The hottest week of the year begins. Not that the previous ones have been cool, especially the first weeks of this summer, with the heat which, however, at least in the North, was subsequently interspersed with frequent (and no less worrying, due to violence) rainfall. The latest thunderstorms in the North, especially the Alpine arc, played out over the last weekend: in the week leading up to August XNUMX, however, they are expected sun and scorching heat throughout Italy, including the regions that until a few hours ago had breathed a little. The hottest days will be those starting from Wednesday 11 August, when in many cases the maximum 40 degrees will be exceeded in the Central South, and even in the North the mercury column could exceed 35 degrees. However, the northern regions will take a few more days to reach an emergency level, while the situation is already torrid in the Centre-South, especially on the Islands where in the next few days peaks up to 45 degrees. Some even speak of 50 degrees, in some internal areas.
As far as big cities go, one of the hottest ones should be right Rome, where 39-40 degrees are expected. As mentioned, this African wave will mainly involve the Centre-South, so much so that the traditionally hot Northern cities will be a little less hot: Trento and Bolzano, which usually stand out, should keep to a maximum of 32-33 degrees, thus as well as Milan, while Bologna and Florence will rise to 37-38, like Naples and Bari. The Ministry of Health has issued a bulletin on the risks to citizens' health in the coming days, with as many as 8 capital cities with a red dot: Bari, Campobasso, Frosinone, Latina, Palermo, Perugia, Rieti, Rome. In these centers the heat can have "possible negative effects on the health of healthy and active people and not only on the subgroups at risk". Almost all the other municipalities monitored by the heat wave bulletin, including Milan, are in the orange zone ("risk to health, particularly in the most susceptible subgroups of the population"), while some cities on the Adriatic side are saved (Ancona, Venice , Pescara). Really green dot for Turin and Genoa.
The situation also worries about the fire emergency, which at the moment are spreading especially in Calabria, forcing Prime Minister Mario Draghi to sign a Dpcm to order the immediate intervention of the Civil Protection to contain the advance of the flames. However, there is a small consolation: this wave of fire is destined to last only a few days, at most a week. After mid-August in fact, according to weather projections, the African anticyclone should gradually loosen its grip on Italy and the rains will also return, especially in the North. Attention: it will still be very hot, especially in the South, but in line with the average for the period. In the last week of August, the heat should ease a little more in the North, with the Center-South still in full summer, but with reasonable temperatures.
