Elizabeth Walling,  Sunday, 8 September 2013

 

Spanning from the majestic Alps to the tranquil Mediterranean Sea, Italy has a climate that is influenced by many sources. Most refer to Italy’s climate as temperate, but the local climate can vary greatly depending on what region you are in.

The entire southern portion of Italy shares a similar climate. The winters are somewhat mild, with the heaviest rains falling during this time of year. As summer begins to arrive in this region, the winds from Africa bring hot, dry air to southern Italy. Summers here can be rather warm with very little precipitation. The climate is slightly more mild near the coast, where the gentle Mediterranean breezes tend to offset the summer heat.

The central and western regions in Italy experience a very typical temperate climate. Winters here can be moderately cold, but never exceptionally icy. This area rarely experiences truly drought-like conditions since rainfall is fairly abundant throughout the year, though slightly less rain falls during the summer months. The summertime in these regions is usually warm, but not overbearingly hot.

The Italian Plain is known to be a damp and foggy region. This area receives a lot of precipitation, with the heaviest rains falling in the spring and summer months. Winters here are moderately cold, with temperatures at freezing or slightly above during the colder months.

The Alpine region in northernmost part of Italy is the coldest region of the country, though the climate varies depending on your exact altitude. In this mountainous area, winter is the dominant season. The winter months near the Alps can be quite frigid, with temperatures regularly falling well below freezing. This does, however, provide the region with the perfect weather for many superb ski resorts. This area receives an abundance of precipitation throughout the year. The summers are quite mild in the Alpine region.

Elizabeth Walling