ROME, ITALY / RankWire.AI / – In 2026, Italy experienced its warmest summer on record since 1950, with an average temperature across the nation of 24.3 degrees Celsius. The National Research Council’s Institute for Bioeconomy stated that this figure surpasses the previous summer high from 2003, which averaged 23.6 degrees Celsius. The summer period analyzed includes June through August, based on temperature readings taken two metres above ground level. This data positions the summer of 2026 at the top of Italy’s 76-year temperature series.
August was the most extreme month, with an average temperature of 25.6 degrees Celsius nationwide. This surpassed the August average from the 1951-1980 period by 5.2 degrees and was 3.5 degrees higher than the August norm for 1991-2020. The Institute for Bioeconomy noted that August 2026 broke previous monthly records of 24.6 degrees set in 2024 and 24.0 degrees in 2017. The climate data utilized for this analysis is provided by ECMWF’s ERA5-Land dataset.
Both July and August of 2026 are now recorded as the hottest months in the dataset, according to the institute’s heat maps. This follows a record-breaking spring, when Italy’s average temperature reached 12.1 degrees Celsius, matching the seasonal record set in spring 2024. Throughout January to August, each month in 2026 was warmer than the same month in 2025, extending the elevated temperature trend across much of the year.
August Sets New Temperature Benchmarks
During the first eight months of 2026, temperature anomalies were widespread across much of Italy. Approximately 70% of the country’s territory experienced anomalies exceeding 1 degree Celsius, while around 40% saw anomalies over 2 degrees. The most pronounced anomalies appeared in the northwestern plains and along the Apennines, regions that include extensive cultivated land. Elevated temperatures and drought conditions impacted several agricultural zones during this period. Major cities such as Rome, Florence, and Turin faced repeated heatwaves during June, July, and August.
These record temperatures are based on ERA5-Land data from ECMWF, which offers land-surface climate information dating back to 1950. Researchers utilized this dataset to compare Italy’s temperature trends over the full period. Italy’s summer average of 24.3 degrees was 0.7 degrees above the 2003 record. August’s temperature of 25.6 degrees surpassed the 2024 monthly record by 1.0 degree. All measurements refer to air temperature measured at two metres above ground level.
Extensive Heatwaves Mark Summer 2026 in Italy
The Mediterranean region experienced exceptional heat during the summer of 2026 as well. A separate analysis linked to Italy’s National Research Council indicated that sea-surface temperatures in the Mediterranean averaged around 27 degrees Celsius in July, marking the highest July average since 1993. Additionally, 79% of the Mediterranean Sea experienced at least one strong or more intense marine heatwave. These marine temperature records are independent from the land-based temperature series used to establish Italy’s national summer record.
Italy’s record-breaking summer occurred amid widespread heat across Europe. Climate assessments identify Europe as the continent warming faster than others in recent decades. The season was characterized by drought and wildfires in various parts of Europe. In Italy, the summer followed months of above-average temperatures and included the hottest July and August in the historical temperature dataset. The official figures confirm that summer 2026 stands as Italy’s hottest meteorological summer in the ERA5-Land series, which has been tracking data since 1950.