From today, Sunday 16 July, the third heat wave is affecting Italy from north to south, with heat increasing even at night and record temperatures. The coming week could be one of the hottest of the year, and possibly ever. The “fault” is one hot air bubble which from North Africa goes up towards our country, bringing a reinforcement of the high pressure on the Mediterranean. It is estimated that the thermometers will exceed 40°C, especially in the central south and on the islands, with peaks of 43 degrees in Rome, 45 in Foggia, 48 in some inland areas of Sardinia, between Monday 17 and especially Tuesday 18 July.
An intense and widespread heat which, according to experts, will extend to a good part of next week and which will maintain above-average values even at night. Starting today, July 16, the thermal values will thus rise by about 8°C above the average and maximum values. The worst situation will be that of the inland areas of southern Italy and the major islands, which will go above 40°C.
Today red dot (the highest level of alert) in 16 cities, according to the latest report bulletin of the ministry of health which monitors 27 urban centers: Bari, Bologna, Cagliari, Campobasso, Catania, Civitavecchia, Florence, Frosinone, Latina, Messina, Palermo, Perugia, breaking latest news, Rieti, Rome and Viterbo. Nine are the cities with an orange sticker: Ancona, Bolzano, Brescia, Genoa, Milan, Reggio Calabria, Trieste, Venice and Verona. Finally, a yellow sticker only for Naples and Turin.
Sahara Express: the heat wave that comes from the desert
According to weather forecasts, the picture will get even more complicated starting from Monday 17. In the first days of next week, warm air will continue to rise from Western Sahara towards the Mediterranean Sea, with the result that surface temperatures of 850 hPa (about 1,500 meters above sea level) will reach +28°C/+30°C in the centre-south and on the major islands. Translated: it will be hot even in the mountains.
When and where does the heat peak?
41 degrees in the shade are expected for Monday 17 July in Rome and instead 43 for Tuesday 18, higher than the record of 40.7 of summer 2022. even higher values in Sardinia: on Tuesday 18 on the island peaks of 48 degrees could be reached in the southern inland areas. As such, it is expected that historic heat records could be broken just next week.
It will also be very hot in the north, even if the temperatures will be lower. The maximums will also go beyond 35°C and locally they could touch 40°C in the Po Valley. Tuesday 18, as mentioned, temperatures could reach 43°C in Rome, higher than the record of 40.7°C set in summer 2022 and that of 40.5°C set in 2002. During the week, exceptional values are expected also on the rest of the of Italy, with 44 degrees in Foggia, Agrigento and Oristano, 45 in Syracuse and 39-40 in Florence. It is also not certain that the heat wave will end with next week. In fact, the intense heat could continue even in the last ten days of July, thus bringing this month to the podium of the hottest ever.