The break is already over. After the passage of thunderstorms and cloudbursts that have affected several regions, causing flooding and disruption especially in Tuscany, Italy is ready to be hit by the fourth heat wave of summer 2026. Starting from Wednesday 29 July the African anticyclone will return to dominate the scene, bringing sunshine, heat, and temperatures well above seasonal averages.
According to the forecast, the heat will gradually intensify until next weekend, when in several areas of Central-Northern and Southern Italy the thermometers could touch 40 degrees. In the first days of August, in some areas of Central-Northern Italy, temperatures cannot be ruled out. peaks up to 41-42 degrees.
The heat is back again: temperatures are rising and nights are getting increasingly muggy.
The days will be characterised by a predominantly clear sky and a decided rise in temperatures, but what will make it more difficult to bear the heat will be above all the night hoursIn many cities the minimum temperatures will remain stable above 25 degrees, giving rise to the so-called tropical nights, when the heat gives no respite even after sunset.
Humidity, particularly along the coasts and in large urban centers, will significantly increase the feeling of mugginess and physical discomfort. Minimum temperatures may not fall below 27-28 degrees Celsius. Milan, stay between 26 and 27 degrees Bologna e Rome and between 25 and 26 degrees Turin e FlorenceIn large cities, temperatures could still reach around 30 degrees even after 21-22 pm, making it difficult to find relief even during the night hours.
The hottest cities
The highest temperatures are expected especially in the Po Valley, in the main cities of Central Italy such as Florence and Rome and in many areas of Southern Italy. Already on Tuesday, maximum temperatures could reach 34 degrees in the North and 35-36 degrees in Central Italy, while from Wednesday Tuscany and Lazio will reach 37-38 degrees. Between the end of the week and first days of August highs will rise widely between 38 and 40 degrees, with locally higher peaks in the internal areas of Central-Northern Italy.
The weather will remain stable and sunny over almost the entire peninsula, with the exception of some isolated thunderstorms of heat over the Alps and the last residual phenomena in the far South before the definitive expansion of the high pressure.
An increasingly extreme summer
The alternation of violent thunderstorms and increasingly intense heatwaves has been a hallmark of recent summers. Rising temperatures favor a more energetic and humid atmosphere, conditions that can fuel extreme weather events when cooler air currents arrive, as demonstrated by the downpours that have hit Tuscany and other regions in recent hours.
For the moment, however, the scenario is destined to change once again in favour of the great heat: from Wednesday Italy will enter the fourth hot phase of the season, with muggy weather, tropical nights and temperatures well above average that will accompany millions of Italians at least until the first few days of August. And according to seasonal trends, even the rest of the month could continue under the banner of temperatures above normal, especially in the Mediterranean regions, with the risk of new periods of intense heat.
