After the record heat in June, Italy is threatened with the next extreme weather situation. Meteorologists expect an exceptionally hot air mass from North Africa – with possible record values.
July 11, 2026, 4:37 p.mJuly 11, 2026, 4:37 p.m
Ellen Ivits / t-online
An intense heat wave is gripping the European continent. Rage in Spain deadly forest firesin Warnings apply in France from extreme heat. In the There is a heat warning in Switzerland. According to current weather forecasts, Italy is also facing an exceptionally strong heat wave.
A high-pressure area is responsible that directs very hot air from the Sahara into the central Mediterranean. According to current forecasts, this could be one of the most intense heat conditions of the summer so far.
According to calculations by the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), the hottest phase of the heat wave in Italy is expected to reach between July 15th and 19th.
Weather forecasts calculate heat up to 45 degrees
Highs of between 30 and 35 degrees are expected in large parts of Italy. In the inland regions 35 to 40 degrees are possible. Sardinia, Sicily and parts of Apulia and Basilicata could be particularly affected. The European weather model expects temperatures there to be between 40 and 45 degrees. In some cases the values in Sardinia and Sicily could be even higher.
Even at higher altitudes, exceptionally high temperatures are expected. According to the model calculations, the hot air mass reaches the Italian mountains, meaning that significantly above-average values are also possible there.
On the coasts, the thermometer is likely to show slightly lower maximum values than inland. However, due to the high humidity, the nights there could be particularly stressful.
End of the heat wave in Italy in sight?
Despite the dominant high pressure area, meteorologists are not ruling out individual thermal thunderstorms. They are expected mainly over the Alps, the foothills of the Alps and along the Apennines. Isolated thunderstorms could also reach the northern Po Valley.
It is not yet clear how long the heat wave will last. Current ECMWF ensemble forecasts indicate a slight decrease in temperature starting July 21 or 22. However, it is not yet possible to predict with certainty whether the weather situation will actually improve or whether the heat will last longer.
June 2026 was already exceptionally hot in many parts of Western Europe. If the current forecast is confirmed, July could also be one of the warmest since weather records began.