The climate of Lake Garda (Italy)
Because the weather along Lake Garda is similar to that along the
Italian coasts and the French Riviera the climate is often wrongly
referred to as a Mediterranean climate. Because winters are reasonably
cold Lake Garda has a warm sea climate, type Cfa according to the
Köppen climate classification with reasonably cold winters and warm
summers. During the winter the weather is cold and bleak along Lake
Garda. However, cities such as Sirmione, Lazise and Salo may still
offer picture postcard scenery when dark clouds gather over the lake
and form a sharp contrast with the colorful houses on the waterside.
Snow is not uncommon, especially in the higher regions. Directly along
the lake snow and subzero temperatures are uncommon because of the
warmer water in the lake. On the highest peaks the snow will remain
till late spring which offers nice views when temperatures along the
lake are 25-30 degrees Celsius. During the entire year there are local
differences in weather and temperature along the lake. This depends on
the location you are in, where the wind comes from and if a certain
place is situated in the leeward side. In general the northern part is
cooler and gets less sunshine than the southern part.
During spring (April/May) the first summer days can be recorded; it
may even be pleasantly warm for a longer period of time. However,
there is also a chance of rain, low temperatures (10-15 degrees
Celsius) and overcast skies for a longer period of time. Whoever wants
to travel to Lake Garda during spring should bear in mind that the
weather is unstable and there is a reasonable chance your holiday gets
rained out. During the first part of May the summer usually starts and
chances of unstable weather decrease rapidly; during this period Lake
Garda is one of the most beautiful places in Europe.
From May Lake Garda starts to get crowded; during the summer (June,
July, August) it is warm and crowded along the lake. Temperatures are
30 degrees Celsius during most days. During the night temperatures
remain reasonably high because the water in the lake is warm, too.
When rain does fall during the summer this is usually in the form of
showers or thunderstorms which can be quite heavy. You should bear
this in mind when choosing your campsite and pitch when traveling
with a tent or caravan. During fall chances of rain start to increase.
However, the weather will be pleasant in most places. The strength of
the wind may also increase. However, because the water in the lake is
still warm it hardly ever gets cold during fall. Autumn colors in
combination with pleasant temperatures, a local wine and a delicious
Italian dish make fall very attractive for tourists.
The figures below are based on long term weather and climate records.
They are an average for Lake Garda
More climate information
Climate figures are very useful but don’t present a general impression
of the climate and the eventual weather circumstances within a certain
period. The figures don’t always reflect the chance of wintry weather,
extreme heat or hurricanes. That is why we offer useful extra climate
information for each month of the year:
The information at this site was carefully composed from climate data collected by meteorological services, meteorological offices, climate experts and other sources. “More climate info” is based on statistics, climate data and personal experience. No rights can be derived from this site. Weather has no memory and gives no guaranties. Nothing is as changeable and unpredictable as the weather. The authors of this site feel in no way responsible for any damages caused by misinterpretation or other circumstances that may influence your holiday or trip to a certain destination. We provide information, it’s up to the reader to use it to it’s benefit.