The city is located on the northern coast of Sicily, in an area exposed to the cool mistral wind that blows from Sardinia, but also to the sirocco.
, the wind from Africa, is able to raise the temperature by several degrees: it can exceed 20 °C (68 °F) in winter, and can reach or exceed 40 °C (104 °F) in summer.
That of Palermo is one of the most exposed areas because the wind comes from the interior (and not directly from the sea as on the southern Sicilian coast), and in addition, there is an effect of air compression due to the fact that the wind comes down from the mountains. In fact, around Palermo, there are mountains about 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) high, while further south are the Sicani mountains, which reach 1,600 meters (5,200 ft).
amounts to 615 millimeters (24 inches) per year, with a maximum in autumn and winter and a minimum in summer, when it hardly ever rains.
, from December to February, is mild, and is characterized by sunny periods alternating with rainy periods.
It rarely gets very cold, although there can sometimes be cold, windy, and rainy days, with highs around 10 °C (50 °F).
Very rarely, and especially in the areas of the city located farther from the coast, it may
. Snowfalls with accumulation occurred in March 1949, February 1956, January 1962, January 1963, January 1981, January 1999 (when the beach also turned white), and New Year's Eve 2014. However, snow tends to last a few hours and to melt quickly, because the temperature, already almost always above freezing, tends to increase further during the day (it is true that the wind in these cases comes from the north, but the sea is quite warm).
The temperature almost never drops below freezing. The coldest record is -1 °C (30 °F), recorded in January 1962. On other occasions, the temperature reached 0 °C (32 °F) in February 1956, 0.5 °C (33 °F) in January 1981, and 1 °C (34 °F) in January 1999.
Generally, the temperatures are not too high and the breeze blows, which also brings humidity from the sea.
of African origin can sometimes occur: in these cases, it is possible for the temperature to reach or exceed 40 °C (104 °F). The record is 45.8 °C (114.4 °F), set in July 2023. On other occasions, the temperature reached 43/44 °C (109/111 °F).
In 2020, the temperature reached 39 °C (102 °F) even in May, and 37.5 °C (99.5 °F) in October. When the sirocco blows at night, the temperature can remain around 30 °C (86 °F), and sometimes not only in summer. For example, on October 14, 1993, the minimum was 31 °C (88 °F).
in Palermo is great in summer, when clear skies prevail; in winter, sunny periods alternate with periods of bad weather, with rain, wind and thunderstorms.
in Palermo is warm enough for swimming from July to September. In June, the sea is still a little cool, while in October, after the summer, the water temperature is still decent, around 22.5 °C (72.5 °F): in days of fine weather, perhaps with the sirocco, locals go to the beach of Mondello.
to visit Palermo for a beach holiday is the summer, from June to August. The sea temperature is comfortable enough from July to September, although in September, which in any case is still a good month (especially in the first half), the first periods of bad weather can occur.
To visit the city you can choose spring, in April and May, and the beginning of autumn, from mid-September to mid-October.
. Here are the average temperatures.
January is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
12.4 °C, with a minimum of
9.5 °C and a maximum of
15.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
5 °C. However, it dropped to
0.8 °C in January 1999.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
20.5 °C. However, it reached
25.2 °C in January 2004.
Precipitation amounts to
90 mm, distributed over 12 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 55 minutes.
There are on average 5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 50% of the time.
The average humidity is 68%.
The average wind speed is of
10.8 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
15.1 °C. Therefore, the sea is cold for swimming.
February, the coldest month of the year, is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
12.2 °C, with a minimum of
9.1 °C and a maximum of
15.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
4.5 °C. However, it dropped to
2 °C in February 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
21 °C. However, it reached
26.9 °C in February 2010.
Precipitation amounts to
70 mm, distributed over 9 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 50 minutes.
There are on average 5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 46% of the time.
The average humidity is 65%.
The average wind speed is of
11.8 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
14.4 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
March is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
13.7 °C, with a minimum of
10.3 °C and a maximum of
17.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
6 °C. However, it dropped to
3.5 °C in March 2005.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
25.5 °C. However, it reached
34.6 °C in March 2001.
Precipitation amounts to
60 mm, distributed over 9 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 6 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 50% of the time.
The average humidity is 62%.
The average wind speed is of
11.7 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
14.5 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
April is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of
15.8 °C, with a minimum of
12.3 °C and a maximum of
19.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
8.5 °C. However, it dropped to
6 °C in April 1995.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
27 °C. However, it reached
31 °C in April 2006.
Precipitation amounts to
45 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 10 minutes.
There are on average 8 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 61% of the time.
The average humidity is 60%.
The average wind speed is of
11.5 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
15.6 °C. Therefore, the sea is cold for swimming.
May is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
19.4 °C, with a minimum of
15.9 °C and a maximum of
23 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
12 °C. However, it dropped to
10 °C in May 1992.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
31.5 °C. However, it reached
39.9 °C in May 2020.
Precipitation amounts to
25 mm, distributed over 4 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 20 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 9 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 63% of the time.
The average humidity is 57%.
The average wind speed is of
10.3 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
18.4 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cool for swimming.
June is generally a warm to hot month. The average temperature is of
23.3 °C, with a minimum of
19.7 °C and a maximum of
26.9 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
16 °C. However, it dropped to
12.4 °C in June 2006.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
35 °C. However, it reached
44.2 °C in June 2007.
Precipitation amounts to
10 mm, distributed over 2 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 50 minutes. So the days are long. June 21, the summer solstice, is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 10 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 67% of the time.
The average humidity is 55%.
The average wind speed is of
10.5 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
22.1 °C. Therefore, the sea is cool for swimming.
July is generally a warm to hot month. The average temperature is of
26 °C, with a minimum of
22.5 °C and a maximum of
29.5 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
19.5 °C. However, it dropped to
18.4 °C in July 1992.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
36 °C. However, it reached
43.6 °C in July 1998.
Precipitation amounts to only
5 mm, and all occurs in one day.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 30 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 11 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 76% of the time.
The average humidity is 54%.
The average wind speed is of
11.2 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
25.3 °C. Therefore, the sea is warm enough for swimming.
August, the hottest month of the year, is generally a warm to hot month. The average temperature is of
26.8 °C, with a minimum of
23.2 °C and a maximum of
30.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
20.5 °C. However, it dropped to
18.7 °C in August 2018.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
36 °C. However, it reached
45.2 °C in August 1999.
Precipitation amounts to
10 mm, and all occurs in one day.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 35 minutes.
There are on average 10 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 74% of the time.
The average humidity is 55%.
The average wind speed is of
10.7 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
26.5 °C. Therefore, the sea is pleasantly warm and allows long swims.
September is generally a warm to hot month. The average temperature is of
24.1 °C, with a minimum of
20.8 °C and a maximum of
27.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
17 °C. However, it dropped to
14.2 °C in September 2004.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
33.5 °C. However, it reached
38.2 °C in September 2000.
Precipitation amounts to
40 mm, distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 25 minutes.
There are on average 8 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 64% of the time.
The average humidity is 61%.
The average wind speed is of
10.3 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
25 °C. Therefore, the sea is warm enough for swimming.
October is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
20.9 °C, with a minimum of
17.5 °C and a maximum of
24.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
13.5 °C. However, it dropped to
8.8 °C in October 2007.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
31 °C. However, it reached
37.5 °C in October 2020.
Precipitation amounts to
80 mm, distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 10 minutes.
There are on average 7 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 63% of the time.
The average humidity is 64%.
The average wind speed is of
9.1 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
22.4 °C. Therefore, the sea can be considered barely acceptable for swimming.
November is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of
17.2 °C, with a minimum of
14 °C and a maximum of
20.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
9.5 °C. However, it dropped to
5.2 °C in November 1998.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
27 °C. However, it reached
30.4 °C in November 2008.
Precipitation amounts to
85 mm, distributed over 10 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 5 minutes.
There are on average 5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 50% of the time.
The average humidity is 65%.
The average wind speed is of
10.2 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
19.4 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cool for swimming.
December is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
13.8 °C, with a minimum of
11 °C and a maximum of
16.7 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
6.5 °C. However, it dropped to
2.2 °C in December 2014.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
22 °C. However, it reached
26.7 °C in December 2010.
Precipitation amounts to
95 mm, distributed over 12 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 35 minutes. December 21, the winter solstice, is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 4 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 42% of the time.
The average humidity is 68%.
The average wind speed is of
10.5 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
16.7 °C. Therefore, the sea is cold for swimming.