Violent storms in the north have claimed one life, whilst the south is facing record heatwaves

In Castelluccio di Norcia, temperatures have exceeded 30 degrees at an altitude of over 1,400 metres. The drop in temperature, which is set to last 5–6 days, is expected on Sunday, when temperatures are forecast to be around 34°C.

And although Trieste, Venice, Verona and Bolzano, where this is, incidentally, the third hottest summer since 1850, will not be under a ‘red alert’ over the next few days, the third heatwave of the year, which has now reached its peak, has prompted the Ministry of Health to convene a new crisis management meeting tomorrow as part of the Operational Plan on the effects of high temperatures.

Ahead of the meeting, the Health Minister, Orazio Schillaci , reiterated the advice to protect oneself from the heat by avoiding going out during the middle of the day.

As temperatures rise, so do measures to protect workers: in Lazio, the regional government has banned work involving prolonged exposure to the sun between 12.30 and 16. In Milan, where a municipal by-law has halted deliveries during the hottest hours of the day, delivery riders have taken to the streets to demand social safety nets. In Florence, Glovo and Deliveroo riders organised a protest cycle ride against low pay and working conditions in extreme heat. Meanwhile, Assodelivery, the Italian association that best represents the sector, assures that it is “fully implementing measures to protect riders from the heat”.

Meanwhile, the bad weather has made itself felt: whilst last night heavy rain, violent gusts of wind and hailstorms battered South Tyrol – requiring 50 call-outs from the fire service – similar conditions were reported in the Turin area, particularly in the Susa Valley and the Chisone Valley. The Triveneto and Emilia Romagna regions are particularly at risk from the bad weather.

“The heat and humidity that have built up in the Po Valley,” explains Tedici, “will clash with the influx of cool air at high altitude from the central-eastern Alps. This combination will trigger thunderstorms and hailstorms, particularly in the Triveneto region, but the alert extends to the entire Po Valley and Milan”.

In the Lombardy capital itself, where the City Council’s climate report estimates there will be 80–90 tropical nights a year by 2050, the regional authorities have issued an orange alert for thunderstorms and strong winds (up to 100 km/h) until tomorrow.

For this reason, the council has asked people to stay away from parks and tree-lined areas, to avoid standing near building site scaffolding, outdoor seating areas and marquees, and to ensure that any items on balconies are secured.