Italy's third heatwave of the summer is expected to peak between Thursday and Friday, with the number of cities on red alert set to jump from 7 to 15. Interior areas of Sardinia could reach 44°C, while Sicily may exceed 45°C over the weekend. In Rome, 80% of neighbourhoods now record summer daytime ground temperatures above 40°C, with asphalt at bus stops reaching nearly 60°C.
Severe storms meanwhile battered northern regions, where ten military academy cadets were injured by a lightning strike in Pordenone and a debris landslide was triggered in the Dolomites. A weakening of high pressure could bring further violent downpours to the northeast before temperatures drop slightly.
Heat-related mortality is also under scrutiny across Europe. In Germany, 23,900 deaths were recorded in the week of 22–28 June, 7,100 more than two weeks earlier. A fourth heatwave may arrive from 24 July with potentially higher temperatures.