Summer shows no signs of giving way and is preparing its final, scorching blow. According to the analysis of meteorologist Mario Giuliacci, an imposing comeback of the African anticyclone will regain strength starting from Wednesday 26 August, acting as a shield against fresh currents and guaranteeing atmospheric stability over almost the entire peninsula. The most critical phase is expected in the window between 27 and 29 August, with the hottest moment expected for Thursday 28 August and Friday 29 August.
In this time interval, temperatures will undergo a significant surge: Southern Italy will be the most affected area, with Puglia (in particular Foggiano), Basilicata (in Matera) and the internal areas of Sicily, Sardinia and Calabria ready to touch the threshold of 40 degrees. Central Italy will also reach 36 degrees, while in Northern Italy the wave will be more contained, with the exception of Emilia-Romagna which will record peaks of 35 degrees.
The first turning point in September and Italy divided in two
The start of the new month will mark the first real break in atmospheric stability of the summer. Between Monday 1 September and Thursday 4 September, a disturbance of Atlantic origin will reach the northern and central regions, triggering a significant drop in temperatures and the return of intense rain and thunderstorms, favored by the accumulation of previous heat. Italy will thus find itself split in two: while the Centre-North will experience a first taste of cool and unstable climate thanks to the push of the Azores anticyclone, Southern Italy will continue to deal with high values between 33 and 35 degrees, prolonging the perception of the summer season.
The definitive end of the heat and the arrival of autumn
To witness the real end of the heat wave and the definitive reduction in temperatures across the nation, we will have to wait until the second ten days of the month. Only around mid-September will the minimum and maximum temperatures return to the seasonal averages of autumn, definitively extinguishing yet another summer dominated by the subtropical anticyclone.
