Overview
- A late‑summer heatwave is in place this weekend with daytime temperatures generally between 34°C and 38°C and urban peaks forecast at about 36°C in Milan, 37°C in Rome and up to 38°C in the Foggia area.
- Roads are heavily used for the final counter‑flow before school reopenings, with Anas estimating more than 27 million vehicles on national roads and highways over the weekend.
- To ease travel, Anas has closed or suspended 1,175 roadworks (about 83% of active sites) through 7 September and its CEO has urged drivers to travel responsibly and not use mobile phones while driving.
- The heat is driven by an African/Maghreb high‑pressure bubble that forecasters say will break down when north‑Atlantic air arrives, causing maximum temperatures to fall to roughly 27–29°C from Wednesday 9 September and bringing spells of sun, rain and cooler winds.
- Because Mediterranean sea temperatures remain very warm (around 28–30°C), meteorologists warn the incoming cool air could fuel heavy downpours, flash floods and other intense storm episodes with wider autumn implications.