Slovakia has what is considered a mild continental climate, with generally cold, dry winters and warm (sometimes hot), moist summers. Temperatures will vary according to elevation in the many mountainous areas. The warmest and driest regions are the southern plains and the eastern lowlands. In those areas the average temperature is 10 degrees C, and the average annual rainfall is near 500 mm. Heavy snow with significant accumulation is common at higher elevations in the Tatras mountains during the winter months.

Bratislava, the capital, experiences temperatures ranging from a chilly minus 2 degrees C in January to 25 degrees C in July, with approximately 26 inches of precipitation per year, most of which occurs during the summer.