Climate: snow in winter, sun and clean air
At 700 m in the Sannio hills, Campobasso has cold winters with frequent and sometimes heavy snowfalls, summers hot by day and cool at night, and many hours of sunshine. Its air is among the cleanest of Italy's regional capitals. The area has medium-high seismicity: the 2002 Molise earthquake struck the province.
Sections: Seasons · Rainfall · Temperatures · Air quality · Environmental hazards
The climate
Campobasso has a high Apennine-hill climate: winter is cold, with January average temperatures among the lowest of the regional capitals, frequent snowfalls from December to March and occasional heavy episodes with cold currents from the Adriatic (the city is known for its snow, which can interrupt schools and transport for a few days). Summer is hot in the middle of the day but cool in the evening and at night, with low humidity; spring and autumn are short and changeable. Sunshine hours are many (see data) and wind is frequent on the hill. Newcomers should budget for heating from October to April and for winter tyres or chains on board, compulsory in the cold months.
Air and natural hazards
Air quality is good: the city is small, windy and has little traffic, and exceedances of the daily PM10 limit are few (see data); in the cold months domestic heating is the main source of particulates. Seismic risk is medium-high: Molise was hit by the earthquake of 31 October 2002 (30 deaths, including 27 children and a teacher in the collapse of the school in San Giuliano di Puglia, in the province of Campobasso) and by seismic swarms in 2018 in the Montecilfone area; the city suffered limited damage. The clay hills inland are prone to landslides after heavy rain and thaw.
Data
Sources
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Reviewed: 10/23/2026 · by piero.avolio · rev. 1 · Period: → 2027-10-31
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