ROME, ITALY / RankWire.AI / – The National Research Council’s Institute for Bioeconomy reports that Italy experienced its warmest summer since 1950 in 2026, with a national average temperature of 24.3 degrees Celsius. This surpassed the previous record set in 2003, which had an average of 23.6 degrees across the country. The summer figure for 2026, covering June through August and based on temperatures measured two metres above ground, places this season at the top of Italy’s 76-year temperature record.
August was particularly intense, with its nationwide average reaching 25.6 degrees Celsius. This exceeded the August average from 1951-1980 by 5.2 degrees and was 3.5 degrees higher than the 1991-2020 August norm. According to the Institute for Bioeconomy, August 2026 broke previous monthly records of 24.6 degrees in 2024 and 24.0 degrees in 2017. The climate dataset used for these measurements is ERA5-Land, maintained by ECMWF.
Both July and August 2026 are now recognized as the hottest months in the dataset, as indicated by the institute’s heat maps. This follows a record-breaking spring, with Italy’s national average temperature reaching 12.1 degrees Celsius. Spring 2024 also matched this temperature, setting a seasonal record. Throughout 2026, every month from January to August was warmer than the same months in 2025, extending Italy’s elevated temperatures across much of the calendar year.
August Sets New Temperature Highs
Throughout the first eight months of 2026, temperature anomalies affected much of Italy. Around 70% of the national territory experienced anomalies above 1 degree Celsius, while roughly 40% saw anomalies exceeding 2 degrees. The most significant anomalies appeared across the northwestern plains and regions along the Apennines, which include large areas of cultivated land. During this period, higher temperatures and drought conditions impacted some agricultural zones. Major cities such as Rome, Florence, and Turin also endured multiple heatwaves during June, July, and August.
These records are based on ERA5-Land data from ECMWF, which provides land-surface climate information dating back to 1950. Researchers analyzed this data to compare Italy’s temperature trends over the entire period. Italy’s 24.3-degree summer average in 2026 is 0.7 degrees higher than the 2003 benchmark, while August’s 25.6-degree average surpasses the 2024 monthly record by 1.0 degree. These measurements refer to air temperature at two metres above ground level.
Extensive Heat Across the Mediterranean and Europe
The broader Mediterranean region also experienced exceptional 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 study noted that 79% of the Mediterranean experienced at least one intense marine heatwave. These marine measurements are separate from the land-temperature series that established Italy’s national summer record.
Italy’s record-setting summer occurred amid widespread European heat, with climate assessments recognizing Europe as the fastest-warming continent in recent decades. The season was marked by droughts and wildfires across parts of Europe. Italy saw months with temperatures above those of the previous year, culminating in the hottest July and August on record within the ERA5-Land dataset beginning in 1950. The 2026 summer thus stands as Italy’s hottest meteorological summer documented in this series.