A cold front will bring temporary respite with rain and cooler temperatures to northeastern and central Italy before a new heat wave engulfs the peninsula starting Friday, meteorologist Lorenzo Tedici of iLMeteo.it warns. Southern regions will bear the brunt, with Sicily and Puglia expecting highs of 38°C, while central areas reach 36°C and northern Emilia peaks at 35°C.
“Between Wednesday afternoon and Thursday evening, a cold front descending from Sweden will trigger isolated thunderstorms across the Northeast before extending to central and Adriatic regions,” Tedici stated. Scattered showers will initially affect Trentino Alto Adige, Veneto, and Friuli Venezia Giulia, followed by downpours in Romagna, Marche, Abruzzo, Lazio, Molise, and Puglia on Thursday.
African heat will reclaim Italy by Friday, igniting a blistering weekend nationwide. “The peak arrives next Monday with 42°C in the shade forecast for Foggia, Matera, and Catania,” Tedici emphasized, hinting at subsequent “noteworthy developments.”
Long-term projections suggest the Azores High pressure system may stabilize over Italy from July 22 through month’s end. “If confirmed, this would spare us excessive heat in late July,” Tedici noted.
Detailed Outlook:**
– *Wednesday, July 16:* Thunderstorms in the Northeast (Triveneto) with cooling