La Spezia - Climate

Climate

La Spezia has a typical Mediterranean climate, with hot summers, but warm winters and very rainy autumns and springs. The average temperatures of the coldest month (January) are 4°min. and 11 max. In the hottest month (July) they are 20°min and 29° max. Average annual precipitation is 1314 mm, more than double that in London. Snow is uncommon; it snows about once or twice a year. Heavy snowfalls are exceptional events: only in 1985 has there fallen more than 50 cm (the same year which recorded the lowest temperature since 1950: -7°C). Another big snowfall occurred during the night of 18th dec. 2009, with about 25 cm (9.8 in) of snow. In winter, if during the night the sky is clear, the temperatures may fall below zero, reaching about -2 °, -10 °C (50 °F). Instead in summer, especially in sunny days, the temperature can easily exceed 30° and sometimes it reaches 35 °C (95 °F). Furthermore, the sensation of heat in summer is increased by the high humidity. For the conformation of the territory the city is not exposed to the winds from the north, which lap the western Liguria, but to those from the southeast. These winds bring heavy rain and they can reach 80 km/h, causing in some cases the blocking of the port.