Albania has a high number of climatic regions for so small an area. The coastal lowlands have typically Mediterranean dominied weather; the highlands have a more continental influenced climate. In both the lowlands and the interior, the weather varies from north to south.
The lowlands have mild winters, with daytime temperatures mostly around 7°C. Summer temperatures average 24°C, but sometimes more than 30°C. In the southern lowlands, temperatures average about five degrees higher throughout the year. The difference is greater than five degrees during the summer and somewhat less during the winter. Average summer temperatures are lower than in the coastal areas and much lower in the mountainous regions of Albania, but daily fluctuations are greater. Daytime maximum temperatures in the interior basins and river valleys are very high, but the nights are almost always quite cool.
Average precipitation is heavy, the heaviest rain falls in the central uplands. Vertical currents initiated when the Mediterranean air is uplifted also cause frequent thunderstorms. Many of these storms are accompanied by high local winds and torrential downpours. Some of these Thunderstorms can locally become very heavy, with large hail and very strong winds, causing damage and local flash-floods.
Lowland rainfall averages from 1,000 millimeters to more than 1,500 millimeters annually, with the higher levels in the north. Nearly 95 percent of the rain falls in the winter. Rainfall in the upland mountain ranges is heavier. Adequate records are not available, and estimates vary widely, but annual averages are probably about 1,800 millimeters and are as high as 2,550 millimeters in some northern areas. The seasonal variation is not quite as great in the coastal area.
The higher inland mountains receive less precipitation then the intermediate uplands. Terrain differences cause wide local variations, but the seasonal distribution is the most consistent of any area.
Required clothing:
Lightweights with rainwear for summer. Medium-weights for winter with heavier clothing for inland areas.
Koeppen-Geiger classification:
The climate of Albania can be classified as Csa climate; a Mediterranean Climate with a dry summer, the coldest month between 18°C and -3°C and the warmest month over 22°C.
