Italy braces for more heat and storms after deadly weekend

Italy was bracing for more extreme weather on Tuesday after a woman was killed by a falling tree near Milan as violent storms swept across the north over the weekend, civil protection authorities said.

The 63-year-old victim died Sunday in Lombardy, one of several northern regions hit by strong winds and heavy rain. A weather alert remains in place for 14 regions, with parts of Lombardy and Veneto under orange alert and 12 others under yellow, including Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, Lazio, Campania and Puglia.

While storms pounded the north, much of the country continues to suffer from a prolonged and intense heatwave, which has been linked to several recent deaths. Italy registered its hottest year on record in 2024, with the average temperature rising by 1.33 degrees Celsius above the 1991–2020 norm, according to a new report by the National System for Environmental Protection (SNPA).

The report highlighted stark contrasts in rainfall, with the north seeing 38 percent more precipitation than average, while the south and islands faced an 18 percent drop, worsening water scarcity in many areas.

Scientists warn that the climate crisis, driven largely by the burning of fossil fuels, is making extreme weather events such as heatwaves and powerful storms more frequent and intense.

With fresh storms expected and scorching temperatures persisting, authorities are urging vigilance as Italy confronts the mounting toll of a changing climate.