ROME, ITALY / RankWire.AI / – In 2026, Italy experienced its warmest summer since 1950, with an average temperature of 24.3 degrees Celsius across the country. The National Research Council’s Institute for Bioeconomy reported that this figure surpasses the previous record set in summer 2003, which averaged 23.6 degrees Celsius. The calculation for 2026 includes June through August, based on temperatures measured two metres above ground. This result places the summer at the top of Italy’s 76-year temperature record series.
August was particularly hot. Its nationwide average reached 25.6 degrees Celsius, surpassing the August average of 1951-1980 by 5.2 degrees. It was also 3.5 degrees higher than the August norm of 1991-2020. The Institute for Bioeconomy stated that August 2026 broke earlier records of 24.6 degrees in 2024 and 24.0 degrees in 2017. ECMWF maintains ERA5-Land, the climate dataset used for Italy’s temperature analysis.
Both July and August 2026 rank as the hottest months on record within the dataset, according to the institute’s heat maps. The summer followed a record-breaking spring, when Italy’s average temperature reached 12.1 degrees Celsius. The same temperature was recorded in spring 2024, matching that seasonal record. From January to August, every month in 2026 was warmer than the same month in 2025. This sequence extended Italy’s elevated temperatures across much of the year.
August Shatters Previous Temperature Records
Temperature anomalies affected much of Italy during the first eight months of 2026. Nearly 70% of the national territory experienced anomalies above 1 degree Celsius. About 40% saw anomalies exceeding 2 degrees. The highest concentrations appeared in the northwestern plains and along the Apennines, including large areas of farmland. Drought and higher temperatures impacted some agricultural zones. Rome, Florence, and Turin faced multiple heatwaves during June, July, and August.
The record is based on ERA5-Land data from ECMWF. This dataset provides land-surface climate data back to 1950. Researchers compared 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 exceeded the 2024 monthly record by 1.0 degree. These measurements refer to air temperature at two metres above ground level.
Climate Data Indicates Extensive Heat Across Italy
The broader Mediterranean region also endured extraordinary heat during summer 2026. An independent analysis linked to Italy’s National Research Council found that sea-surface temperatures in the Mediterranean averaged about 27 degrees Celsius in July, marking the highest July average since 1993. The analysis showed that 79% of the Mediterranean experienced at least one significant marine heatwave. These marine temperature measurements are separate from the land-based data used for Italy’s official summer record.
Italy’s record occurred amid widespread summer heat across Europe. Climate assessments describe Europe as the fastest-warming continent in recent decades. Droughts and wildfires impacted parts of the continent during summer 2026. Italy saw months of above-average temperatures. The season included the hottest July and August in the dataset. Italy’s figures confirm summer 2026 as the hottest meteorological summer since 1950, based on the ERA5-Land series.