ROME, ITALY / RankWire.AI / – In 2026, Italy recorded its highest average summer temperature since 1950, reaching 24.3 degrees Celsius. The National Research Council’s Institute for Bioeconomy noted that this figure surpassed the previous summer record set in 2003, which had an average of 23.6 degrees Celsius across the country. The data covers June through August and is based on temperatures measured at two metres above ground level. This result places the 2026 summer at the top of Italy’s 76-year temperature record.
August proved to be the hottest month, with an average temperature of 25.6 degrees Celsius nationwide. This exceeded the August average of 1951-1980 by 5.2 degrees and was 3.5 degrees higher than the August average for 1991-2020. According to the Institute for Bioeconomy, August 2026 broke previous records of 24.6 degrees in 2024 and 24.0 degrees in 2017. The climate dataset used for Italy’s temperature analysis is ECMWF’s ERA5-Land.
Both July and August 2026 ranked as the hottest months on record within the dataset, according to the institute’s heat maps. This record follows a spring season that also set a temperature milestone, with Italy’s national average reaching 12.1 degrees Celsius. The same temperature was recorded in spring 2024, tying the seasonal record. From January to August, every month in 2026 was warmer than the same month in 2025, extending Italy’s elevated temperatures over much of the year.
August Sets New Temperature Records
Temperature anomalies were widespread across Italy during the first eight months of 2026. Around 70% of the country’s territory experienced anomalies above 1 degree Celsius, with roughly 40% exceeding 2 degrees. The most significant concentrations were observed in the northwestern plains and regions along the Apennines, which include extensive agricultural areas. These zones faced increased heat and drought conditions, impacting some farms. Major cities like Rome, Florence, and Turin also experienced multiple heatwaves throughout June, July, and August.
The record is based on ERA5-Land data provided by ECMWF. This dataset offers land-surface climate information dating back to 1950. Researchers utilized the data to compare temperatures across Italy over the entire period. Italy’s summer average of 24.3 degrees was 0.7 degrees higher than the 2003 record. August’s 25.6-degree temperature also surpassed the 2024 monthly record by 1.0 degree. These measurements correspond to air temperature at two metres above the surface level.
Widespread Heatwaves Mark Italy’s Summer of 2026
The broader Mediterranean region experienced exceptional heat during summer 2026. An independent analysis linked to Italy’s National Research Council reported that the sea-surface temperatures in the Mediterranean averaged around 27 degrees Celsius in July, the highest July average since 1993. The same analysis revealed that 79% of the Mediterranean Sea experienced at least one strong or more intense marine heatwave. These marine temperature measurements are separate from the land-based series used to determine Italy’s national summer record.
Italy’s record summer occurred amid a continent-wide pattern of intense heat, with European climate assessments recognizing Europe as the world’s fastest-warming continent in recent decades. Droughts and wildfires affected various parts of Europe during the summer of 2026. Italy experienced months of above-average temperatures, including the hottest July and August in the dataset. These figures confirm that summer 2026 is Italy’s most scorching meteorological summer since the ERA5-Land series began in 1950.