Imagine you are sitting outside at the Bar Principe in Piazza Sant'Allessandro in Milan with a Caffe latte. You are enjoying the blazing Christmas sun from an almost clear blue sky.
The temperature has passed the 30 degree mark. Suddenly there is a low rumble in the distance and dark clouds soon begin to obscure the sun.
A flash of lightning lights up the sky and soon the heavens open up and rain, mixed with hail, causes you and the other guests to seek shelter inside the bar as quickly as possible.
Not many minutes later, the dark clouds dissipate and the sun begins to shine on the guests returning to the café tables.
For the inhabitants of the city this is nothing special as they know that this is a typical weather for Milan in high summer.
The city, located in the northern part of Italy, is almost 50 miles as the crow flies from the capital Rome. The Alps rise a few miles northwest of the city. This Italian metropolis is about 12 miles north of the Mediterranean Sea as the crow flies.
The mountains protect the city from the cold air and Milan therefore has a humid subtropical climate with often quite mild winters with lots of clouds or fog.
Average temperatures reach just above freezing in December and January.
Hottest day in July
The temperature rises each month and during July and August - the hottest months in Milan - the average temperature is 25 degrees and then drops.
The hot season lasts for 3.4 months, from June 1 to September 13. On average, the hottest day of the year is July 26, when the highest average temperature reaches 29.4 degrees and does not go lower than 19.4 degrees.
During this season, a warm and humid air mass covers the city. The heat and humidity can make the air feel muggy. The changeable weather creates some short-term and heavy rain showers with both hail and thunder.
The cold season lasts 3.2 months, from November 19 to February 25. Temperatures average below 10.5 degrees during that period. The coldest day of the year occurs on average on January 12, with a minimum temperature of minus 0.5 degrees and a maximum of 5.5 degrees.
The highest recorded temperature in Milan is 37.2 in July. The lowest temperature recorded in Milan is -17.8 recorded in January. However, more normal average temperatures are 3 degrees in January and 25 degrees in July.
Normal Milan weather every month
| Month | Max. temp | Average temp | Min. temp | Hours of sunshine | Rainy days |
| January | 7 | 3 | -1 | 3 | 9 |
| February | 11 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 4 |
| March | 16 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 8 |
| April | 19 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 14 |
| May | 24 | 19 | 13 | 7 | 12 |
| June | 28 | 23 | 17 | 8 | 11 |
| July | 31 | 25 | 19 | 10 | 9 |
| August | 30 | 25 | 19 | 10 | 18 |
| September | 25 | 20 | 14 | 7 | 10 |
| October | 19 | 15 | 10 | 4 | 11 |
| November | 12 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 12 |
| December | 7 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 10 |
Cloudiness
Due to the changing weather, there are significant seasonal variations in cloudiness in Milan throughout the year.
On average, there is the least cloudiness starting around June 17 and this clear period lasts for 3.1 months ending around September 20.
On average, July 22 is the clearest day of the year, meaning the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 75 percent of the time, and overcast or mostly cloudy the rest of the time.
The cloudier part of the year starts around September 20 and lasts an average of 8.9 months. It ends around June 17. November 12 is the sunniest day of the year. The sky is overcast or mostly overcast 52 percent of the time, and clear, mostly clear, or partly overcast the rest of the time.
Rainfall in Milan
The cloudiness of the year also affects the amount of precipitation. On average, 1,050 millimeters of precipitation falls per year in Milan.
However, the city experiences significant seasonal variations in the amount of rainfall per month.
Most precipitation (predominantly as rain) falls during the 31 days centered around November 5, with an average rainfall of 93.98 millimeters.
The least amount of precipitation falls in January, with an average of 38 millimeters.
The wettest season lasts over 7 months, from March 31 to November 21, with more than a 25% chance of precipitation during the day. April 30 is the day of the year with the highest risk of rain, at 34%.
The dry season lasts an average of 4 months, from November 21 to March 31. The lowest risk of precipitation occurs on February 8, with 15 percent.
Wind conditions
Wind speed in Milan has a slight seasonal variation throughout the year. The windiest part of the year lasts for four months, on average from 2 February to 1 June, with an average wind speed of more than 2 meters/second.
The windiest day of the year is April 13, with an average wind speed of 2.41 meters/second.
The least windy time of year is from June 1 to February 2. The windiest day of the year is August 5, with an average wind speed of 1.65 meters/second.
Mainly easterly winds blow over Milan during the year. In June, however, almost 50% of the winds blowing over the city are also from the south and west.
Milan has a slightly more temperate climate than the southern and central parts of the country, which means very hot summers and relatively wet winters. The hottest months are July and August and the coolest months are December and January. During these months, Milan can experience really cold and inhospitable weather.
The proximity of the Italian Alps means a rather cold winter climate. On the other hand, you can go up to the mountains and find snow for quite a bit of the year. At least the months of December to March are suitable for skiing.
If you are planning a trip to Milan, avoid July and August as it is too hot and crowded. Not only tourists flock to the streets of Milan, but also Milanese residents are there for their vacation during July or August.
A good time of year to visit Milan is from April to June or during September and October. This is when it is reasonably warm and probably also quite sunny.
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