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Italy Split Between Severe Thunderstorms and Extreme 45°C Heat

August 28, 2026
Italy is being divided by two sharply contrasting weather hazards on Friday, August 28, as severe thunderstorms sweep across parts of the north while exceptional late-summer heat grips central and southern regions. An Atlantic disturbance crossing northern Italy has increased atmospheric instability across the Alps and Pre-Alps, prompting an Orange thunderstorm alert for parts of Lombardy. Yellow alerts extend across other areas of Lombardy and Piedmont. At the opposite end of the country, temperatures are climbing well above 40°C (104°F), with Sicily and Sardinia experiencing some of the most intense heat. Italy’s Ministry of Health placed nine cities under its highest Red heat-health alert on Friday: Bari, Cagliari, Campobasso, Catania, Latina, Messina, Palermo, Reggio Calabria and Rome. Severe thunderstorms target northern Italy Italy’s Civil Protection Department warned that a fast-moving disturbance would cross the Alpine region on Friday, accompanied by strengthening southerly winds at higher elevations. Thunderstorms are expected to be most intense across northern Piedmont and Lombardy, particularly around the Alpine and foothill areas. The strongest cells could produce torrential downpours, frequent lightning, damaging wind gusts and localized hail. Strong to gale-force southerly winds are also expected across Alpine areas of Lombardy, Veneto and Trentino. The Lombardy Civil Protection warning describes southwesterly flow aloft associated with a trough, providing the large-scale atmospheric forcing necessary for the deterioration. The storm threat is expected to progress eastward along the Alps toward northeastern Italy, with some thunderstorms potentially reaching the northern Po Valley. Temperatures approach 45°C farther south While northern Italy deals with storms, a powerful subtropical air mass is producing exceptional heat across the rest of the country. Temperatures around 42 to 44°C (108 to 111°F) are expected across the hottest areas of the south, with forecasts indicating around 45°C (113°F) could be reached locally in Sicily and Sardinia. Calabria, Puglia and Campania are also expected to exceed 40°C (104°F) in places. Rome is forecast to approach 39°C (102°F). The Ministry of Health’s Red designation represents its highest heat-risk category and indicates conditions that can affect the health of the general population, not only people considered particularly vulnerable. Eleven additional cities were under Orange alerts on Friday. The latest forecasts suggest Friday represents the peak of the heatwave for much of Italy. Why is Italy experiencing two weather extremes? The dramatic contrast is being created by the boundary between Atlantic air approaching from western Europe and an exceptionally hot subtropical air mass covering much of the Mediterranean. Across northern Italy, cooler air and an approaching upper-level trough are encountering warm, moisture-rich air accumulated near the surface. That temperature contrast, combined with abundant atmospheric moisture, is increasing instability. Rising parcels of hot, humid air can accelerate upward into towering thunderstorms, while stronger winds higher in the atmosphere help organize the most vigorous cells. Farther south, however, the Atlantic disturbance has not yet displaced the subtropical ridge. High pressure and sinking air are suppressing cloud development across much of central and southern Italy. At the same time, extremely warm air transported northward from North Africa is allowing temperatures to climb to levels more typical of the peak of an intense Mediterranean heatwave. The result is an unusually sharp meteorological divide: severe convection across the north and exceptional heat only several hundred kilometres farther south. Relief arrives unevenly this weekend Conditions should begin changing during the weekend, although relief will not arrive everywhere simultaneously. Temperatures across central and northern Italy are expected to fall by roughly 3 to 4°C (5 to 7°F) on Saturday as the cooler air advances. The extreme heat will linger longer across southern Italy. Six cities are expected to remain under Red heat alerts Saturday, falling to four by Sunday. Catania, Messina, Palermo and Reggio Calabria are expected to remain at the highest warning level into August 30. Northern Italy should meanwhile become more settled after Friday’s main thunderstorm episode, although isolated storms could persist around the Dolomites. For Italy, the final days of August are therefore bringing two very different faces of summer at the same time: violent convective weather along the Alps and potentially exceptional heat across the Mediterranean south.
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Italy is being divided by two sharply contrasting weather hazards on Friday, August 28, as severe thunderstorms sweep across parts of the north while exceptional late-summer heat grips central and southern regions.

An Atlantic disturbance crossing northern Italy has increased atmospheric instability across the Alps and Pre-Alps, prompting an Orange thunderstorm alert for parts of Lombardy. Yellow alerts extend across other areas of Lombardy and Piedmont.

At the opposite end of the country, temperatures are climbing well above 40°C (104°F), with Sicily and Sardinia experiencing some of the most intense heat.

Italy’s Ministry of Health placed nine cities under its highest Red heat-health alert on Friday: Bari, Cagliari, Campobasso, Catania, Latina, Messina, Palermo, Reggio Calabria and Rome.

Severe thunderstorms target northern Italy

Italy’s Civil Protection Department warned that a fast-moving disturbance would cross the Alpine region on Friday, accompanied by strengthening southerly winds at higher elevations.

Thunderstorms are expected to be most intense across northern Piedmont and Lombardy, particularly around the Alpine and foothill areas. The strongest cells could produce torrential downpours, frequent lightning, damaging wind gusts and localized hail.

Strong to gale-force southerly winds are also expected across Alpine areas of Lombardy, Veneto and Trentino.

The Lombardy Civil Protection warning describes southwesterly flow aloft associated with a trough, providing the large-scale atmospheric forcing necessary for the deterioration.

The storm threat is expected to progress eastward along the Alps toward northeastern Italy, with some thunderstorms potentially reaching the northern Po Valley.

Temperatures approach 45°C farther south

While northern Italy deals with storms, a powerful subtropical air mass is producing exceptional heat across the rest of the country.

Temperatures around 42 to 44°C (108 to 111°F) are expected across the hottest areas of the south, with forecasts indicating around 45°C (113°F) could be reached locally in Sicily and Sardinia. Calabria, Puglia and Campania are also expected to exceed 40°C (104°F) in places.

Rome is forecast to approach 39°C (102°F).

The Ministry of Health’s Red designation represents its highest heat-risk category and indicates conditions that can affect the health of the general population, not only people considered particularly vulnerable. Eleven additional cities were under Orange alerts on Friday.

The latest forecasts suggest Friday represents the peak of the heatwave for much of Italy.

Why is Italy experiencing two weather extremes?

The dramatic contrast is being created by the boundary between Atlantic air approaching from western Europe and an exceptionally hot subtropical air mass covering much of the Mediterranean.

Across northern Italy, cooler air and an approaching upper-level trough are encountering warm, moisture-rich air accumulated near the surface.

That temperature contrast, combined with abundant atmospheric moisture, is increasing instability. Rising parcels of hot, humid air can accelerate upward into towering thunderstorms, while stronger winds higher in the atmosphere help organize the most vigorous cells.

Farther south, however, the Atlantic disturbance has not yet displaced the subtropical ridge.

High pressure and sinking air are suppressing cloud development across much of central and southern Italy. At the same time, extremely warm air transported northward from North Africa is allowing temperatures to climb to levels more typical of the peak of an intense Mediterranean heatwave.

The result is an unusually sharp meteorological divide: severe convection across the north and exceptional heat only several hundred kilometres farther south.

Relief arrives unevenly this weekend

Conditions should begin changing during the weekend, although relief will not arrive everywhere simultaneously.

Temperatures across central and northern Italy are expected to fall by roughly 3 to 4°C (5 to 7°F) on Saturday as the cooler air advances.

The extreme heat will linger longer across southern Italy. Six cities are expected to remain under Red heat alerts Saturday, falling to four by Sunday. Catania, Messina, Palermo and Reggio Calabria are expected to remain at the highest warning level into August 30.

Northern Italy should meanwhile become more settled after Friday’s main thunderstorm episode, although isolated storms could persist around the Dolomites.

For Italy, the final days of August are therefore bringing two very different faces of summer at the same time: violent convective weather along the Alps and potentially exceptional heat across the Mediterranean south.

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