Rome, July 26 (FN Agency)The abnormal heat, which struck Italy about a month ago, has reached its peak and will soon subside in the northern part of the country, the iLMeteo meteorological portal reported on Monday. According to meteorologist Marco Castelli, as quoted by the portal, Italy has already faced the peak of the heatwave, and the weather will change in the coming days. Castelli added that the extreme heat in the country was caused by the Apocalypse 4800 anticyclone, which brought huge masses of hot air from Africa. The scientist recalled that an unusual name for the anticyclone was given due to the fact that the temperature of 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) was recorded at an altitude of 4,800 meters (15,700 feet) above sea level. According to the portal’s forecast, very high temperatures will remain in the southern and central part of the Apennine Peninsula in the coming week.
On Monday, the Italian Health Ministry set the maximum, ‘red’ level of weather warning in 19 of the 27 largest cities in the country, including Rome, Milan, Turin, Venice, and Palermo. A particularly alarming situation has developed in Bologna and Florence, where the temperature nearly topped the 40-degree Celsius (104-degree Fahrenheit) mark. Higher temperatures have been recorded in some areas of the southern regions of Sicily and Calabria. Starting Tuesday, in the northern regions of Italy, mainly Lombardy and Piedmont, the abnormal heat will be replaced by serious weather instability. According to forecast, the regions will be struck by storms and thunderstorms, which will be accompanied by strong hail and gusty winds. At the same time, the air temperature in many areas of Northern Italy will drop by several degrees at once.