Marek Kučera 
July 3, 2025 – Skalnaté Pleso, Slovakia — The renowned alpine observatory at Skalnaté Pleso witnessed a remarkable weather milestone today, as temperatures soared to +26.8°C, setting a new all-time heat record for the location.
Situated at an elevation of over 1,750 meters in the High Tatras, Skalnaté Pleso is known for its typically cool and alpine climate. Today’s extreme reading shattered all previous records, marking the hottest day in the station’s observational history.
In the lowlands in Slovakia, on July 2nd, 2025, maximum temperatures were reaching +39°C, only 1°C below all-time national record from 2007.
Mountain Heat Like Never Before
This temperature anomaly is part of a broader heatwave sweeping across Central and Eastern Europe, with record-breaking highs in both lowland and high-altitude locations. Meteorologists attribute the unusual warmth at this elevation to a combination of dry air, intense solar radiation, and warm southerly winds funneled through the Carpathians.
Climate and Environmental Concerns
Extreme heat at such high elevations raises concerns about the accelerated melting of snow patches and glaciers, increased thunderstorm activity, and stress on alpine ecosystems. Scientists are closely watching these trends as evidence of climate warming even in traditionally cool zones.
Illustration picture. Source: https://hiking.dennikn.sk/ar/3964/pobyt_v_tatrach_dokonala_turistika_na_slovensku.html#h3_single_figure_overlay
