Lugano climate
Lugano (Switzerland) has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa). The average temperature over the year is 13 °C56 °F, and about 1,207 mm48 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Lugano climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 643 | −130 | 236 | 512.0 |
| Feb | 846 | 032 | 439 | 592.3 |
| Mar | 1254 | 439 | 847 | 712.8 |
| Apr | 1762 | 847 | 1355 | 1024.0 |
| May | 2170 | 1355 | 1763 | 1395.5 |
| Jun | 2678 | 1763 | 2171 | 1204.7 |
| Jul | 2882 | 1967 | 2474 | 1074.2 |
| Aug | 2781 | 1966 | 2373 | 1295.1 |
| Sep | 2373 | 1458 | 1966 | 993.9 |
| Oct | 1864 | 1050 | 1457 | 1114.4 |
| Nov | 1253 | 541 | 847 | 1475.8 |
| Dec | 745 | 032 | 438 | 732.9 |
| Year | 2882 | −130 | 1356 | 1,20748 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75% | 74% | 1.5 | 9:01 |
| Feb | 74% | 74% | 2.5 | 10:17 |
| Mar | 72% | 73% | 3.6 | 11:46 |
| Apr | 72% | 74% | 4.3 | 13:29 |
| May | 72% | 77% | 4.8 | 14:56 |
| Jun | 71% | 71% | 5.6 | 15:44 |
| Jul | 69% | 64% | 5.7 | 15:24 |
| Aug | 70% | 64% | 4.9 | 14:08 |
| Sep | 72% | 65% | 3.8 | 12:28 |
| Oct | 78% | 68% | 2.5 | 10:49 |
| Nov | 79% | 73% | 1.5 | 9:22 |
| Dec | 75% | 74% | 1.2 | 8:39 |
Humid. = average relative humidity at 2 m; cloud = average cloud amount; solar = average daily solar energy reaching the ground in kWh/m² (all-sky); daylight in hours:minutes, calculated for the 15th of each month.
What the climate of Lugano is like
The warmest month is July, with an average high of 28 °C82 °F and a low of 19 °C67 °F. The coldest is January, when highs average 6 °C43 °F and lows −1 °C30 °F. Seasons are strongly marked: the warmest month is on average 21.1 °C38 °F warmer than the coldest.
It is wet, with about 1,207 mm48 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is May–July, which brings 30% of the annual total. The wettest month is November (147 mm5.8 in), the driest is January (51 mm2.0 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 69% in July to 79% in November. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 64%) are typical of August. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 4 km/h (3 mph) in November to 5 km/h (3 mph) in May. Daylight lasts from about 8.7 hours in December to 15.7 hours in June.
Best time to visit Lugano
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are June and July and September. Average highs then reach 23 °C73 °F to 28 °C82 °F. Precipitation is 99 mm3.9 in to 120 mm4.7 in per month.
The most challenging month is January, which is cold, with average highs of 6 °C43 °F.
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to an ideal. That means an average high of 21–28 °C (70–82 °F), lows above 5 °C (41 °F), little precipitation and moderate humidity. The best-ranked months of each place are recommended, even where none meets all of these. These are general rules of thumb applied to long-term averages.
What to pack for Lugano
- Winter (December–February) — highs 643 to 8 °C46 °F, lows −130 to 0 °C32 °F, about 61 mm2.4 in of precipitation a month. Pack a warm coat, layers and closed shoes and shoes with good grip, as frost is common.
- Spring (March–May) — highs 1254 to 21 °C70 °F, lows 439 to 13 °C55 °F, about 104 mm4.1 in of precipitation a month. Pack long sleeves, a sweater and a medium jacket and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Summer (June–August) — highs 2678 to 28 °C82 °F, lows 1763 to 19 °C67 °F, about 119 mm4.7 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Autumn (September–November) — highs 1253 to 23 °C73 °F, lows 541 to 14 °C58 °F, about 119 mm4.7 in of precipitation a month. Pack long sleeves, a sweater and a medium jacket and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
How Lugano compares
The nearest larger place is Milan, about 63 km to the south. Compared with it, Lugano is on average 0.8 °C1.5 °F cooler. It receives 23% more precipitation (1,207 mm48 in vs 985 mm39 in). The difference is largest in August (1.2 °C2.2 °F cooler).
World Climates covers 6 places in Switzerland. By annual mean temperature, Lugano is the warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 2nd wettest. See all of them on the Switzerland climate page.
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall. The closest matches are Trento (Italy, Cfa), Udine (Italy, Cfa) and Novara (Italy, Cfa).
Nearby places
- Climate in Milan 63 km · 14 °C57 °F · 985 mm39 in
- Climate in Novara 68 km · 14 °C57 °F · 982 mm39 in
- Climate in Brescia 111 km · 14 °C57 °F · 918 mm36 in
- Climate in Piacenza 121 km · 15 °C58 °F · 798 mm31 in
- Climate in Vaduz 133 km · 11 °C51 °F · 1,428 mm56 in
- Climate in Turin 144 km · 14 °C58 °F · 778 mm31 in
- Climate in Zürich 154 km · 10 °C50 °F · 1,313 mm52 in
- Climate in Bern 156 km · 10 °C50 °F · 1,142 mm45 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Lugano?
July is the warmest month in Lugano. Its average high is 28 °C (82 °F) and its average low is 19 °C (67 °F).
What is the coldest month in Lugano?
January is the coldest month. Its average high is 6 °C (43 °F) and its average low is -1 °C (30 °F).
When does it rain the most in Lugano?
November is the wettest month with about 147 mm (5.8 in) of precipitation. January is the driest with about 51 mm (2.0 in).
What is the best time to visit Lugano?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are June and July and September.
About this data
All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station. So they can differ from airport records. The gaps are largest on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.
The grid cell’s average elevation is 800 m, while Lugano lies at about 284 m. Temperatures on this page were therefore adjusted by +3.4 °C6 °F using the standard lapse rate of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m.