A prolonged heatwave is expected to grip much of Italy until at least the end of June, with temperatures forecast to reach 39°C across large parts of the country, according to weather service iLMeteo.it.
Italian Meteorologist Mattia Gussoni was quoted by ANSA as saying that the highest temperatures will be concentrated across the northern plains and the Tyrrhenian regions. Major cities including Milan, Florence and Rome are expected to experience severe bioclimatic stress, with daytime highs of 37-38°C feeling even hotter because of the urban heat island effect.
Italia nella morsa del caldo: anomalie fino a 10 °C. 🌡️🥵
Night-time conditions are also expected to remain oppressive, with temperatures struggling to fall below 24-25°C, creating so-called “super tropical nights” that hinder the body’s natural cooling process and can significantly affect sleep quality.
The heatwave extends beyond Italy, with France and Germany expected to be at the centre of the European heat event. Temperatures could approach 40°C in Paris and several German cities, while London is forecast to reach around 35°C as the hot air mass pushes unusually far north.
In France, authorities have placed dozens of regions under the highest level of heat alert, with temperatures forecast to exceed 42°C in parts of the southwest. Nearly 2,700 schools are expected to close or modify timetables because of the extreme conditions, while French officials have confirmed three heat-related deaths and warned that the hot weather is likely to persist for several more days.
In the United Kingdom, the heatwave is expected to bring temperatures of up to 35°C in London. Authorities have issued health warnings as unusually high temperatures are forecast to put pressure on transport infrastructure and increase health risks, particularly for vulnerable people.
This heatwave doesn’t stop in France, we might be seeing records pulverized across many more European countries.
The latest high resolution weather models suggest temperatures could break 40°C well into the UK this Thursday…
According to iLMeteo.it, the heat is being driven by a large subtropical air mass spreading across Europe and the Mediterranean. The combination of already hot air and additional warming caused by compressing air within a strong high-pressure system could produce temperatures up to 15°C above seasonal averages in parts of France and Germany, raising the possibility of challenging records set during the 2003 European heatwave.
The forecast indicates mostly sunny and increasingly hot conditions across Italy through Wednesday, with isolated afternoon thunderstorms developing over mountainous and inland areas. The subtropical high-pressure system is expected to strengthen further, with temperatures potentially reaching 41°C from next weekend.
