Italy Braces for Heatwave Shift: Storms and Cooler Air Arrive in the North
A complex weather pattern is unfolding across Italy, with a severe heatwave gripping the south while cooler Atlantic air begins to move into northern regions, bringing the potential for intense storms.
The atmospheric picture is “rather intricate,” according to meteorological analysts, as the heatwave impacting central and southern Italy is expected to extend northward on Thursday, July 24th. Simultaneously, a shift in air masses will usher in a drop in temperatures and the possibility of heavy showers, thunderstorms, and even localized swirling phenomena – including tornadoes – across the north, beginning in the Northwest.
Northern Italy Faces Severe Weather Wednesday and Thursday
Wednesday, July 23rd, will see mostly clear skies across much of northern Italy in the morning, but cloud cover will increase rapidly throughout the day. Widespread bad weather is forecast for Piedmont, Valle d’Aosta, Lombardy, and Trentino-Alto Adige, with periods of heavy rainfall expected, particularly in the evening. The eastern areas of the Po Valley may see limited impact.
Thursday, July 24th, will see the expansion of this instability across the Center-North, with irregular clouds and potentially intense storms dominating the day.
Southern Italy Remains Hot, But Conditions are Variable
In contrast to the north, the Center and Sardinia will remain largely bright, with only isolated, brief showers along the Tyrrhenian coast. The heat will persist, with temperatures expected to reach 40°C in Adriatic locations and inland areas of Sardinia.
Further south, Sicily, Puglia, and Basilicata will continue to experience stable, sunny conditions and high temperatures. Minimum temperatures are expected to rise in the Triveneto, Lombardy, and Piedmont regions, while falling slightly in the Center-South. Maximum temperatures will increase in Sardinia, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, and eastern Sicily, remaining stable in other central areas and decreasing in regions experiencing the cooler air.
Weekend Forecast: Continued Instability
The fluctuating weather pattern is expected to continue through the weekend of Saturday, July 26th, and Sunday, July 27th. Skies will rapidly alternate between clear and cloudy, with scattered downpours, particularly during the hottest hours. This suggests that atmospheric stability is struggling to fully establish itself.
Winds will be moderate from the west across central Campania, Calabria, and southern Puglia, while remaining light and variable elsewhere. Wave motion will be contained on the Adriatic, oscillating and shifting on the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Sardinia Channel, the Strait of Sicily, and the western Ionian Sea, with the eastern Ionian remaining more active.
This forecast is based on scientific analysis of data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and the Global Forecast System (GFS) of NOAA.
