In Sardinia, temperatures are consistently above average, precipitation is increasingly irregular, and sea levels are rising . This is what the new Weather and Climate Report from the ARPAS Meteorological Department reports, based on 2025 data, which highlights how the island's climate "is now manifesting itself with more prolonged heat, concentrated rainfall, and increased intensity of meteorological events."

Here are the previews of the report released by the regional Department of the Environment, pending the full publication of the study on April 10th.

Temperatures: a structural warming in Sardinia – In 2025, temperatures will remain steadily above the 1981–2010 climate average, with an anomaly of +1.3°C for maximum temperatures and +0.8°C for minimum temperatures. The most significant data concerns the month of June, with an anomaly of +4.1°C, representing one of the most significant deviations recorded in recent years. Historical series confirm a now evident trend. After a below-average phase between the 1960s and 1970s and an initial exceedance in the early 2000s, a new phase characterized by increasing anomalies will consolidate starting in 2022.

"The data clearly depict a structural change in the climate, which directly impacts the environmental, economic, and social balance of our region. We are no longer facing episodic phenomena, but a profound and lasting transformation. For this reason, the Region has already initiated an operational phase through the Regional Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change, strengthening interdepartmental coordination and integrating adaptation into planning and investments," emphasized Rosanna Laconi, Councilor for Environmental Protection, commenting on the numbers.

The heat becomes persistent: fewer peaks, longer duration – Over the course of the year, the report notes, the number of summer days, that is, days when temperatures exceed 30°C, is increasing, now exceeding one hundred per year in the island's inland areas. Along the coasts, a very high number of tropical nights is also confirmed, with temperatures never falling below 20°C and in some areas exceeding one hundred nights per year. What stands out is not only the frequency, but also the duration of the heat. The heat index highlights a longer persistence of thermal discomfort, signaling increasingly less episodic and more persistent heat. Climate risk is thus shifting from peaks to continuous hot conditions, with direct impacts on health, economic activity, and quality of life.

Precipitation: Irregularities and Territorial Imbalances – The annual rainfall balance remains generally close to the climate average, but the average figure does not reflect the true observed pattern. Rainfall is increasingly unevenly distributed across time and space. During the winter months and early spring, even higher-than-normal accumulations are recorded, with intense events such as the one between January 17 and 19, 2025, when some areas recorded over 336 mm of rain in just 72 hours. The comparison between 2024 and 2025 highlights a particularly significant feature: a true reversal in the territorial distribution of precipitation. In the first quarter of 2024, rainfall was concentrated primarily in the western parts of the island, with cumulative amounts often exceeding the climate average, while the eastern and southern slopes experienced widespread deficits, with local deviations of up to 75% compared to typical values. In the first quarter of 2025, the picture reverses. Precipitation is predominant in the eastern regions, with above-average accumulations especially in January and February, and locally up to twice the norm, while the western regions show significant deficits. In particular, in the Northwest, February 2025 alone recorded precipitation up to 75% lower than the climatological values.

Phases of marked water scarcity - May and June 2025 were particularly dry, with rainfall reduced to a quarter of the climatic average across much of the island. The emerging picture is one of territorial and temporal inhomogeneity, with areas of surplus and deficit rapidly alternating, sometimes with marked reversals from one year to the next. This dynamic directly impacts the balance of the water system and land management. "The issue is no longer how much it rains, but when and where. This irregularity puts pressure on the water system and land management and requires more integrated and adaptable public responses," Laconi continues.

Extreme events: more intense and concentrated phenomena – 2025 was marked by severe weather events. Heat waves with temperatures reaching 43°C were recorded between June and July, while a heat index of 43.9 was recorded in Chiaramonti on August 6. Twenty waterspouts were observed throughout the year, one of which hit Cagliari's Poetto beach, as well as large hailstones with stones up to 6 cm in diameter. These events are part of an increasingly warm and unstable climate, in which intense rainfall and heat waves are becoming more frequent, increasing the risk of flooding and forest fires.

Snow: a diminishing resource – During the winter of 2024–2025, approximately 25 days of snow cover were recorded, in line with a decreasing trend observed over the last decade. Rising temperatures are causing the freezing level to rise and a progressive reduction in snow accumulation, now limited to the highest areas. This phenomenon directly impacts water availability and the balance of mountain ecosystems.

Sea level: rising along the coasts of Sardinia – The sea level along the coasts of Sardinia is approximately 27 cm higher than the national mean sea level reference point (Genoa), a rise of approximately 8 cm over the last 25 years. This data confirms a clear and progressive trend, with tangible impacts on coastal areas, infrastructure, and ecosystems.

From analysis to action – "The ARPAS 2025 Report," a statement from the Region states, "reflects the image of a climate system already in transformation. Climate change is no longer a future prospect, but an ongoing condition that requires structured, ongoing, and integrated public action."

(Unioneonline)

© Riproduzione riservata