Italy is gripped by its third heat wave of summer 2026, with average temperatures hovering around 35°C and peaks expected to breach 40°C in parts of the country. The scorching African air mass arrived on 8 July and forecasters say it will persist without relief until at least 20 July. Sardinia could see extremes of 43–45°C between 13 and 15 July, while the Po Valley is forecast to reach 39°C and coastal waters off Cesenatico already register 28°C.
The World Health Organization has warned of further deadly weeks ahead across Europe, where the continent has been warming at twice the global average since 2014. On Thursday, ten cities carry orange-level health alerts, with Florence under the highest red warning. June itself was the second hottest on record since 2003, running 3.26°C above the long-term baseline.