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[INTERNATIONAL] · Italy, Poland, Spain, France, Greece · 100 sources

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Europe faces extreme heatwave and severe storms

Europe is experiencing a historic and extreme heatwave, characterized by a powerful African anticyclone and the formation of a massive Heat Dome. In Italy, this marks the fifth major heatwave of 2026. Temperatures are expected to soar, with peaks of 45-46°C predicted for Sicily and Foggia, and up to 44°C in parts of Calabria and Sardinia. The heat is so intense that temperatures at 1,500 meters altitude are expected to reach at least 30°C.

In addition to the extreme heat, the weather pattern is causing significant instability across the continent. While Southern Europe and the Mediterranean face scorching temperatures and Saharan dust, Northern Italy and parts of France and Spain are under alert for severe storms, hail, and tornadoes. In Poland, record-breaking temperatures exceeding 40°C have been recorded, prompting high-level heat warnings in the Mazowieckie Voivodeship.

The prolonged heat and lack of precipitation have also led to severe drought conditions in regions like Piedmont, where surface water resources are significantly below average. This environmental stress is impacting agriculture, particularly fruit production, due to increased irrigation needs and rising costs.

Entities

African anticyclone · Croatia · European Environment Agency · Foggia · France · Guido Guidi · IMGW · Institute of Meteorology and Water Management · Italy · Lorenzo Tedici · Maghreb · Molise

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