Italian meteorologists are sounding the alarm for extreme temperatures, warning of a new powerful heatwave that will hit the Balkans and Greece through Saturday. According to Italian weather forecasts, from Tuesday through Saturday, temperatures are expected to exceed 42 degrees Celsius in Greece, Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Turkey, while locally the mercury could reach 43 to 44 degrees Celsius, mainly on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
However, as meteorologists emphasize, despite temperatures being 8 to 10 degrees above normal seasonal levels, this is by no means an unprecedented phenomenon as presented in the media. July is the hottest month of the summer period for the Eastern Mediterranean, making at least one strong heatwave expected during this month.
New powerful heatwave: What causes it
The cause of this heatwave is essentially the continuous rise of hot air masses originating from North Africa, subsequently moving toward Southeastern Europe, while cooler air masses currently affecting both Western and Central Europe help maintain this warm front in the Eastern Mediterranean for several days.
Additionally, the combination of heat and drought with strong winds prevailing in the Eastern Mediterranean significantly increases the risk of wildfires in the aforementioned countries, while the agricultural sector could suffer significant damage from the high temperatures.
Nevertheless, from Sunday onward, a dramatic temperature drop of 10 to 12 degrees is expected, while intense atmospheric instability may prevail from July 30 onward in the Central and Eastern Mediterranean, due to a cold front moving from Northern Europe toward the Mediterranean basin, affecting Italy, the Balkans, and Greece with heavy rains and thunderstorms.
