Europe's latest heatwave puts 92 million under 35C alert

Areas of Europe home to at least 92 million people, particularly in France, Italy and Spain, are set for temperatures above 35C on Wednesday in the continent's latest heatwave, according to AFP calculations reported by The Local Italy. The alert comes as Italy endures its fourth heatwave of the summer, a pattern that has already driven the Po River to historic lows.

For Emilia-Romagna, the heatwave is not merely a discomfort but an economic pressure point. The region's agricultural plain, which produces much of Italy's wheat, fruit and vegetables, depends on irrigation water drawn from the Po and its tributaries. With the river running low, farmers face hard choices about which crops to save.

The heat also strains the region's dense urban centres. Bologna's historic city centre, with its miles of porticoed walkways, offers some shade, but the stone and brick buildings retain heat well into the night, making rest difficult for residents without air conditioning.

The current heatwave follows a pattern that has become familiar across southern Europe. The Local Italy reported that four Italian regions were under storm alerts on Wednesday even as the heat persisted, a reminder that extreme heat often gives way to violent weather as atmospheric instability builds.

For Emilia-Romagna, that combination of heat and storms carries a particular risk. The region was devastated by flooding in May 2023, when rivers burst their banks after heavy rain fell on parched ground. The experience reshaped how local authorities think about climate adaptation, and each new heatwave is now watched for the storms that may follow.

The heat also affects the region's food economy in less obvious ways. Dairy cows produce less milk in extreme heat, and the quality of Parmigiano-Reggiano depends on the diet of the cows, which shifts when pastures dry out. The consortium that governs the cheese's production has strict rules about what the animals can eat, and those rules are harder to meet in a drought year.

The Po's low water levels have already drawn international attention, with Euronews reporting on the exposed dry riverbed near Pavia. For the regions downstream, including Emilia-Romagna, the river is both a water source and a conduit for irrigation, and its decline is a shared problem that crosses regional borders.

The heatwave's timing, at the peak of the Ferragosto holiday period, also affects the region's tourism economy. Rimini's beaches and Bologna's food tours draw visitors who may be deterred by extreme heat, and the region's hoteliers are watching booking patterns closely.