Celje sits at the confluence of the Savinja and Vožanica rivers in a valley surrounded by hills, and receives around 1,200 mm (about 47 inches) of rain a year. The Savinja valley experienced catastrophic flooding in August 2023 when extreme, sustained rainfall across Slovenia caused the worst natural disaster in the country’s modern history, with the river rising dramatically and inundating large parts of the city and surrounding valley towns. That event dramatically underscored how quickly intense rain in the surrounding hills can translate into fast-rising river levels in this particular valley. Because of this now well-documented vulnerability, radar tracking of approaching heavy rain is treated as a critical tool by both residents and regional authorities. Slovenia’s ARSO operates the national radar network.
Learn more: Flash Flood Warning Signs on Radar · Open the full Rain Map