Hottest Stretch of the Summer in Store for Italy

By Mark Paquette

August 01,2013; 11:30AM,EDT

 

 

A dangerous heat wave is in store for Italy and southeastern Europe. AccuWeather.com meteorologists expect this heat to last through next week.
The high in Rome is expected to surpass 32 degrees C (90 degrees F) for the next week. This is about 2.8 degrees C (5 degrees F) above normal.
Not only is it going to be warmer than normal, it will be unusually humid. This will make it feel very uncomfortable and may make it dangerous for outdoor activities, such as sightseeing. AccuWeather RealFeel temperatures could approach 100 for several days in the Rome region.
People should drink plenty of water and wear sunscreen and seek shade during the hottest time of the day.
Tourists cool off in the Goddess of Rome fountain, in Rome, Friday, July 26, 2013. A heat wave was gripping the area, with temperatures soaring into the mid-30s in degrees C (mid-90s degrees F). (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
A large ridge of high pressure will cause southwest winds, and this will cause a warm and humid air mass to be pumped into the area.
This is not the first heat wave of the summer for southern Europe. In fact, the region has experienced a warm summer.
For example, temperatures have been above average in Rome every day but one since July 21, 2013.
The warmth that the region has experienced recently may pale in comparison to the heat expected over the region next week. The dryness the region has experienced recently, combined with plenty of sunshine, will likely cause this to be the hottest stretch of the summer.