If you're not in a conditioned environment, you're sure to be sweating by reading this article. An unpleasant condition that has been going on for too many days now, and that according to meteorologists it won't give a break for at least another week. Then, the longed-for storms, which in the expectations of millions of Italians and Europeans should bring a bit of coolness to what will be remembered throughout the continent – data in hand – as the hottest July for a century and a half.
The wave of sultriness gives no respite and opens up unthinkable scenarios: record heat even in cities like London, where Wimbledon had (almost) never been interrupted due to rain for years, and above all in Paris, surprisingly reported as the hottest capital of the month. Not to mention Turin, where in the first mid-July the average temperature over the 24 hours was close to 29 °C, a good five degrees above the norm, a value that would be excessive even for the hottest corners of Europe, such as southern Sicily and Andalusia.
Only in Italy, there are 20 cities with a red dot, i.e. with serious health risks even for healthy people: according to bulletin issued by the Ministry of Health, which is expected to peak between today and tomorrow (then some thunderstorms in the Alps will bring minimal relief, but only in the North), these are Bari, Bologna, Bolzano, Brescia, Campobasso, Civitavecchia, Florence, Frosinone, Genoa, Latina , Milan, Palermo, Perugia, Pescara, Rieti, Rome, Turin, Trieste, Verona and Viterbo. And tomorrow it will get even worse: there will be 22 cities at risk, namely Ancona, Bari, Bologna, Bolzano, Brescia, Campobasso, Civitavecchia, Florence, Frosinone, Latina, Messina, Milan, Naples, Palermo, Perugia, Pescara, Rieti, Rome, Turin, Trieste, Verona and Viterbo.
Peaks are expected in these cities which at this point are no longer surprising: the psychological threshold of 40 degrees has already been reached or almost everywhere for a couple of days, from North to South, in the hills, by the sea or in the plains. Then there is the matter of humidity, of the perceived temperature, which in many cases leads to making the air not only hot but also unbreathable: in some cities, such as Rome, it hasn't rained for at least a month and to have your face from a breath of wind you have to be found awake at 3 in the morning. Indeed, the Capital has a sad record: it is the hottest city at night, due to the high humidity. In Florence, on the other hand, 39 degrees were recorded for 12 days in a row, with the real thermometer showing 47.
For the relief it will therefore be necessary to wait until the end of the month: not before Thursday 23 July, experts say. A date to mark on the calendar, even the one with a nice red dot.
