Island Weather

 
Sicily benefits from it's southern mediteranean location as far as the weather it experiences.  The mild climate is defined by hot, dry summers followed by mild winters with little rain. 

However due to the different terrains and the mountain ranges the weather can be very  varied across the island. In general the higher you climb into the mountains the cooler it gets and also more rain is experienced. This is due to moisture in the air being forced upwards, forming clouds and then falling as rain.  

The coastal areas are where you will find the warmest weather in general, as the sea moderates the climate.  The island is sometimes effected by the warm Saharan sirocco ( desert ) winds which can raise the temperatures considerably,  this is usually experienced between the months of April and September.  The flat interiors and coastel regions experience hot dry summers, these can be sometimes with temperatures above 35C degrees in the months of July and August. The evenings remain balmy and warm with humidity sometimes quite high.

The islands warm up nicely by April and stay hot through into October, however there is nothing to beat a crisp winter morning in the mountains for walking or skiing between these months.  In fact the best months for walking are between November and March, also the island is much quieter and peaceful at these times of the year.