Seventeen Italian cities were on high alert for dangerous heat last weekend, while seven remained on alert on Monday: Rome, Florence, Bologna, Palermo, Perugia, Rieti and Campobasso.
The heat warnings are set to be lifted on Tuesday in all cities except the Sicilian capital, with the southern island currently in the grip of record-breaking temperatures.
Rainstorms have already reached the northern regions and are forecast to continue into Tuesday.
Italy’s civil protection agency has warned of thunderstorms, floods, hail and landslides in the autonomous province of Bolzano, while storm warnings are also in place across Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Piedmont, Veneto and Lombardy.
While regions further south will not see rain, Italy’s heatwave is expected to recede over the coming days.
Temperatures could fall by as much as 12°C in some areas of the north, bringing them down to the mid-20s.
However, many parts of Italy could return to the high 30s next weekend, according to Italian news agency ANSA.
