Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Climate Patterns of Rome


No one wants to go on a trip and get rained on the entire time, or go in the summer expecting warm temperatures, and top out at 40 degrees (That’s Fahrenheit, folks.  It’d be about 4.5 degrees Celsius.). So, let’s take a look at Rome’s weather patterns and see when would be the best time to travel.

First off, let’s identify that the majority of Rome is in a mild mid-latitude (C) climate. It is a common misconception that Rome has a Mediterranean climate. The city itself actually sits right in the middle of a Mediterranean climate and a temperate climate. The two factors for this are the Mediterranean Sea to the west, and the Apennine Mountains to the east. The coast of Rome has very small temperature changes, mainly because the sea keeps the temperature stays consistent by moving cooler air onto the coast during the day, and the cool air moves from the land back to the sea at night. The closer you get to the Apennine mountains, the more temperature flux you’ll get, due to the distance from the sea and the altitude of the mountains themselves.
Personally, I’m a hot temperatures and little rain kind of guy when traveling. The summer in Rome essentially lends to that. Temperatures are essentially like Denver in the way they vary (warm/hot summers, colder winters). The rainfall is a little less consistent than Denver, having drier summers and wetter winters, as opposed to Denver’s generally dry climate. These patterns are illustrated in the chart below.


For me, the ideal time to travel to Rome would be July or August, but when you travel is for you to decide. Many people favor the Spring and Fall, but your travel is your choice!

Image Sources:
http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/images/rome_Cs.jpg 
 http://www.kidport.com/reflib/worldgeography/italy/Images/Mountains.JPG
http://www.destination360.com/europe/italy/images/s/amalfi-coast.jpg

Information source:
http://www.romanlife-romeitaly.com/climate-in-rome-italy.html