Italy faces weather divide as northern storms follow tornado while southern heat reaches 45°C
A tornado in Cremona and severe hailstorms in Lombardy contrasted with temperatures up to 45°C in southern Italy as the fifth heatwave of 2026 reached its peak.
Severe weather and tornado in the north
On Friday, 28 August, severe weather struck northern Italy, bringing heavy rainfall, gale-force winds, and hail to Lombardy and Piedmont. In Cremona, a tornado damaged the roof covering of a spire on the Duomo cathedral and tore off the roof of the civic tower at the Palazzo Comunale. Civil protection authorities in Milan issued an orange alert for thunderstorms with wind gusts reaching 55 km/h, leading to the preventive closure of municipal parks and public swimming pools. In Chiari, located in the province of Brescia, hailstones reached the size of tennis balls during early morning storms. Firefighters carried out emergency operations across multiple provinces before conditions stabilized.
Heatwave grips the southern regions
While northern areas experienced convective storms, southern Italy and the main islands remained under the fifth heatwave of 2026. Mathematical models indicated local temperature peaks between 40°C and 45°C in Sicily and Sardinia on Friday, with values exceeding 40°C in Calabria, Puglia, and Campania. For Saturday, 29 August, forecasts project maximum temperatures of 40°C in Caltanissetta and 39°C across Catania, Cosenza, Ragusa, and Reggio Calabria. In central Italy, Rome recorded between 37°C and 38°C on Friday before temperatures began to ease toward 34°C for Sunday. Northern areas expect temperatures to remain below 31°C across the weekend.
- Severe storms strike northern Italy and a tornado damages buildings in Cremona, while southern peaks reach 45°C under nine red alerts.
- Red alerts drop to six cities as northern temperatures fall below 31°C and Caltanissetta reaches 40°C.
- Red alerts narrow to four southern cities while sixteen municipalities transition to green alert status.
- Saharan dust suspension over central and southern Italy is expected to conclude.
- An Atlantic perturbation brings rainfall to northern and central Italy.
Atmospheric dust from the Algerian desert
Along with high temperatures, winds within the subtropical anticyclone carried atmospheric dust from the Algerian desert over central and southern Italy. The airborne particles created an overcast, yellowish hue across skies in Rome and other regions through late August. Edoardo Ferrara, a meteorologist at 3bmeteo, described the process driving the particulate transport.
The African anticyclone, in addition to bringing very hot air masses from North Africa toward the Mediterranean and Italy, also transports Saharan dust directly from the Algerian desert to Italy via internal winds.
Ferrara noted that the particulate suspension does not alter temperatures directly, but leaves residue on vehicles and ground surfaces when precipitation falls.
Health alerts and incoming weather shifts
The Ministry of Health designated red alerts for nine cities on Friday: Bari, Cagliari, Campobasso, Catania, Latina, Messina, Palermo, Reggio Calabria, and Rome. On Saturday, red alerts decreased to six cities, with Rome representing the only central Italian city remaining at level 3. By Sunday, 30 August, only Catania, Messina, Palermo, and Reggio Calabria retain red alerts, while 16 cities shift to green status indicating minimal heat risk.
- 2026-08-28
- 9 cities
- 2026-08-29
- 6 cities
- 2026-08-30
- 4 cities
An Atlantic perturbation is scheduled to cross northern and central Italy between 1 and 2 September, bringing rainfall and lower temperatures. Long-range forecast models track a potential return of anticyclonic heat after 5 September. Edoardo Ferrara indicated that above-average temperatures may persist across parts of the country through mid-month.
The heat will very likely continue throughout the first part of September, probably until the 15th, albeit with some adjustments.
