It’s set to be hot this coming weekend, with temperatures reaching 39 degrees, but from Wednesday a cool air mass from the north will bring rain
The sixth heatwave of the summer is on its way, set to last from 4 to 9 September. Tropical and super-tropical nights are forecast, particularly in the south and on the islands
The respite from the extreme temperatures following the peaks recorded in central and southern Italy on Friday 28 August looks set to come to an end shortly. Italia is bracing itself for the sixth heatwave of the year. The subtropical high-pressure system, which has hit the country on several occasions during the summer of 2026, bringing sweltering and muggy conditions, is expected to return. From Friday 4 to Wednesday 9 September, temperatures will rise to as much as eight degrees above seasonal averages. From Wednesday, however, the situation will begin to change, and from the following day, rain and cooler air from Northern Europe will arrive.
The sixth wave
Despite extreme temperatures for this time of year, we will be spared excessive anomalies thanks to the calendar, as the days grow shorter and the hours during which towns are exposed to the sun gradually decrease. According to Lorenzo Tedici, the meteorologist in charge of media relations at iLMeteo.it, temperatures will not rise above 37–38 degrees, whereas in the middle of July, a similar atmospheric pattern would have caused temperatures to breach the 41–42-degree mark.
The Ministry of Health’s heatwave bulletin, in fact, shows a reduced number of orange and red alerts, which indicate conditions that are potentially hazardous to public health. On Thursday 3rd, the highest alert level is forecast only in Bari, and the only city on orange will be Cagliari. On Friday 4th, however, all 27 urban centres monitored by the bulletin will be marked with green and yellow alerts.
The real danger of yet another summer heatwave, however, as the meteorologist explains, will lie not so much in the immediate heat as in the energy stored over time: ‘The seas will continue to boil, turning into immense reservoirs of fuel for the months to come,’ explains Tedici.
Extreme temperatures
According to iLMeteo.it, following the thunderstorms that occurred on Wednesday 2 September, particularly in the northern hills and in the mountainous and inland areas of the south, the weather is expected to stabilise on Thursday, leading to a reduction in rainfall and the establishment of a high-pressure system, bringing clear skies and high temperatures.
