ATHENS/ROME, July 13 (Reuters) - Southern Europe sweltered under a fierce heatwave on Thursday, with a warning that temperatures could hit record highs for the continent next week.
Health authorities issued a top, red alert warning for 10 Italian cities for the next two days, including Rome, Florence, Bologna and Perugia.
Weather forecasts and official records are based on the air temperature which is significantly lower than the land surface reading.
The record European temperature of 48.8C was registered in Sicily in August 2021 and could be exceeded next week, according to the European Space Agency.
"With this solitude and this heat emergency, we see an explosive mix," he told a press conference.
Persons:
Europe's sweltering, Luca Lombroso, Marco Impagliazzo, It's, Michele Kambas, Pietro Lombardi, Emma Pinedo, Keith Weir, Crispian Balmer, Emelia
Organizations:
Italian Meteorological Society, Health, Agency's Sentinel, European Space Agency, Catholic, Thomson
Locations:
ATHENS, ROME, Southern Europe, Islands, Italy, Cyprus, Greece, Athens, Europe's, Lodi, Rome, Florence, Bologna, Perugia, Spain, Extremadura, Sicily