Much of the Mediterranean sweltered Thursday as Cyprus issued a yellow alert for soaring inland temperatures and Italy battled a mix of searing southern heat and violent storms in the north.
Cyprus’ Meteorological Department warned that temperatures could reach 40 C (104 F) inland, with slightly cooler conditions along the coast and in the mountains. The warning, in effect from noon to 5 p.m., came as the island entered a stretch of mostly clear skies and rising heat through the weekend.
Italy, meanwhile, experienced what meteorologist Lorenzo Tedici described as “increasingly tropical” conditions, with monsoon-like downpours hammering the central and northern regions while the south endured highs approaching 39 C (102 F). He said climate change was fueling the extremes, noting that each degree of warming increases rainfall intensity by an estimated 8%.
“Since early August, an anticyclone has pushed highs to 40-42 C and record nighttime lows of 33 C, saturating the atmosphere with humidity,” Tedici said. That buildup, he added, has primed Italy for sudden, violent storms. Further thunderstorms are forecast across Tuscany, the Adriatic coast and northern regions through the weekend, while southern cities such as Catania and Barletta brace for more scorching heat.
Both countries remain on alert as meteorologists warn of continued unstable conditions across the Mediterranean basin, underscoring the region’s vulnerability to intensifying heat waves and extreme weather linked to global warming.
