Heatwave warning in Rome to reach red alert this weekend.
The Italian health ministry has issued a red alert heat warning for Rome and five other cities on Saturday 14 June as the country faces its first heatwave of the summer.
Weather forecast site Meteo.it says the heatwave, driven by an African anticyclone, will see temperatures exceed 35°C degrees “in the eastern Po Valley and in the internal areas of the center-south, reaching up to 40°C in Sardinia over the weekend.”
In addition to Rome, the Level-3 red alert on Saturday will be in place in Bolzano, Campobasso, Frosinone, Perugia and Rieti.
A medium Level-2 orange alert will be in place on Saturday in Bologna, Brescia, Florence, Latina, Rieti, Turin and Viterbo.
A red alert will be in place in Rome on Sunday in Bologna, Bolzano, Brescia, Campobasso, Florence, Frosionone, Latina, Perugia, Rieti, Rome and Turin, with an orange alert in Milan, Verona and Venice.
The orange heatwave warning (bollino arancione) indicates weather conditions that pose risks of negative effects on the elderly, sick or very young.
The red heat warning (bollino rosso) indicates emergency conditions with possible negative effects on not just the elderly, sick or very young, but also on healthy and active people.
The health ministry recommends avoiding exposure to the sun and outdoor activity in the middle of the day, as well as advising people to drink lots of water, eat lightly and preserve their medication properly.
Small children and pets should never be left in cars, even for a a short time, and people should check on elderly neighbours living alone.
Dogs should be walked early in the morning or at night and given plenty of water to drink.
The Vatican press office has announced that the Mass for the Jubilee of Sport on Sunday 15 June will take place in St Peter’s Basilica at 10.00, and “not in St Peter’s Square at 10.30 as initially planned, due to the high temperatures expected”.
For full details of heatwave see health ministry website. Photo credit: MZeta / Shutterstock.com.
Article published on Thursday 12 June, updated on Saturday 14 June.
