Deep-dive

Climate: Scirocco, record heat and water crisis

Mild rainy winters, long very hot summers: on 24 July 2023 the Astronomical Observatory measured 47 °C, a record since 1865. The 2024 drought brought a national state of emergency for Sicily and, from October 2024, water rotation in most districts. Summer wildfires on the surrounding mountains; PM10 above the limit on several days a year.

Sections: Seasons · Rainfall · Temperatures · Air quality · Environmental hazards

Heat and Scirocco

Palermo has a hot Mediterranean climate: mild winters with rain concentrated between October and February and rare days below 5 °C; long summers, from May to October, with muggy nights and peaks when the Scirocco blows, the south-easterly wind that crosses the mountains of the Conca d'Oro and reaches the city dry and scorching. On 24 July 2023 the INAF Astronomical Observatory station on the Torre Pisana of Palazzo dei Normanni recorded 47.0 °C, the highest value of the digitised series begun in 1865 (previous record 44.6 °C). In the same days wildfires on the hills around the city also affected the airport area. Heatwaves are the main climate risk for those living here.

Water

Sicily depends on reservoirs that the 2023–2024 drought emptied: on 6 May 2024 the Council of Ministers declared a national state of emergency for the water deficit of the Sicilian Region, for twelve months and with an initial allocation of 20 million euros. Palermo, served by AMAP, was spared the harshest rationing of the inland provinces until summer, but from 7 October 2024 AMAP launched a rotation plan with rolling supply suspensions in most districts, excluding the most central areas. The situation changes with rainfall: AMAP's official notices are the reference to know whether and where rotation is in force. Many apartment buildings have tanks and pumps precisely for this reason.

Wildfires, air, earthquakes

Summer wildfires affect Monte Pellegrino, Capo Gallo, Monte Grifone and the mountains enclosing the Conca d'Oro, with smoke and road closures on Scirocco days. Air quality suffers from traffic and the basin shape: exceedances of the daily PM10 limit are more numerous than in other southern capitals (see data), with contributions from Saharan dust. Seismic risk is moderate compared with eastern Sicily, but not absent (Belice earthquake 1968, tremors in 2002).

Average temperature, January

City figurePeriod: 1991–2020Validsample unknown

Source: INAF Technical Report n. 346 (2025) – Misure meteorologiche del sito di Palazzo Reale (Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo) e valori normali · Stazione storica nel centro di Palermo (Palazzo Reale, 75 m, 38.1115°N 13.3532°E). Nell'app ISPRA non c'è una serie 1991–2020 di temperatura media o di giorni piovosi per stazioni nel comune di Palermo (la serie «Palermo/Punta Raisi AM» è l'aeroporto, nel comune di Cinisi, e non è stata usata).

12.5 °C

Average temperature, July

City figurePeriod: 1991–2020Validsample unknown

26.4 °C

Rainy days per year

City figurePeriod: 1991–2020Validsample unknown

72days

Days per year above the PM10 limit (50 µg/m³)

City figurePeriod: 2024Validsample unknown

Source: SNPA – La qualità dell'aria in Italia nel 2024: PM10, tabella ISQA per stazione (dati ARPA/APPA, provvisori) · Dati 2024 elaborati dalle ARPA/APPA a fine anno, provvisori: le relazioni regionali definitive possono dedurre i superamenti attribuibili a polveri desertiche. Valore limite: max 35 giorni/anno. Altre stazioni urbane: Di Blasi 28, Castelnuovo 18, UNIPA (fondo) 15 giorni. La stazione suburbana di fon

31days