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Italy Just Recorded Its Hottest Summer Since 1950, Data Shows
(MENAFN) Summer 2026 has gone down as Italy's hottest since 1950, eclipsing the previous record set in 2003, according to an analysis by the Institute for Bioeconomy of Italy's National Research Council, reported Monday by financial daily Il Sole 24 Ore.
"The average temperature of 24.3 degrees Celsius (75.7F) recorded in summer 2026 exceeds the previous record of 23.6 degrees Celsius (74.5F) set in 2003," said Lorenzo Arcidiaco, a researcher at the institute.
The findings draw on temperature records dating back to 1950, sourced from the ERA5-Land database maintained by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.
August also broke its own historical record, posting an average temperature of 25.6C (78.1F) — higher than the prior marks of 24.6C (76.3F) in 2024 and 24C (75.2F) in 2017, Arcidiaco said.
Based on the data, he said 2026 is on track to become Italy's hottest year since record-keeping began in 1950, noting that July and August marked the first time consecutive months have each set individual heat records.
Spring 2026 tied its own record too, with an average temperature of 12.1C (53.8F) matching the level seen in 2024 — itself the hottest year on record at the time.
Looking at the January-through-August stretch, the institute found that roughly 70% of Italian territory experienced temperature anomalies exceeding 1C (1.8F), while about 40% saw anomalies above 2C (3.6F). The hardest-hit zones included lowland areas of northwestern Italy and the Apennine regions.
Much of that affected land is under cultivation, the institute noted, warning that rising temperatures combined with drought in some areas have left the agricultural sector especially exposed.
Rome, Florence, and Turin were also struck repeatedly by heat waves across June, July, and August, with maximum temperatures topping the 90th percentile for at least six straight days.
"The average temperature of 24.3 degrees Celsius (75.7F) recorded in summer 2026 exceeds the previous record of 23.6 degrees Celsius (74.5F) set in 2003," said Lorenzo Arcidiaco, a researcher at the institute.
The findings draw on temperature records dating back to 1950, sourced from the ERA5-Land database maintained by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.
August also broke its own historical record, posting an average temperature of 25.6C (78.1F) — higher than the prior marks of 24.6C (76.3F) in 2024 and 24C (75.2F) in 2017, Arcidiaco said.
Based on the data, he said 2026 is on track to become Italy's hottest year since record-keeping began in 1950, noting that July and August marked the first time consecutive months have each set individual heat records.
Spring 2026 tied its own record too, with an average temperature of 12.1C (53.8F) matching the level seen in 2024 — itself the hottest year on record at the time.
Looking at the January-through-August stretch, the institute found that roughly 70% of Italian territory experienced temperature anomalies exceeding 1C (1.8F), while about 40% saw anomalies above 2C (3.6F). The hardest-hit zones included lowland areas of northwestern Italy and the Apennine regions.
Much of that affected land is under cultivation, the institute noted, warning that rising temperatures combined with drought in some areas have left the agricultural sector especially exposed.
Rome, Florence, and Turin were also struck repeatedly by heat waves across June, July, and August, with maximum temperatures topping the 90th percentile for at least six straight days.
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