue skies. Its defining feature is gustiness: strong, sudden blasts with lighter spells between.

The bura is strongest in the northern Adriatic, and especially below the Velebit mountain range, where it can reach severe strength. It also blows further south, where gaps in the coastal mountains can funnel it into particular channels.

It is most common and longest-lasting in the cooler months, but it can occur in summer too, usually for shorter periods. A bura can develop quickly, sometimes with little warning from the sky itself, which is why skippers watch the forecast closely when one is possible.

The jugo is a south-easterly wind. It is warm and humid, and it often brings low cloud, haze and rain. It usually builds gradually over a day or two, so there is more warning than with a bura.

Because it blows along the length of the Adriatic, the jugo has a long stretch of open water to work on and can raise large waves and swell, particularly in the south and in channels open to the south-east. Harbours and anchorages that are open to the south-east can become uncomfortable or unsafe, so skippers choose overnight stops with this in mind.

The jugo is more frequent outside high summer, especially in spring and autumn, and a jugo day can feel grey and close even when it is warm.

A few other names come up on board:

• Tramontana: a cold northerly wind. It is less common than the bura in summer and usually blows for shorter spells.
• Burin: a light land breeze from the north-east or east that can blow at night and in the early morning in settled summer weather, the gentle opposite of the afternoon maestral.
• Nevera: the local word for a summer thunderstorm. These can bring sudden strong squalls, heavy rain and lightning, sometimes after a hot, humid day, and usually pass within an hour or two.

Local geography matters for every wind: channels speed it up, and a bay sheltered from one direction can be exposed to another.

Wind names describe typical patterns. They do not replace a current forecast, and real conditions vary by place and time. Skippers check forecasts several times a day, usually including:

• Official marine forecasts from the Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service (DHMZ), published in Croatian and English at meteo.hr, with warnings for strong wind and gales.
• Coast radio broadcasts: Croatia's coast radio stations broadcast marine weather forecasts on VHF radio, which can be received on board.
• Weather models and apps, checked against the official forecast and the sky, sea and barometer.

With that picture, the skipper decides when to leave, which way to go, where to stop for lunch and where to spend the night. A forecast bura might mean finding a harbour with good shelter from the north-east the evening before. A building jugo might mean moving on early or staying put for an extra night.

In practice, the wind affects departure times, the order of stops, which bays are used for swimming and lunch, and how comfortable a passage feels. No itinerary should be treated as guaranteed, because the skipper may change the plan for safety or comfort. Our guide to weather and route changes explains what that looks like for guests.

This page is background reading. It should not be used to make navigation decisions, and it does not override anything the crew tells you. If the skipper asks everyone to stay seated, hold on, wear a lifejacket or skip a swim, follow the instruction. Our seasickness guide has tips for breezier days.