ROME, ITALY / RankWire.AI / – Italy placed 17 cities under its highest heat warning on Monday, July 20, as extreme temperatures persisted across central and southern regions. The Italian Ministry of Health raised the total from 14 cities on Sunday. It added Catania, Messina and Reggio Calabria to the Level 3 list. Rome, Naples and Palermo remained under red alerts, which signal health risks for the entire population during prolonged periods of intense heat.
Sunday’s red alert list included Bari, Campobasso, Civitavecchia, Florence, Frosinone, Genoa and Latina. It also covered Naples, Palermo, Perugia, Pescara, Rieti, Rome and Viterbo. Monday’s update added three southern cities and left no monitored location at the orange alert level. Ancona, Bolzano and Cagliari stayed at yellow, the system’s preliminary warning category. Catania and Messina are in Sicily, while Reggio Calabria sits across the Strait of Messina.
Italy’s heat health system tracks 27 cities and publishes daily risk forecasts covering the next 24, 48 and 72 hours. Level 0 indicates no expected risk, while Level 1 warns that conditions may develop into a heatwave. Level 2 identifies danger for vulnerable groups, including older adults, infants and people with chronic illnesses. Level 3 applies when sustained heat threatens healthy and active people as well as residents who already face higher health risks.
Southern regions face the most intense heat
The strongest heat remained focused on central and southern Italy, with severe conditions across Sicily and Sardinia. Forecasts placed Rome and Florence near 36 degrees Celsius, Naples near 34 and Palermo near 37. Parts of Sicily and Sardinia faced temperatures above 40 degrees, especially in inland areas. Northern Italy recorded lower readings and more unsettled weather. The heat alerts covered coastal cities, regional capitals and inland communities across a broad section of the country.
At the same time, Italy’s Civil Protection Department issued yellow weather alerts for rain and thunderstorms in several northern regions. Those notices applied to parts of Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy, Marche and Veneto. They addressed storm and flood risks rather than the separate health dangers linked to sustained high temperatures. Local authorities monitored both hazards as hot conditions in the south contrasted with unstable weather farther north. The Civil Protection Department uses a separate warning system for regional weather threats.
Officials urge precautions during peak hours
The Italian Ministry of Health urged people to avoid direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day. Officials also advised residents and visitors to reduce strenuous outdoor activity, drink water often and choose light meals. Homes should remain as cool as possible, with shutters closed when direct sunlight reaches windows. Health guidance also called for close attention to older relatives, infants, pregnant women and people with heart, lung or other chronic medical conditions.
The move from 14 red alerts on Sunday to 17 on Monday came from the three additions in Sicily and Calabria. The original 14 cities remained at Level 3 for a second consecutive day. Italy updates the heat bulletins throughout summer so residents, health services and local governments can follow city-specific risks. The latest map kept Rome and many southern urban centers under the country’s maximum heat alert as the latest period of extreme summer weather continued.