Steph Deschamps / August 12, 2021
The highest temperature ever measured in Europe may have been recorded Wednesday in Sicily with 48.8 degrees recorded around 13:15 in the city of Syracuse, said the Sicilian meteorological service SIAS. If confirmed, the European record which dates from July 10, 1977, when a temperature of 48 degrees had been recorded in Athens, would be beaten, according to a meteorologist from 3bmeteo who answered to the Italian news agency Ansa.
In 1999, an unofficial weather station in Catenanuova, Sicily, measured a temperature of 48.5 degrees, but this record would also be broken, according to meteorologist Manuel Mazzoleni. Temperatures above 40 degrees have also been measured in other places on the island.
In Italy itself, the heat is still prevailing with temperatures of 38 degrees in Rome for example. Authorities have warned residents and tourists about the health risks of a category 3 heat wave. They recommend drinking plenty of water, covering your head and using sunscreen. It is also best to avoid strenuous exercise between 11:00 am and 6:00 pm.
The current heat wave is due to an area of high pressure that has been named Lucifer.