Italy is preparing for its first heat wave of 2026. A subtropical high-pressure system began moving over the country on Wednesday, ending a long period of rain and below-average temperatures that marked much of May. Temperatures are expected to rise by up to 15°C within a week in the central and northern regions.
Florence is expected to reach 34°C. e Rome 32°C In the coming days, the heat is expected to intensify over the next ten days and only subside shortly before the national holiday on June 2nd.
City by city
In the north-central region, in Tuscany Other areas in the northwest will see peak temperatures of 32°C to 33°C this weekend, reaching 34°C the following week. Milan is expected to reach 28°C. on Saturday and Sunday.
In the south, Naples and Palermo should also reach 27°C or 28°C. Over the weekend, however, the heat will be tempered by the Maestrale winds — the cold northwest current that blows from the Mediterranean, with a particular influence on Puglia, Basilicata and Calabria.
“Temperatures will be higher in the center and north than in the south,” stated Lorenzo Tedici, meteorologist at the website ilmeteo.it. According to him, this is “a true temperature inversion,” with a gradual “escalation” that should level out readings across the country by the end of next week.
Drought and fire alert
The heat wave arrives at a delicate time for southern Italy, where the drought is worsening and the forest fire season began more than a month earlier than usual this year. In April, forecasts already indicated that May temperatures would be up to 3°C above the seasonal average.
The Italian Ministry of Health had not yet begun issuing local heat warnings by city for the summer of 2026. Long-term forecasts indicate a Especially hot summers in Italy and in much of southern Europe.
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