With its hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters, Italy experiences a mediterranean climate. Winters in Italy are cool and humid in the north and the mountainous zone. Sometimes cold air from northern Europe can spread south into Italy, bring snow to most mountains, while the coasts are kept warm by the high sea temperatures. Storms like the Mistral can bring snow and gales, sometimes even in southern districts of Italy.
The summer can be quite hot in Italy, mainly in the south of the peninsula, with high nocturnal temperatures of usually 28-33°C, but sometimes even 40°C. Thunderstorms are quite common especially in the northern areas. The meditteranean climate in Italy has often local variations. Surrounded by warm seas and with mountains close by, the coast always has a breeze; mountain areas are usually cooler with clear sunny skies, but sometimes local showers or thunderstorms in the afternoon. Hot air rising from the sea can cause heavy Thunderstorms especially in early fall, but these bring often the only summer rain that rapidly evaporates. In spring and fall, the Sirocco, a warm wind from Africa, raises the temperature of the peninsula. In The summer these Winds can bring very hot, unpleasant weather, sometimes even up to the northern districts of Italy.
The climate of italy is classified as Csa climate; a warm temperated mediterranean climate with dry, warm summers and moderate, wet winters with the warmest month above 22°C over average. The northern and norteastern areas of Italy have a Cfa Climate, which is similar to the Csa Climate, but whith humid conditions all year round.