Overview
- The long fourth heatwave is beginning to break, and health 'red' alerts have fallen to two cities on Ferragosto with only Bari forecast to remain red on Sunday, August 16.
- Forecasters say the main change will come on Monday, August 17, when organized thunderstorms may bring heavy rain, large hail and damaging downbursts across Lombardy, the Triveneto and Liguria.
- Large wildfires continue to burn in several regions; a major blaze near Monte Goj (Como) forced about 50 evacuations and Friuli Venezia Giulia has declared an emergency and extended a regional drought status.
- The heat has already caused acute human harm, with reported deaths among elderly holidaymakers and prison staff unions warning of critical problems where cooling and water supplies are inadequate.
- Authorities face added strain from Ferragosto travel, with about 24 million vehicles expected on roads this weekend, and forecasters say the cooling may be brief with a possible short return of African heat around August 19–21 as a forecasted scenario.