Climate - Aegadian Islands (Sicily)

The Aegadian Islands (Egadi in Italian) are located west of Sicily, a few miles from the coast, and are Favignana, Marettimo and Levanzo, plus some smaller islands. They are included in the marine protected area of the Aegadian Islands.
In the same area, and at an even shorter distance from Sicily, we find the Stagnone Islands, a group of islands located in a lagoon, on the coast near the airport of Trapani Birgi. The largest among them is called Isola Grande (Big Island), the second is Mozia, located 700 meters (2,300 feet) away from the coast.
On both the Aegadian and the Stagnone Islands, the climate is Mediterranean: winter is mild and relatively rainy, with sunny periods, but also waves of bad weather characterized by wind and rain, while summer is hot and sunny, a little sultry but tempered by the breeze.
Although the temperature is generally mild, the wind, which blows especially in the cold half of the year, can increase the feeling of cold; in particular, the maestrale (north-west wind) and the ponente (west wind) are frequent, but there is also the scirocco (south-east wind) from Africa, which can bring dust and sand from the desert.
Cold waves from the continent are rare, and in any case, they not last long. Temperatures at night never drop below freezing (0 °C or 32 °F), and snowfalls are extremely rare.
In summer, during heat waves from Africa, the temperature can reach 40 °C (104 °F).
The only island having elevations of some importance in the interior is Marettimo, where the highest peak, Monte Falcone, reaches 686 meters (2,250 feet).
For the data of these islands, we refer to the station of the nearby Trapani airport. Here are the average temperatures.

Precipitation on the Aegadian Islands is not abundant, and follows the Mediterranean pattern, with a maximum in autumn and early winter and a pronounced minimum in summer, when it almost never rains. In Trapani, 495 millimeters (19.5 inches) of rain fall per year.
Here is the average precipitation.

The amount of sunshine on the Aegadian Islands is great in summer, when clear skies prevail; in winter, sunny periods, which can occur in this season as well, alternate with periods of cloudy skies. On average, there are about 2,700 hours of sunshine per year. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.



The Aegadian coasts are generally formed by rocks overlooking the sea and caves, or by small bays, where you can sunbathe on a rocky shoreline. However, on the island of Favignana, there also beaches.
The sea on the Aegadian Islands is warm enough for swimming from July to September, as generally happens in the Italian southern seas. In June, the sea is still a bit cool, while in October, the water temperature is still decent, about 22 °C (72 °F). Here are the average sea temperatures.

Best Time

The best time to go to the Aegadian Islands for a beach holiday is the summer, from June to August. The water temperature is comfortable enough from July to September, although in September, which overall is still a good month (especially in the first half), the first disturbances can occur. In June, as I said, the sea is still a little cool, while in May it is still cold, and sometimes, the air can also be a little cool for sunbathing (perhaps because of the wind).

April and May are ideal months for hiking, while in summer, it can sometimes be too hot to stroll outdoors (especially in July and August: in June and September, the heat is usually pleasant or at least bearable, obviously, when the sirocco does not blow). In October, temperatures are mild, but the days are shorter and the weather can be rainy and windy.

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