CLIMATE
The towns on the banks of the Alto Lago di Como (Dervio, Dorio, Colico, Sorico, Gera Lario, Domaso, Gravedona ed Uniti, Dongo, Musso and Pianello del Lario) are located 200 metres above sea level. The hillside villages (Montemezzo, Trezzone, Vercana, Peglio, Livo, Dosso del Liro, Garzeno and Stazzona) and Cremia are at a slightly higher altitude. The entire territory has excellent weather conditions mitigated by the presence of the lake. The climate can generally be defined as semi-continental with hot and stormy summers and cold wet winters. The average winter temperature (December, January and February) is 5°C with lows even dropping below zero. For this reason, it snows every year allowing skiers and lovers of snowshoes to enjoy the snow-covered slopes.
In summer (June, July and August), the average temperature is around 24°C with highs of more than 30°C. Short and frequent summer storms (mainly in the afternoon or evening) cool the days down and keep the torrid heat at bay.
In spring and autumn, the climate is perfect. There is little rain and the temperature is always pleasant. It is the ideal time to practice sports, visit the villages and holiday in tranquillity outside the high tourist season.
LAKE TEMPERATURE
The lake surface water temperature (up to a depth of 10 metres) also varies according to the time of the year. In spring, it is around 17°C- 20°C, in summer it rises to 23°C - 24°C and during winter it falls to 5°C - 6°C.
(Testr from the website www.portolanolagodicomo.it)
WINDS OF THE ALTO LAGO DI COMO (UPPER LAKE COMO)
Lake Como is located in a large basin and is surrounded mainly by mountains. This allows countless air currents to circulate the beautiful lake waters, which subject them to abrupt climate changes. When sailing on the Alto Lago di Como, you can go from situations of relative calm to rough and turbulent waters characterised by strong winds. This particular feature makes the Alto Lario an excellent sailing gym, and many sailing regattas, even international ones, are organised during the summer months.
The Breva is the prevailing wind, it has an anticyclonic rotation and blows quite frequently. In the Alto Lago di Como, compared to the rest of the lake, the Breva wind is strengthened by an intensity that easily exceeds 15/20 knots, accompanied often by significant wave motion.
The Tivano is a morning thermal wind, it has a much lower intensity and becomes perceivable only south of Dongo, although at the promontories of Domaso and Dervio, it can increase by about 3/4 knots due to the narrowing of the lake.
The Ventone, (or Vento) is a northerly wind that blows in strong gusts. It is a tramontana that descends from Valchiavenna and can reach a considerable intensity, up to 40 knots.
Of similar phenomenology is the Fohn; this wind is also accompanied by a rise in temperature.
The Garzeno (or Garzenasco) wind descends from the valleys of Garzeno, and is usually associated with thunderstorms concentrated on the high ground above the town of Dongo.
(Testr from the website www.portolanolagodicomo.it)
Download the water sports map and discover the direction of the winds
