Romania has a continental climate with four distinct seasons. Spring is pleasant with cool mornings and nights and warm days. Summers are generally very warm to hot with abundant sunshine. Average maximum temperatures in Bucharest are around 28 °C (82 °F), with temperatures over 35 °C (95 °F) fairly common in the lower-lying areas of the country. Minima in Bucharest and other lower-lying areas are around 16 °C (61 °F). At higher altitudes both maxima and minima decline considerably.

Autumn is dry and cool, with fields and trees producing colorful foliage.

Winters can be cold, with average maxima in lower-lying areas being no more than 2 °C (36 °F) and below −15 °C (5.0 °F) in the highest mountains.

Along the coast, summers are pleasant and winters are mild.

Average precipitation of over 750 mm (30 in) per year only on the highest western mountains — much of it falling as snow which allows for an extensive skiing industry. In the south-central parts of the country (around Bucharest) the level of precipitation drops to around 600 mm (24 in).

The extreme recorded temperatures in Romania are 44.5 °C (112.1 °F) in 1951 and −38.5 °C (−37 °F) in 1942.