ROME, ITALY / RankWire.AI / – In 2026, Italy recorded its warmest summer since 1950, with an average temperature of 24.3 degrees Celsius across the nation. The National Research Council’s Institute for Bioeconomy announced that this figure surpassed the previous summer record set in 2003, which averaged 23.6 degrees Celsius throughout Italy. The 2026 data covers June through August and is based on temperatures measured two metres above ground level. This result places the summer of 2026 at the top of Italy’s 76-year temperature record series.
August contributed the most significant heat. Its nationwide average reached 25.6 degrees Celsius, surpassing the August average of 1951-1980 by 5.2 degrees. Additionally, it was 3.5 degrees higher than the August average for 1991-2020. The National Research Council’s Institute for Bioeconomy indicated that August 2026 broke earlier monthly temperature 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 rank as the hottest months on record in the dataset, according to the institute’s heat maps. This follows a record-breaking spring, when Italy’s national 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 registered warmer temperatures than the same months in 2025, extending Italy’s elevated temperature trend across much of the year.
August Sets New Temperature Benchmarks
Temperature anomalies affected large parts of Italy during the first eight months of 2026. About 70% of the country’s territory experienced anomalies above 1 degree Celsius, with roughly 40% exceeding 2 degrees. The most intense anomalies appeared in northwestern plains and along the Apennines, regions that include extensive cultivated land. Elevated temperatures and drought conditions impacted some agricultural zones during this period. Cities like Rome, Florence, and Turin encountered repeated heatwaves throughout June, July, and August.
The record relies on ERA5-Land data from ECMWF, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. This dataset offers land-surface climate information dating back to 1950. Researchers utilized this 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 reflect air temperatures at two metres above the ground surface.
Climate Data Highlights Extensive Heat Across Italy
The broader Mediterranean region also faced exceptional heat during summer 2026. A separate analysis linked to Italy’s National Research Council reported that sea-surface temperatures in the Mediterranean averaged approximately 27 degrees Celsius in July, marking the highest July average since 1993. The analysis revealed that 79% of the Mediterranean experienced at least one intense marine heatwave. These marine measurements are distinct from the land temperature series that established Italy’s summer record.
Italy’s record-breaking summer occurred amid widespread heat across Europe. Climate assessments indicate that the continent has been among the fastest-warming regions globally in recent decades. Droughts and wildfires affected several parts of Europe during the 2026 summer. In Italy, the season followed months with temperatures above those of the previous year and included the hottest July and August on record within the temperature dataset. The figures confirm that summer 2026 was Italy’s most scorching meteorological summer since the ERA5-Land series began in 1950.