Overview

• Orange alerts remain in force for Lombardy and Veneto and yellow warnings cover 14 regions after ongoing hail, heavy rain and lightning strikes.
• An Atlantic cold front on July 7–8 unleashed violent thunderstorms and flash floods, prompting the rescue of seven youths from a sudden rise of the Piave River.
• Meteorological networks recorded about 100,000 lightning strikes nationwide in 48 hours, including 27,000 in Tuscany during a 12-hour span.
• Northern cities saw maximum temperatures plunge by up to 10 °C to below 30 °C, contrasting with earlier July highs of 38–39 °C in southern and insular areas.
• Forecast models indicate the African anticyclone will rebuild around mid-July, raising the prospect of another intense heat wave.