Overview

• The African anticyclone ‘Scipione’ is fueling soaring temperatures with forecasts of 38°C in Florence and Bologna and up to 42°C in southern Italy and the islands.
• The Italian Ministry of Health has declared red alert status for Bolzano, Campobasso and Perugia to signal emergency-level risks to public health.
• Forecasters warn the heatwave will persist through the weekend with readings well above seasonal averages across much of the country.
• Relief is expected to begin on June 16 as a cooler air mass from Northern Europe arrives but may trigger violent thunderstorms and localized downpours over the Alps.
• The World Health Organization has launched a Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health to develop strategies addressing rising heat-related health threats.