Extreme heat in Italy: alarm levels rise up to 40 degrees!

Extreme heat in Italy: alarm levels rise up to 40 degrees!

Italy faces an intense heat wave in early June 2025. The first heat wave of the year, which peaks on June 11th, is caused by a high pressure area from Africa. Meteorologist Stefano Rossi warns of a long summer phase with persistent heat that will cause temperatures to rise well above the climatic average. Extreme values ​​are to be expected for many regions of the country.

In the particularly affected areas of Tuscany, Lazio, Molise, Basilicata, Apulia, Sicily, Sardinia and Calabria, temperatures between 36 and 40 degrees are forecast. In Sardinia and Sicily temperatures could even reach over 40 degrees. Up to 37 degrees can be expected in Rome and up to 35 degrees in Milan. The heat wave is expected to last until June 15th, with some meteorologists suggesting it may even last until June 17th or 18th.

Warning levels and health risks

To inform the population about the dangers of heat, the Italian Ministry of Health has issued daily heat bulletins for 27 cities. From June 11th, alert level 2 (orange) applies in Bolzano, Compobossa and Perugia. This level warns of health risks for particularly vulnerable groups, including the elderly, children and the chronically ill. Alert level 1 (yellow) applies to nine other cities: Bologna, Brescia, Florence, Frosinone, Milan, Rieti, Rome, Turin and Verona. This level signals possible health risks that could arise in the coming days.

Temperatures also remain high at night, increasing the burden on the population. Officials emphasize the importance of precautionary measures to avoid health problems. In the past, a similar heat wave in the summer of 2024 had already resulted in four deaths in Italy, underscoring the urgency of these warnings.

Natural disasters caused by the heat

In addition to the heat wave, Italy is battling forest fires in Sicily and Calabria, which are also fueled by the high temperatures. There are currently 23 fires reported in Sicily and over 55 operations in Calabria. This poses another challenge for emergency responders who must focus on bringing natural disasters under control.

The current situation in Italy illustrates how climatic changes can promote extreme weather events and represents a serious challenge for both the authorities and the population. If the heat wave also coincides with other natural events, the consequences can be serious, which increases the urgency of adequate emergency management.

Italy therefore faces an urgent challenge. The coming days require the population to be vigilant and follow the recommendations of health authorities to minimize health risks in this extreme heat. The situation remains tense and the coming days could determine how well the country can cope with this heat.

Further information about the development of the heat wave and its effects can be found in derwesten.de and hna.de.