Summer is set to arrive in Italy in full force in early June, with weather maps suggesting one of its most popular islands is set for scorching temperatures. According to new maps by WXCharts, tourists and residents on the iconic holiday island of Sicily will face temperatures of up to 38C on June 6.
The hottest temperatures on Sicily will be felt inland, while popular seaside resorts like Palermo and Catania will see temperatures of around 36C. Mainland Italy will not escape the hot weather either, with temperatures of up to 37C in Foggia near the west coast. Areas near the National Park of Alta Murgia are expected to see temperatures of 36C. On the east coast, iconic cities including Rome and Naples will also see balmy temperatures in the low 30s.
In the more immediate future, British tourists on holiday in Spain and Portugal next week will be met with highs of 36C, just in time for the UK May half-term.
According to the Met Office, average June temperatures on Sicily hover around 31.6 °C, meaning the heatwave expected to descend on the country in the next few weeks is particularly unusual.
While these temperatures are certainly high, incredibly, they are not the highest recorded temperatures in Italy in June. 41.9C was recorded in Catenanuova, Sicily, in 2003. The highest temperature ever in Europe was also recorded in Sicily in August 2021, when temperatures reached a scorching 48.8C, a reading later confirmed by the UN’s weather agency.
Yet, despite these high temperatures, tourists do not seem to be deterred and visitor numbers are soaring. With summer 2025 looking to be heading the same way as previous years, concerns will soon be raised about droughts in Sicily once again.
“Tourist destinations in southern Europe, such as Spain and Sicily, have always been popular choices among travellers,” said Christian Mulder, a professor of ecology and climate emergency at the University of Catania, to The Guardian. “The average tourist seeks the sun, regardless of the lack of water, and demands that water be readily available. Overtourism increases pressure on Sicily’s already scarce water resources, with inevitable consequences for the environment.”
Last year, the island faced its worst drought in nearly 20 years, with nearly empty reservoirs and water rationing affecting up to two million people. The island is at a real risk of desertification.
Lake Caccamo used to be one of the largest lakes in Sicily. However, on August 1, it reached only 18 million cubic metres compared to its capacity of 100 million. In response, authorities declared a state of emergency, with plans to manage the drought through the reintroduction of desalination plants, according to Copernicus.
