Italy issues red alert for 9 cities amid extreme heat

Italian authorities issued red-level heat warnings for nine cities including Rome and Palermo on Friday as the country faced its fifth summer heat wave, with forecasters predicting temperatures would reach 45 degrees Celsius in southern regions.

Emergency warnings issued

The highest-level alerts were activated for Bari, Cagliari, Campobasso, Catania, Latina, Messina, Palermo, Reggio Calabria and Rome, according to public broadcaster Rai News. A red alert designation signals emergency conditions where extreme heat endangers the entire population. Health officials warned that the risks extend beyond vulnerable groups to include healthy and active people.

Scorching temperatures forecast

The latest heat wave was driven by a North African anticyclone, with Friday expected to mark the peak of Italy’s summer. Sardinia and Sicily were forecast to experience the most severe conditions, with temperatures around 45C and some models projecting local peaks of as much as 48C. Temperatures were also expected to exceed 40C in Calabria, Puglia and Campania, while Rome was forecast to reach 39C.

Storms in the north

Eleven additional cities including Bologna, Florence and Naples were placed under orange alerts, indicating significant health risks. Exceptional nighttime heat provided little relief across southern and central coastal areas, where minimum temperatures remained above 25C and approached 30C in some locations. Meanwhile, northern Italy faced severe thunderstorms across the Alps and nearby plains, with heavy rainfall and hail reported.

Extended outlook

Temperatures are expected to decline in central Italy on Saturday, although extreme heat is forecast to persist in southern regions. Late-August records could be broken in the south before the heat wave subsides, meteorologists said.