Overview
- The first thunderstorms arrived on Sunday over the Alps and Prealps as a cyclone from Northern Europe began to erode the Saharan-driven heat dome and push cooler air into the peninsula.
- Forecasters single out Monday, August 17, for the highest risk of severe convective storms in northern Italy with potential for heavy rain, large hail and downburst gusts that could develop into organised storm clusters.
- Official heat alerts have fallen sharply following the change in pattern, with Ministry of Health bulletins showing only Bari expected to remain at the highest 'red' level on Sunday.
- Large wildfires continue to pose local danger despite the weather shift: the Morrone blaze has been contained, but fires such as Monte Goj near Como forced about 50 residents to evacuate and other blazes prompted regional emergency measures and drought responses.
- The weather turn affects people directly: heat-linked deaths of elderly holidaymakers were reported earlier this month, prisons report dangerous conditions from poor cooling and water, and transport agencies warn heavy Ferragosto traffic may complicate emergency response; meteorologists say the cooler spell could be brief if the African anticyclone re-establishes around August 19–21.