Dimitrievski, Vitomir (Republic Hydrometeorological Institute, Skopje, republic of Macedonia)
Catastrophic floods in Republic of Macedonia (1916, 1935, 1962 and 1979) appear relatively rare, at every 15-25 years one event, which cause enormous damages as well as human sacrifices.
Daily absolute maximum of precipitation in Republic of Macedonia is registered at 19 November 1979 at Meeteorological Station Popova Sapka 188 mm/24 hours and monthly sum of precipitation for November 1979 at Popova Sapka was 440 mm. In 1962 many streets including the centre of Skoopje were flooded as well as some other places along the valley of river Vardar.
At such catastrophic floods average precipitation of some basin areas of tributaries of Vardar were greater than 100 mm/24 h.
So, in 1962 the greatest annual sum of precipitation in Republic of Macedonia was registered in Zirovnica 2792 mm. At 6 July 1995 the local catastrophic flood was happened in the most arid region of Republic of Macedonia when the precipitation were 175 mm/24 h in Negotino.
General characteristic of all catstrophic floods in Republic of Macedonia is that they are caused by Mediterranean depressions, at certain conditions of macro-synoptic circulation.
For the purpose of prompt warnings of flood in Republic of Macedonia we use synoptic-hydrological method.