Naples occupies an unexpectedly strong position in the Sole 24 Ore climate index: 24th out of 107 municipalities analyzed. This result places it well above the mid-table and puts it in a more favorable position than many metropolitan areas in central and northern Italy. The Campania city surpasses Milan, which is stuck in 71st place, as well as Bologna, Florence, and Turin, all further down the ranking.
The index takes into account several key climate parameters, such as temperature, precipitation, sunshine, and extreme events, and Naples manages to excel on several fronts.
Thermal and atmospheric virtues
The city's strengths include its temperature range, the number of cold days, sunshine, humidity, fog, and heatwave management. These factors contribute to an overall balanced climate profile, which mitigates the harshest impacts of extreme seasons.
The less brilliant aspects concern extreme precipitation and tropical nights, parameters that are more critical and partially penalize the overall score.
Salerno and Avellino halfway
In the rest of Campania, Salerno achieved a positive result, ranking 27th, confirming its position in the upper echelons and confirming a generally favorable climate compared to other Italian regions. More centrally located, Avellino ranks 51st, placing it squarely in the middle of the rankings, thus appearing to be in a balanced position between favorable factors and critical ones.
Benevento and Caserta in decline
For Benevento and Caserta, however, the picture is less favorable. The province of Benevento ranks 97th, while Caserta falls even lower, placing 104th out of 107 municipalities. The main challenges for the capital of the Terra di Lavoro region concern the heat index and extreme heat, which significantly impact the final score. Curiously, Caserta ranks 13th for cold days, a more favorable outcome, but not enough to balance out the rest of the climate.
Naples seems to have a surprising placement but it cannot be said that everything is right: the parameters are mixed up, the rainfall and the tropical nights count a lot but it is not always visible, Milan is in a worse position but the comparison is perhaps made too simply.