Italy: 22 degrees in South Tyrol, bathing weather in Sicily

The weather in Italy is completely crazy: people are basking in the sun by the sea from north to south. Nature is further along than it should be for over five weeks.

Rome – Climate change is making Italy feel like summer in the middle of winter. This does not apply to humans, but also to nature. Winter had already started late, and in November it was still 20 degrees plus in many places. Only on eight nights did the thermometer approach zero degrees in Naples.

Weather in Italy is going crazy: Sunny beach photos from Liguria down to Sicily – in winter

Since mid-January, the weather has switched to early summer: in Lerici on the Ligurian coast near La Spezia, the locals have been basking in the sun on the Fiascherino sandy beach for days. The first bathers of the year ventured into the water in Pozzuoli near Naples. The first sunbathers also lay down in the sun in Sirolo on the Adriatic near Ancona, as did the famous Mondello beach near Palermo in Sicily. On the southeast coast of the largest Mediterranean island, 25 degrees are expected in the shade on Wednesday, but at 16 degrees the water is initially only suitable for the intrepid for swimming.

The connection to climate change is being discussed on social networks. “People don’t get it,” writes one user under the beach photos from Liguria on Facebook. Another woman responds: “If one of those people on the beach sunbathing happily were at home worried, would that make a difference?”

Record temperatures of 22 degrees in South Tyrol

In South Tyrol it is also much too warm these days for the beginning of February. The northern foehn even caused record values ​​on Saturday (February 3rd): Dieter Peterlin, meteorologist at the Italian National Weather Service, reported to the broadcaster RAIthat it has never been so warm in the Vinschgau west of Merano since measurements began. 21.3 degrees were measured in Latsch. On Monday night, 15 degrees was the warmest night since measurements began in winter. A camera truck from the ORF measured 22 degrees in Vinschgau. On Tuesday (February 6th) the northern foehn is expected to subside and temperatures will drop slightly, but it will remain milder than average.

It is also far too warm in the mountains. It was already above zero on the ski slopes on Monday morning (February 5th), with over five degrees plus measured at 2000 meters. In Obereggen it was plus four degrees, three degrees plus in Ladurns and two degrees plus on Kronplatz.

Blooming mimosas are a bad omen for Italy's farmers

Italy's botanists have long since noticed that the weather is going crazy: the mimosa bushes from Apulia in the south to Liguria began to bloom at the end of January. Usually they don't do this until March 8th, International Women's Day.
The Italian farmers' association Coldiretti does not consider the yellow flowers to be a good sign: the high temperatures are “putting nature into a tailspin and encouraging the early awakening of all plants,” it says in a statement.

The flowers of many fruits could die if there is a sharp drop in temperature, which could cause crop loss. At the same time, insects that could attack the crops in the actual spring survived. Winter has so far been almost two degrees above the historical average (plus 1.87 degrees), according to Coldiretti's analysis based on weather data for the month of December.

The drought is also worrying, Coldiretti continued. The lack of snow in the Alps and the Apennines could cause problems for the irrigation of fruit crops in the Po Valley. Water scarcity is increasing towards the south and especially on the islands. According to Coldiretti, Sicily's reservoirs had 63 million cubic meters less water in January 2024 (minus 13 percent) than in the previous year.

Drought is the biggest concern for Italian farmers

Due to the lack of rain, there is a lack of hay in the pastures and there are difficulties in the development of vegetables. Difficulties have already arisen with oranges or salads, which do not grow sufficiently due to a lack of water. At the same time, citrus fruits actually need low temperatures in order to ripen.

In other parts of the Mediterranean, the drought is even more dramatic: In Catalonia in northern Spain, drinking water is now being rationed. Farmers in Andalusia in the south of the Iberian Peninsula have also been struggling with drought for years, and there is no rain this winter either. Almost 30 degrees were measured in Malaga in January.