Italy records hottest summer temperatures since 1950

18:40

By: Azzat Manal

Italy records hottest summer temperatures since 1950

Italy experienced its hottest summer on record in 2026, according to an analysis by the Institute of Bioeconomics of the Italian National Research Council (CNR-IBE), highlighting the country’s exposure to increasingly intense heat.

Researchers reported that the average temperature measured two meters above the ground reached 24.3 degrees Celsius during the summer, making 2026 the warmest summer recorded in Italy since monitoring began in 1950.

Temperatures remained exceptionally high throughout the season, with monthly averages exceeding those recorded during the corresponding months of the previous year through August. The most significant departure from historical averages was recorded in August, when the national mean temperature reached 25.6 degrees Celsius.

According to CNR-IBE researchers, August’s average was 5.2 degrees Celsius above the reference average for the 1951-1980 period, which stood at 20.4 degrees Celsius. It was also 3.5 degrees higher than the 1991-2020 average of 22.1 degrees.

Researcher Lorenzo Arcidiaco said the August figure surpassed previous records, including the 24.6-degree average recorded in August 2017 and the 24-degree average registered in August 2024.

The latest figures point to an exceptional pattern of heat across Italy, where prolonged periods of above-average temperatures have become an increasingly important environmental and public-health concern. Extreme heat can place additional pressure on healthcare systems, increase risks for vulnerable populations and contribute to drought and other climate-related impacts.

The CNR-IBE analysis suggests that 2026 could ultimately become the hottest year recorded in Italy since 1950, depending on temperatures during the remaining months of the year.