Climate
The Italian climate is uniquely diverse and can be far from the stereotype of a "land of sun", depending on the region. The north of Italy (Turin, Milan and Bologna) has a true continental climate, whilst south of Florence it becomes more and more Mediterranean. The climate of the coastal areas of the Peninsula is very different from that of the interior, particularly during the winter months. The higher areas are cold, wet and often snowy. The coastal regions, where most of the large towns are located, have a typical Mediterranean climate with mild winters and hot and generally dry summers. The length and intensity of the summer dry season increases southwards.
Italy is subject to highly diverse weather conditions in autumn, winter and spring, while summer is usually more stable, although the northern regions often experience thunderstorms in the afternoon or night. So, while south of Florence the summer is typically dry and sunny, the north is tends to be more humid and cloudy.
The highest number of hours of sunshine occurs in the extreme south of the mainland and in Sicily and Sardinia. Here sunshine averages from four to five hours a day in winter and up to ten or eleven hours in summer.
Temperatures
There can be quite remarkable difference in the temperatures between the north and south of Italy, above all during the winter: in some days of December or January it can be -2°C and snowing in Milan while Rome is +2°C and it is +18°C in Palermo. Temperature differences are less extreme in the summer.
Generally, the hottest month is August in the south (up to 38-42°C) and July in the north (up to 33-35°C). The coldest month is January, with average temperatures of:
| Area | Average Temperature (Jan) | Morning Lows |
|---|---|---|
| The Po Valley | Around 0°C | -14°C |
| Florence | 6°C | -6°C |
| Rome | 7-8°C | -4°C |
| Naples | 9°C | -2°C |
| Palermo | 13°C | 1°C |
The absolute record low was near -45°C in the Alps, and the record low near the sea level was -28.8°C (recorded during January 1985 near Bologna), while in the south cities like Catania, Lecce or Alghero have experienced highs of 48°C in some hot summers.
Precipitation
The east coast of the peninsula is not as wet as the west coast, but is usually colder in the winter. The east coast north of Pescara is occasionally affected by the cold bora winds in winter and spring, but the wind is less strong here than around Trieste. During these frosty spells from E-NE cities such as Rimini, Ancona, Pescara and the entire eastern hillside of the Apennines can be affected by blizzards. The town of Fabriano, located just around 300 m above sea level, can often see 50-60 cm of fresh snow fall in 24 hours during these episodes.
The least number of rainy days occurs in the extreme south of the mainland and in Sicily and Sardinia. In the north, precipitation is more evenly distributed during the year, although the summer is usually slightly wetter. Between November and March the Po valley is often covered by fog, especially in the central zone (Pavia, Cremona, and Mantua). Snow is quite common between early December and mid-February in cities like Turin, Milan and Bologna. In the winter of 2005-2006, Milan received around 78-80 cm of fresh snow, Como around 100 cm, Brescia 50 cm, Trento 160 cm, Vicenza around 45 cm, Bologna around 30 cm, and Piacenza around 80 cm.