by InTrieste
Italy has been gripped by an unprecedented September heatwave, with parts of the country seeing record-breaking temperatures that have stunned climate scientists and intensified concerns about the accelerating impacts of global warming.
During the first two days of the month, thermometers in the plains of northern Italy soared to a blistering 35-36 degrees Celsius (95-97 degrees Fahrenheit), as much as 9 degrees above the seasonal norm. The Italian regional environmental agency, Arpa FVG, confirmed this as an all-time high for September and indeed for any non-summer month. Typically, summer ends in late August, but this year, autumn seems elusive, leaving Italy still sweltering in conditions more reminiscent of July than September.
Temperature deviations have been dramatic: across the region, temperatures have consistently averaged 6 degrees Celsius above normal. In Tolmezzo, a small town nestled in the mountains, temperatures spiked to 34 degrees, a level rarely seen even at the height of summer. On the coast, in the bustling port city of Trieste, residents faced highs of 31 degrees — no historical record for the area, but still a troubling figure for this time of year. More alarming, however, was Trieste’s average temperature of 29 degrees and a nighttime low of 27 degrees, breaking records for September and any other non-summer month, leaving locals sweltering even in the evenings.
One of the most striking indicators of this exceptional heat is the Adriatic Sea. Over the weekend, sea temperatures just below the surface hovered around 29 degrees Celsius, a full 7 degrees above normal. This surpassed the previous September record of 26 degrees, set in 2019.
“This situation is completely out of scale,” said a spokesperson for Arpa FVG. “It not only aligns with the broader trend of climate change we’ve been observing for decades, but it also signals a significant shift in the pace of global warming itself.” The Mediterranean basin has been notably affected by these heat anomalies, and scientists are warning that this trend represents a critical threshold.
The record temperatures are not isolated to this region. The entire Mediterranean has been experiencing abnormally high sea and air temperatures for the last two months, suggesting that the impacts of climate change may be advancing more rapidly than previously thought.
Italy is now bracing for a potential shift in weather patterns. Meteorologists are predicting that a disturbance expected later this week may bring cooler temperatures. However, any sense of relief may be short-lived. After the brief disturbance passes, another hot weekend is on the horizon, with temperatures again hovering around 30 degrees Celsius. By next week, meteorologists expect the autumn weather to finally take hold, bringing a much-needed drop in temperatures.
However, with the Adriatic Sea still holding so much heat and moisture, forecasters warn of an uncertain autumn ahead. Warm seas can drive more intense weather events, and the potential for heavy, unpredictable rainfall looms large. Italy, like much of southern Europe, remains on edge, wondering just what kind of climate future awaits.
