Severe thunderstorms with hail batter Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia
A fast‑moving thunderstorm system swept across Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia on July 11‑12, 2026. In Slovenia, the Administration for Protection and Rescue recorded 14 incidents, including fallen trees, damaged power lines and threatened holiday cottages, with the hardest impact around Novo Mesto. Volunteer fire units responded on the ground.
In Croatia, the State Hydrometeorological Service (DHMZ) issued a yellow weather alarm for most regions, warning of strong gusts, localized heavy rain, hail and occasional lightning. Similar warnings were in effect in Serbia, where the Republic Hydrometeorological Service (RHMZ) activated orange and yellow alerts, forecasting intense convective activity, hail, strong winds and the risk of flash floods.
The storms caused dangerous traffic situations. Drivers on the Štajerska highway in Slovenia and the Slovenian highway near Dramlje stopped their vehicles beneath overpasses and in tunnels, behaviour condemned as illegal and unsafe, and an unofficial report linked the practice to a collision in a tunnel. Across the affected areas, authorities urged motorists to reduce speed, increase following distance and avoid stopping under structures.
Overall, the weather brought widespread wind damage, power outages and heightened safety concerns, but no reports of fatalities.