Your August weather guide
HotWeather in Sicily in August
August is a good time for Sicily if you want hot weather and warm swimming water, but it is less suited to long days on your feet. Average daytime highs reach 32°C, nights stay around 23°C and the sea averages 26°C. Rain is uncommon, so the main planning issue is managing the heat rather than keeping dry. Go for swimming and a relaxed pace, with shade built into your day.
Long-term climate averages for Catania (east coast), not a forecast · 1991-2020
Sicily, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Catania (east coast).
- Average daytime high
- 32.0°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 35°C
- Average night-time low
- 23.1°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 21°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +10.6°C
- London averages 21.4°C in August
- Sea temperature
- 26.4°C
- year to year: 25°C to 27°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 11.7h
- 87% of 13.4 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 3
- 14 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 61%
- Days over 25°C
- 100%
- 81% over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 39.7°C
- 2000-08-24
- Record low 1991-2020
- 16.3°C
- 1995-08-30
- Flight from London
- ≈ 3 h 12 min
- 1936 km, short-haul (estimate for a direct flight)
Records are observed extremes within 1991-2020, not typical holiday conditions. Warm-day percentages are shares of days, not day counts.
How August compares
August is the 1st warmest month of the year in Sicily and ranks 16th of 134 destinations we compare for August - see where else is hot in August. Within Italy it is 1st of 16 (Italy in August). Against London's average high of 21.4°C in August, Sicily is 10.6°C warmer by day and 9.6°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in August
The typical August day in Sicily peaks at 32.0°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 35.2°C or more. About 100% of days top 25°C and almost every pass 30°C. Nights average 23.1°C; one night in ten drops to 21.0°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest August day here reached 39.7°C (2000-08-24) and the coldest night 16.3°C (1995-08-30).
Rain in August
Dry (3 rainy days or fewer): about 3 days with 1 mm or more, 14 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest August was 1997 with 103 mm, the driest 2008 with 0 mm. Humidity averages 61%.
Sea temperature in August
The sea averages 26.4°C - warm enough to swim (22°c+). Depending on the year it ranges from 25.4°C to 27.4°C. This is the warmest the sea gets here all year.
Sunshine and daylight
Around 11.7 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 13.4 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 06:16 and sets about 19:53 local time in mid-August. Average cloud cover is 13%.
Is August a good time to visit Sicily?
Yes - it is one of the better months: hot days, little rain and long sunny days. The best months for Sicily on our scoring are July, August, June; months averaging 25°C or more: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
Expect proper heat, not just warm afternoons
August is Sicily's warmest month, and the heat is consistent: 81% of days reach 30°C. The hottest days can be more demanding, with the warmest 10% reaching at least 35°C. Plan anything energetic for the morning rather than the middle of the day, and leave room for breaks somewhere cool. Loose, light clothing, a sunhat and water should be everyday essentials. Nights averaging 23°C offer only limited relief, so cooling in your accommodation is worth prioritising if you struggle to sleep in warmth. This is a good fit for travellers happy to slow down, but a harder choice if you prefer spending the whole day outdoors.
Warm sea and long sunny days favour swimming
The sea is a strong reason to choose August, averaging 26°C, with a year-to-year range of 25°C to 27°C. That makes swimming a comfortable prospect rather than something to brace yourself for. Sunshine averages about 11.7 hours out of 13.4 hours of daylight, giving you scope to enjoy the water without making midday your main outdoor spell. Keep sun protection handy and choose somewhere with access to shade; long sunny days are appealing, but they also make it easy to stay exposed for too long. If warm water matters more to you than cooler air, August makes sense. If heat wears you down, the sea does not remove that trade-off.
A little perspective
Sicily through the year
August is highlighted. See how it compares with the rest of the year.
| Month | Day | Night | Sea | Sun/day | Rain mm | Rainy days | Days 25°C+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 14.2°C | 7.5°C | 15.2°C | 5.0 | 75 | 8 | 0% |
| February | 14.6°C | 7.4°C | 14.5°C | 5.7 | 60 | 7 | 0% |
| March | 16.8°C | 8.9°C | 14.6°C | 6.4 | 58 | 8 | 1% |
| April | 19.3°C | 11.4°C | 15.6°C | 7.2 | 45 | 8 | 1% |
| May | 23.8°C | 15.3°C | 18.2°C | 8.9 | 28 | 4 | 32% |
| Junebest | 28.5°C | 19.6°C | 21.8°C | 11.4 | 19 | 3 | 88% |
| Julybest | 31.7°C | 22.4°C | 25.0°C | 13.1 | 8 | 2 | 100% |
| AugustSelectedbest | 32.0°C | 23.1°C | 26.4°C | 11.7 | 14 | 3 | 100% |
| September | 27.5°C | 20.0°C | 25.2°C | 8.1 | 52 | 7 | 81% |
| October | 23.4°C | 16.6°C | 22.6°C | 5.9 | 71 | 8 | 27% |
| November | 18.9°C | 12.6°C | 19.6°C | 5.0 | 68 | 8 | 0% |
| December | 15.4°C | 9.2°C | 16.8°C | 4.8 | 66 | 8 | 0% |
Day = average daytime high, night = average night-time low, 1991-2020.Sun is hours per day; rainy days count 1 mm or more.
Day, night and sea
Monthly average temperatures, 1991-2020
- Day
- Night
- Sea
Best months here
On warmth, low rainfall and sunshine, start with these.
Keep exploring
Similar in August
Closest matches on daytime temperature, sea temperature and sunshine, in other countries.
A little more detail
Sicily in August FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Sicily hot in August?
Sicily is hot in August: the average daytime high is 32.0°C and nights average 23.1°C. About 100% of August days reach 25°C or more.
Can you swim in the sea in Sicily in August?
The sea around Sicily averages 26.4°C in August, which is warm enough for most people to swim comfortably. Between 1991 and 2020 it ranged from 25°C to 27°C depending on the year.
How much does it rain in Sicily in August?
Sicily sees about 3 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 14 mm of rain in a typical August. The wettest August between 1991 and 2020 was 1997 (103 mm) and the driest was 2008 (0 mm).
How sunny is Sicily in August?
Sicily gets around 11.7 hours of sunshine a day in August out of 13.4 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Sicily compare with the UK in August?
Sicily is on average 10.6°C warmer than London by day in August (32.0°C against 21.4°C).
What is the hottest August on record in Sicily?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest August day in Sicily reached 39.7°C on 2000-08-24, and the coldest night dropped to 16.3°C on 1995-08-30.
How much hotter is Sicily than London in August?
Sicily's average daytime high is 32°C, compared with about 21°C in London - roughly 11°C hotter. That is a substantial change, so plan for sustained heat rather than packing and pacing yourself as you would for a warm day at home.
Is rain likely to disrupt an August holiday?
August is generally dry, with about 3 rainy days during the month. Rain is unlikely to be the main constraint on your plans, although a completely dry stay is not guaranteed. Prioritise shade and cooling over an extensive wet-weather wardrobe.
Will I need warm clothes in the evening?
With average night lows around 23°C, light clothing should suit most evenings. Even the coldest 10% of nights are around 21°C or lower, so a light layer is a sensible backup rather than a reason to pack heavy clothes.
About these averages
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid) and NOAA Coral Reef Watch 5 km sea temperatures, 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at Catania (Catania (east coast)). Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 2 km from that point. Sunshine hours are estimated from average cloud cover.Records are the highest and lowest daily values in that 30-year period, not all-time records. These are climate averages, not a forecast for your trip. How we measure holiday weather
- Hot · 25°C+
- Warm · 20°C to below 25°C
- Mild · 15°C to below 20°C
- Cool · below 15°C