Italy braces for fifth heatwave as north faces storms

Italy is preparing for its fifth heatwave of the summer, with forecasters warning that the country will be split in two, according to The Local Italy. Highs approaching 42C are expected across central and southern regions, while the north is set to experience a brief but intense period of thunderstorms.

The contrast underscores a summer of extremes that has reshaped daily life across the peninsula. For Trentino-Alto Adige, the forecast signals a return of the violent weather patterns that have already tested Alpine communities this season, from sudden downpours to shifting mountain conditions.

The split reflects a broader pattern that international forecasters have linked to the warming climate, with southern Europe bearing the brunt of prolonged heat while northern areas grapple with unstable air masses. The Local Italy reported that the heatwave would be brief, but the thunderstorms in the north could bring localised disruption.