“All the Alpine glaciers, at all altitudes, are above zero and the situation is quite critical”, Claudio Tei, researcher and meteorologist at the CNR and the Lamma Consortium, said, on the heat wave that is sweeping Central and Northern Italy, due to a sub-tropical anticyclone coming from Africa.
“The hottest days predicted by the models are Monday, August 21 and Tuesday, August 22, with peaks of 38 degrees in some cities and more than 7 degrees above this season’s average, even 10 degrees above seasonal values in the western Alps,” Tei explains.
“While the zero temperature at altitude is expected to rise up to 5000 metres.”
Tei said this week in Tuscany, temperatures will be 6-7 degrees above the average with peaks of 38-39 degrees compared to an expected temperature of 31-32 for the period.
He said the trend is similar for other areas of Northern Italy, with Milan, Piacenza, Bologna and even Turin up to 37 degrees.
A red heat alert is in force Sunday for eight cities: Rome, Florence, Bologna, Perugia, Brescia, Bolzano, Latina and Rieti.
A yellow alert for bad weather is instead in force in Calabria, Basilicata and Sicily, where heat-breaking storms are expected.
Tei said the heatwave will likely persist throughout the week, at least until Friday, when there could be some signs of change.
“... for the real turning point, we will have to wait perhaps until Sunday, August 27 or Monday, August 28, when for the following week the models indicate a decisive change in circulation with normal or slightly lower temperatures,” he said.
ANSA
