An unseasonal early heatwave pushing across Southern Europe has prompted Italian health authorities to activate the nation’s highest heat warning for five major Italian urban centers, marking the first red-level heat alert of 2025 for the Mediterranean country.
On Thursday, Italy’s Ministry of Health rolled out the red heatwave alert for Rome, Florence, Bologna, Brescia and Turin. The country’s top-tier red warning is specifically designed to flag elevated risks of heat-related health impacts even for otherwise healthy people who regularly engage in outdoor activity, and public health officials are urging all residents and visitors to avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight during peak temperature hours.
On the ground in Rome Thursday, crowds of international tourists gathered near the iconic Colosseum reported struggling with oppressive, muggy conditions, even as temperatures hit 32 degrees Celsius – a reading well above the seasonal average for this time of year. Many visitors shared their personal strategies to beat the early-season heat, prioritizing hydration and shade to avoid heat exhaustion.
Spanish visitor Nana Martinez Garcia told reporters her group was drinking large volumes of cool water to regulate body temperature. Her friend, Maria Angeles Mellinas Tello, added that the pair makes a point of staying in shaded areas whenever possible while sightseeing. American tourist Josh Ren explained he had adjusted his entire travel itinerary to avoid the hottest midday window: “We get up early to knock out outdoor attractions before temperatures spike, take frequent rest breaks, and spend peak heat hours in air-conditioned spaces like restaurants and museums,” he said.
So far, Italy has avoided the extreme record-breaking temperatures that have already hit Northern Europe in recent days. The United Kingdom logged its hottest May temperature on record earlier this week, when a reading of 35.1 degrees Celsius was recorded, breaking a decades-long national record for the month. France has also seen unseasonal high temperatures across much of the country, prompting early heat warnings there as well.
Climate scientists have repeatedly emphasized that human-caused climate change is driving the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events across the globe. Early-season unseasonal heatwaves, alongside prolonged droughts, catastrophic flooding, and severe storm systems, are becoming far more common as global average temperatures continue to rise, researchers note.