interviews by Nina Vaclavikova
An intense heat wave gripping Friuli Venezia Giulia has pushed temperatures to record levels over the weekend, with forecasters predicting highs of 38 to 39 degrees Celsius (100 to 102 Fahrenheit) across inland areas on Monday.
According to the regional meteorological service, Osmer FVG, the prolonged duration of the heat is already unprecedented for June, even before daily temperature records are surpassed. Overnight temperatures along the Adriatic coast are forecast to approach 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit), extending a stretch of tropical nights in which temperatures fail to fall below 20 degrees.
The current June record of 37 degrees Celsius, set in Udine in 2019, is expected to be challenged in the coming days as a strong subtropical high-pressure system continues to dominate much of southern and central Europe. The region’s all-time high of 39.5 degrees Celsius, recorded in Udine in July 2015, remains slightly higher.
The heat is expected to persist through Tuesday. Isolated thunderstorms could develop over mountainous areas late Tuesday before spreading more widely across the region on Wednesday. Forecasters said the storms are likely to bring only modest relief, with temperatures remaining above seasonal averages.
Coastal areas are forecast to see daytime highs of 33 to 34 degrees Celsius (91 to 93 Fahrenheit), but unusually warm nights are expected to pose the greatest challenge. Minimum temperatures are not expected to fall below 25 degrees, making sleep difficult without air conditioning.
Sea temperatures have also climbed to 27 degrees Celsius (81 Fahrenheit), about four degrees above the seasonal average and close to the regional record of 28 degrees set in 2021. The unusually warm waters have raised concerns among the fishing industry, which remains wary after widespread shellfish losses in 2024 linked to marine mucilage blooms favored by elevated sea temperatures.
Regional environmental data show that tropical nights and the number of days exceeding 30 degrees Celsius have increased sharply in recent decades, trends that scientists associate with a warming climate.
