As per reports, Italy is expected to experience one of the most intense heatwaves of the summer as a North African subtropical anticyclone strengthens over the country, with the hottest conditions forecast between Friday (31 July), and Sunday (02 August).

• Temperatures are expected to rise well above seasonal averages, reaching 38-39 degrees Celsius across the northern plains and 40-41 degrees Celsius across inland areas of central Italy, while Sardinia is also forecast to record temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.
• The heatwave will also produce tropical nights, with temperatures in many urban areas and across the Po Valley and coastal regions expected to remain around 25-26 degrees Celsius overnight, reducing overnight cooling and increasing heat stress.
• Mountain regions will also experience unusually high temperatures, with 27-29 degrees Celsius at 1,500 metres in the Alps, while parts of the Apennines, including L’Aquila (36 degrees Celsius), Potenza (34 degrees Celsius), and Campobasso (33 degrees Celsius), are forecast to experience exceptionally warm conditions.
• The prolonged heat is also expected to create favorable conditions for severe thunderstorms, particularly during the afternoon and evening of Saturday (01 August), and Sunday (02 August).
• The Alps are expected to be the primary area affected, with thunderstorms driven by the interaction of extreme surface heat and cooler air aloft.
• Storm activity may subsequently extend across parts of the central Apennines, while isolated thunderstorms could also move into sections of the upper Po Valley, particularly Lombardy, bringing heavy rainfall, lightning, hail, and strong wind gusts. Forecasts indicate that the heatwave is likely to persist into the first week of August.