Bulgaria faces scorching weekend before thunderstorms arrive

On July 18–19 2026 much of Bulgaria experienced a heat wave with daytime temperatures ranging from 31 °C to 37 °C, sunny skies along the Black Sea coast and inland areas, and light winds. Forecasters from the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (NIMH) warned that a cold front linked to a Scandinavian cyclone would move into the region on Sunday, bringing marked atmospheric instability.

The front is expected to generate convective storms, heavy rain, hail and strong gusts, especially over western and central Bulgaria and the Rhodope area. Short‑duration thunderstorms with possible flash floods and hail are forecast for the north‑west and mountain zones, while the eastern parts remain mostly sunny. Temperatures are projected to drop below 30 °C later in the week as the cooler air mass pushes further inland, ending the current hot spell.

Meteorologists noted that this will be the last fully hot day before a significant cooling trend, with the most intense precipitation expected on Tuesday and Wednesday, raising the risk of localized flooding and damage.