ROME, ITALY / RankWire.AI / – Italy experienced its warmest summer since 1950 in 2026, with an average nationwide temperature of 24.3 degrees Celsius. The National Research Council’s Institute for Bioeconomy indicated that this figure surpasses the previous summer record set in 2003, which averaged 23.6 degrees Celsius. The calculation for 2026 covers June through August and is based on temperature measurements taken two metres above ground. This result places the 2026 summer at the top of Italy’s 76-year temperature record series.
August showed the most intense heat, with the national average reaching 25.6 degrees Celsius, surpassing the August average of 1951-1980 by 5.2 degrees. It also exceeded the August norm from 1991-2020 by 3.5 degrees. The National Research Council’s Institute for Bioeconomy stated that August 2026 broke earlier monthly records of 24.6 degrees in 2024 and 24.0 degrees in 2017. The climate dataset used for this analysis is maintained by ECMWF, specifically ERA5-Land.
Both July and August 2026 ranked as the hottest months on record in the dataset, according to the institute’s heat maps. These peaks followed a record-breaking spring, during which Italy’s national average temperature hit 12.1 degrees Celsius. The same temperature was recorded in spring 2024, matching that season’s record. From January through August, every month in 2026 was warmer than the same month in 2025, extending Italy’s elevated temperatures across much of the year.
August Sets New Temperature Records
During the first eight months of 2026, temperature anomalies affected much of Italy. Around 70% of the country’s territory registered anomalies above 1 degree Celsius, with approximately 40% exceeding 2 degrees. The most significant deviations appeared in the northwestern plains and areas along the Apennines, including extensive stretches of cultivated land. These regions experienced higher temperatures and drought, impacting agriculture. Additionally, Rome, Florence, and Turin faced repeated heatwaves during June, July, and August.
The record relies on ERA5-Land data provided by ECMWF, which offers land-surface climate information dating back to 1950. The researchers analyzed this data to compare temperatures across Italy over the full period. Italy’s summer average of 24.3 degrees Celsius was 0.7 degrees higher than the 2003 benchmark. The August temperature of 25.6 degrees also surpassed the 2024 monthly record by 1.0 degree. All these measurements refer to air temperature measured at two metres above the ground surface.
Extensive Temperature Rise Evident in Italian Climate Data
The broader Mediterranean region also faced extraordinary heat during summer 2026. An independent analysis connected 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 revealed that 79% of the Mediterranean experienced at least one strong or more intense marine heatwave. These marine temperature records are separate from the land-based temperature series used to establish Italy’s national summer record.
The record heat in Italy occurred amid widespread European summer heatwaves. Recent climate assessments identify Europe as the fastest-warming continent in recent decades. Droughts and wildfires affected several regions during the summer of 2026. The season followed months of above-average temperatures, including the hottest July and August in the temperature dataset. Italy’s figures confirm that summer 2026 was the country’s hottest meteorological summer since the ERA5-Land series began in 1950, cementing its place as an unprecedented season in recent history.