ROME, ITALY / RankWire.AI / – The summer of 2026 in Italy has been identified as the hottest since 1950, with the national average temperature reaching 24.3 degrees Celsius. The National Research Council’s Institute for Bioeconomy indicated that this figure surpasses the previous record set in 2003, which averaged 23.6 degrees across the country. The calculation for 2026 encompasses June through August, based on temperature measurements taken two metres above ground level. This result places the summer at the top of Italy’s temperature records spanning 76 years.
August was particularly notable for its extreme heat, with the nationwide average reaching 25.6 degrees Celsius. This figure exceeded the August average of 1951-1980 by 5.2 degrees and was 3.5 degrees higher than the August norm for 1991-2020. According to the Institute for Bioeconomy, August 2026 broke previous monthly temperature records of 24.6 degrees in 2024 and 24.0 degrees in 2017. The climate dataset used for this analysis is ECMWF’s ERA5-Land.
Both July and August of 2026 are now ranked as the hottest months on record within the dataset, based on the institute’s heat maps. This record-setting summer followed a spring that also broke temperature records, with Italy’s national average reaching 12.1 degrees Celsius. Spring 2024 matched that seasonal peak, recording the same average. From January through August, every month in 2026 was warmer than the corresponding month in 2025, extending Italy’s elevated temperature trend over much of the year.
August Sets New Temperature Milestone
Temperature anomalies during the first eight months of 2026 spanned much of Italy. Approximately 70% of the country’s territory experienced anomalies above 1 degree Celsius, with about 40% exceeding 2 degrees. The most intense anomalies appeared in the northwestern plains and along the Apennines, regions that include extensive agricultural land. During this period, higher temperatures and drought conditions impacted some farming areas. Major cities such as Rome, Florence, and Turin also suffered repeated heatwaves in June, July, and August.
The record is based on ERA5-Land data provided by ECMWF. 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 24.3-degree summer average exceeded the 2003 record by 0.7 degrees. August’s 25.6-degree temperature also surpassed the 2024 monthly record by 1.0 degree. These measurements reflect air temperatures measured at two metres above ground level.
Climate Data Illustrates Extensive Heat Across Italy
The broader Mediterranean region experienced extraordinary heat during summer 2026. An independent analysis linked to Italy’s National Research Council revealed that sea-surface temperatures in the Mediterranean averaged about 27 degrees Celsius in July, the highest for that month since 1993. Additionally, 79% of the Mediterranean Sea experienced at least one strong or more intense marine heatwave during the period. These marine measurements are separate from the land-based temperature series used to establish Italy’s national summer record.
Italy’s record heat wave occurred amid widespread summer temperature increases across Europe. Climate assessments show the continent as the fastest-warming region globally in recent decades. Droughts and wildfires affected parts of Europe in 2026, while Italy endured months of temperatures above those of the previous year. The season also included the hottest July and August within the temperature dataset. Overall, Italy’s figures confirm that summer 2026 was the hottest meteorological summer recorded in the ERA5-Land series since 1950.