Meteorologists in Italy on Monday warned that a period of fierce heat is expected to peak in the coming days, shortly after policymakers issued hot weather red alerts for 16 cities nationwide.
The capital of Rome, Florence and Bologna are among some of the areas affected by an intense and prolonged heatwave.
It comes as temperatures approach record-breaking levels in countries across southern Europe, with forecasters warning the highest level ever recorded in European history could be topped.
"The African anticyclone continues to dominate the weather scenario, with a heat wave destined to persist for many more days," Italian weather news service Meteo.it said on Monday.
Scientists at the European Space Agency, which monitors land and sea temperatures, believe the record could be broken again in the coming days.
Persons:
wets, Meteo.it
Organizations:
Monday, European Space Agency
Locations:
Piazza Duomo, Catania, Italy, Rome, Florence, Bologna, Europe, Syracuse, Sicily