Italy's red heat alert reaches the Alps

Italy is to place all of its 27 major cities, from Trieste in the north to Palermo in the south, under the highest heat alert as the fourth heatwave to hit the country this summer intensifies, the Guardian reported. The red alert comes as temperatures in some areas edge close to 40C, according to the Guardian's coverage of the Italian health ministry's heat warning system.

For Trentino-Alto Adige, the alert carries a particular weight. While the region's mountain valleys typically offer cooler respite from the summer heat, the same high-pressure system that is driving temperatures toward 40C elsewhere in Italy also presses down on the Alps, raising the risk of heat stress for the elderly and for the many tourists who flock to the Dolomites this time of year.