Italy’s Heat Will Spread to Western Europe Ahead of Solar Eclipse

The recent heat across Europe eased in some locations this week, but in Italy, the danger lingered, and for those in Western Europe, high temperatures are forecast to return next week.

Italian High-Temperature Warnings

Red high-temperature warnings remain in effect for much of southern and western Italy through Saturday. This is the highest alert level, reserved for the summer’s most dangerous heat.

Forecasters with the Italian Air Force Meteorological Service warned that temperatures on Saturday could once again reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) during the middle of the day across the inland areas of Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria and Sicily.

On Friday, the core of the heat dome hung over the Mediterranean Sea and Italy, while more temperate summer weather drifted into northern France and Britain.

This relief is not expected to last, with temperatures likely to rise again next week in some of the regions hit hardest by this summer’s extreme weather.

It isn’t just the air temperature that concerns meteorologists — the Mediterranean Sea is abnormally warm. Sea surface temperatures in most of the western half are 2 degrees Celsius or more above normal. That’s setting off a moderate-to-strong marine heat wave in the Mediterranean and a severe marine heat wave in the eastern Atlantic, just off the coasts of Portugal, France and southern England.

Heat Returns to Spain, France and the U.K.

Forecasters from the U.K. Met Office were already warning on Friday of next week’s heat wave, noting that temperatures could reach 36 degrees Celsius (97 degrees Fahrenheit) in parts of East Anglia and southeast England by Thursday. For Wales and most of England, the heat is likely to peak on Wednesday.

In portions of southeastern France and Corsica, temperatures have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius at times since Wednesday. Météo-France meteorologists are preparing the public for another round of similar temperatures.

As the heat dome strengthens over Europe, temperatures are predicted to climb from Wednesday to Friday, potentially reaching 35 degrees Celsius as far north as central France and approaching 40 degrees Celsius in the south.

This is France’s third heat wave of the season, equaling the summers of 2017 and 2022.

Wildfire Risk and the Solar Eclipse

Spain, like France, has been hit unusually hard this summer by persistent heat waves, severe drought and wildfires. Concerns over extreme temperatures and potential fires will grow heading into next week.

As the next heat wave peaks, large crowds are expected to be traveling to Spain to view the total solar eclipse on Wednesday. While much of the country should be free of cloud cover, forecasters with AEMET, Spain’s meteorological agency, predict that temperatures in some areas could push toward 40 degrees Celsius. And that could affect visibility in another way.

The hot, dry days leading up to the eclipse will elevate the Forest Fire Danger Index, raising the likelihood of fire ignition and spread. If fires break out before Wednesday, smoke could cloud the view for eclipse watchers.