Italy's fourth heat wave of the summer will intensify through midweek, with 25 cities placed on the highest-level red alert through Wednesday and the peak expected by Thursday, the Health Ministry said. Florence and Bologna are forecast to reach 40 degrees Celsius, while Milan, Turin and Rome will see highs near 38. Only Messina and Reggio Calabria will avoid red status, remaining on orange alert.
Night-time relief remains scarce, with minimum temperatures staying above 25 degrees and tropical conditions gripping cities including Milan, Genoa and Naples. Surrounding seas have exceeded 28 degrees, amplifying humidity. A yellow-level thunderstorm warning covers parts of Abruzzo, Umbria and Sicily.
A slight cooling is expected from Friday, beginning in northern regions, but above-normal temperatures will persist through mid-August, with another hot phase possible from Aug. 10. Organised rainfall is not forecast before the middle of the month.