Four regions under storm alerts as heatwave drags on

Abruzzo, Lazio, Tuscany and Umbria were under low-level government storm alerts on Wednesday, as temperatures remained scorching.

Nineteen major Italian cities, including Rome, Florence, Milan and Naples, were under the health ministry’s highest red alert for extreme heat, with two others – Ancona and Cagliari – under a medium-high orange warning.

Convective storms, caused by rising hot air, are a common feature of Italian summers, with unstable weather developing “precisely because of the excessive heat that builds up”, according to weather site iLMeteo.it

High temperatures accompanied by scattered storms are forecast to continue into the Ferragosto weekend, with Italy’s longest heatwave of the summer not set to ease off until next week.

Italy gears up to watch partial solar eclipse

People in Italy will be able to view their first partial solar eclipse since 1999 on Wednesday evening – though the total eclipse will only be visible from parts of Spain, Iceland, Greenland and Portugal.

The sun will be obscured by around 92-95 percent in Liguria and Piedmont, 88-92 percent in Lombardy and the northeast and 85-90 percent on Sardinia’s western coastline, according to iLMeteo.it, dropping to to 70-85 percent in central Italy and 40 percent in Sicily.

Those unable to view the eclipse will be able to see another celestial spectacle on Wednesday night in the form of the Perseid meteor shower, which appears every year between August 9th and 14th.

The fact that August 12th, 2026 coincides with a new moon makes this “one of the best opportunities of the decade to witness the spectacle of shooting stars”, representatives of Italy’s Amateur Astronomers Union told Ansa.

Meloni expresses support for Colombia earthquake victims

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has expressed solidarity with the people of Colombia after the South American nation was hit by a 7.4-magnitude on Monday, claiming at least 181 lives.

“I am following the news about the devastating earthquake that has struck Colombia with deep concern”, the premier wrote on X.

“At this difficult time, Italy stands in solidarity with the Colombian people, the families affected, and all those engaged in rescue and relief operations.”

Pope Leo also expressed his condolences, writing in a telegram message to the Archbishop of Cartagena that he was “deeply saddened” by the news and was praying for the “prompt recovery of those affected by this tragedy," Italian news agency Ansa reported.