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Italy records its hottest summer in more than 75 years, institute says

From CNA · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire Named sources Context piece
  • Italy recorded its hottest summer since 1950, with an average temperature of 24.3 C, the National Research Council's Institute for BioEconomy said.
  • August averaged 25.6 C, exceeding previous records, while July and August both ranked as the warmest on record.
  • Heat and drought affected agricultural areas, while repeated heatwaves hit Rome, Florence and Turin.

Italy has recorded its hottest summer since 1950, with an average temperature of 24.3 degrees Celsius, according to the National Research Council's Institute for BioEconomy.

August drove the record. The month averaged 25.6 C, which was 5.2 C above the 1951-1980 average and 3.5 C higher than the 1991-2020 norm. The readings were taken two metres above ground level.

“The average of 25.6 degrees Celsius recorded in August 2026 exceeds the previous records of 24.6 C in 2024 and 24.0 C reached in August 2017,” said CNR-IBE researcher Lorenzo Arcidiaco.

Arcidiaco said 2026 was on course to become Italy's hottest year since records began in 1950, with both July and August ranking as the warmest on record. Northwestern lowlands and areas along the Apennines were among the hardest hit. Many are agricultural regions where higher temperatures and drought have increased pressure on farming activity.

Separate analyses showed that Rome, Florence and Turin experienced repeated heatwaves in June, July and August. Across Europe, the world's fastest-warming continent, hot summers have also brought growing problems with drought and wildfires. Britain recorded its hottest summer since records began.

The average of 25.6 degrees Celsius recorded in August 2026 exceeds the previous records of 24.6 C in 2024 and 24.0 C reached in August 2017.

· Lorenzo ArcidiacoCNR-IBE researcher describing August's record average temperature.
About this summary

Originally published by CNA in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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