Today's weather for Sicily, Italy24th Nov 2009 12:00

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Weather Overview for Sicily

Sicily receives a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and warm, rainy winters. The island is volcanic, home to one of the world’s tallest and most active volcanoes: Mount Etna. The rugged, mountainous terrain gives rise to great regional variation in climate depending on altitude and the protection they provide from northwest prevailing winds. The southeast regions are generally drier and warmer than the northwest and the southeast coast is usually calmer. Higher areas receive cooler temperatures and higher rainfall year round.

Sicily is the largest region of Italy and sits at the southwest tip of the mainland in the Mediterranean Sea. It is surrounded by a number of much smaller islands.

Summer, from June till September, is hot and dry with plenty of sunshine. The average high temperature is already at 25°C in June and then rises to 27°C in July and 28°C in August before dropping to 26°C in September. Night times are also very warm, usually in the low 20s. The heat can be a little bit uncomfortable but a dip in the warm sea or a trip up into the green hills provides instant relief. The water temperature gets up to 25°C in August. Clouds avoid the coast allowing around ten hours of sunshine per day for most of the season; September is slightly more overcast. Rain is rare, falling only briefly in the hills.

South-western areas are sometimes terrorised by spells of intense heat and aridity when the sirocco wind blows up from the Sahara. The sirocco can sometimes carry sand with it, covering large areas in dust and veiling the sky in a thin haze.

Autumn, in October and November, experiences a continuation of gorgeous weather. Summer warmth continues into October with average highs in the low 20s. It only drops below 20°C in mid November though the odd cool day may occur. Rainfall does increase but cloud cover and these brief showers still leave seven hours of sun per day in October and five in November. The sea remains warm enough for swimming till the very end of the season. Higher in up, lower temperatures bring the beginning of the winter snowfall. Mount Etna is often snow-capped by the end of November when the ski season starts.

Winter, from December till February, is mild and somewhat unpredictable. It is a great time for walking holidays in the low hills and even skiing higher up. The average high temperature lingers around 15°C for most of the season with average lows falling just below 10°C. It tends not to get anywhere near freezing around the coast but higher up frosts occur throughout the season and snow settles on the peaks. The ski season on Mount Etna lasts from November to March; skiers often base themselves in Taormina. This is the wettest time of year; rain falls quite frequently but is generally quite light. Sunshine levels are very good for winter with around four hours on average each day. While winter in Sicily is no time to lounge on the beach in a bikini, conditions are preferable to those found in more northerly areas of Europe.

Spring, from March till May, is warm and sunny. The average high temperature creeps to 16°C in March, 18°C in April and up to 22°C in May. By mid April t-shirt weather is the norm and early in May bikini days resume. Rainfall decreases again and the sun becomes a regular fixture in the clear sky. However, the sea does not get quite warm enough for comfortable swimming and the wind can be quite chilly. Snow on the mountains melts in March, bringing the end of the ski season.

The constant warmth of Sicily and its low but not absent rainfall creates the perfect conditions for the growing of citrus fruits. The hillsides are cloaked in green for much of the year and lemon and orange groves stripe the lowlands. Citrus flavours add a tang to many traditional Sicilian dishes. Sicily has passed through the hands of many cultures; Greek and Arab influences are to be seen in Sicilian design and cuisine.

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