ROME, ITALY / RankWire.AI / – In 2026, Italy recorded its most scorching summer since 1950, 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 record set in 2003, when the season averaged 23.6 degrees Celsius across the country. This calculation, covering June through August, is based on temperature measurements taken two metres above ground level. The result places 2026 at the top of Italy’s 76-year temperature record series.
August was the month with the most intense heat. Its average temperature nationwide reached 25.6 degrees Celsius, surpassing the August average from 1951-1980 by 5.2 degrees. It also stood 3.5 degrees higher than the August norm for 1991-2020. According to the National Research Council’s 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 the analysis is maintained by ECMWF and is known as ERA5-Land.
Both July and August of 2026 are ranked as the hottest months in the dataset, according to the institute’s heat maps. This record-breaking trend followed a spring that also set a new temperature peak, with Italy’s national average reaching 12.1 degrees Celsius. In 2024, spring recorded the same seasonal temperature, matching the record. From January through August, every month in 2026 was warmer than the same month in 2025, extending Italy’s period of elevated temperatures over much of the year.
August Shatters Previous Temperature Records
During the first eight months of 2026, temperature anomalies were widespread across Italy. About 70% of the country’s territory experienced anomalies above 1 degree Celsius, while around 40% exceeded 2 degrees. The most significant concentrations appeared in the northwestern plains and along the Apennines, regions that include extensive agricultural land. Elevated temperatures and drought conditions impacted some farming areas during this period. Major cities such as Rome, Florence, and Turin experienced recurrent heatwaves during June, July, and August.
The record is based on ERA5-Land data provided by ECMWF, which offers land-surface climate information back to 1950. Researchers utilized this data to compare temperatures across Italy throughout the entire period. Italy’s summer average of 24.3 degrees was 0.7 degrees higher than the 2003 benchmark, while August’s 25.6-degree record exceeded the 2024 monthly record by 1.0 degree. All measurements refer to air temperature at two metres above the surface.
Widespread Heat Evident Across Italy and the Mediterranean
The broader Mediterranean region also faced exceptional heat during summer 2026. An independent analysis linked to Italy’s National Research Council revealed that sea-surface temperatures in the Mediterranean averaged approximately 27 degrees Celsius in July, marking the highest July average since 1993. The study found that 79% of the Mediterranean experienced at least one significant marine heatwave, classified as strong or more intense. These marine temperature records are separate from the land-based temperature series used to determine Italy’s national summer record.
Italy’s record-breaking summer coincided with widespread heat across Europe. European climate assessments describe the continent as the fastest-warming region in recent decades. During the summer of 2026, parts of Europe faced drought and wildfires, with Italy experiencing months of temperatures above those of the previous year. Notably, July and August were the hottest in the dataset. The national figures confirm summer 2026 as Italy’s warmest meteorological season since records began in 1950 within the ERA5-Land series.