Climate - Pavia (Lombardy)

The climate of Pavia is moderately continental, with cold, damp winters and hot, muggy summers.
The city is located in northern Italy, in the southwest of Lombardy, at 45 degrees north latitude. The Ticino River, which flows through the city, flows into the Po only 5 km (3 mi) to the southeast.



Winter, from December to February, is cold, humid and dull. Temperatures can remain around 0 °C (32 °F) even during the day, especially in December and January, and the sky remains overcast for many days.
Fog, which in the past was fairly frequent, has become rarer in recent decades, to the point that now, it only occurs in periods when the Atlantic high pressure system dominates.
Snow in Pavia generally falls at least once every year. On average, 30 cm (12 in) of snow fall per year. Snow falls a bit more often than in Milan. In January 1985 the snow reached 85 cm (33.5 in) in height.
During cold spells, which are becoming rarer due to global warming, the temperature can drop to -10 °C (14 °F) or below. In February 1929 it dropped to -15.7 °C (3.7 °F), and in January 1985 to -14.7 °C (5.5 °F).

Summer, from June to August, is hot and muggy, and generally sunny.
The air feels hotter because of humidity and poor ventilation, conditions typical of the Po Valley.
During heat waves, which are becoming more frequent, the temperature can reach 36/37 °C (97/99 °F) or above. The highest record is 38.5 °C (101.5 °F) and was set in August 2003.
Sometimes there may be some rainy days even in summer, or thunderstorms may break out in the afternoon or in the evening.

Best Time

The best times to visit Pavia are spring and early summer, particularly from mid-April to mid-June. September is also a good month. However, some rainy days must be taken into account in both periods.
Summer can be very hot, although it can give some acceptable days, especially in June. You have to take into account, in summer and sometimes in May, some afternoon or evening thunderstorms.

Pavia - Climate data

In Pavia, the average temperature of the coldest month (January) is of 2.9 °C (37.3 °F), that of the warmest month (July) is of 24.9 °C (76.8 °F). Here are the average temperatures.
In Pavia, precipitation amounts to 780 millimeters (30.7 inches) per year: so, it is at an intermediate level. It ranges from 50 mm (2 in) in the driest months (July, August) to 90 mm (3.5 in) in the wettest one (October). Here is the average precipitation.
In Pavia, there are on average around 2175 sunshine hours per year. Here are the average hours of sunshine per day.