How hot Spain, Greece and Italy are, and latest weather forecast as Cerberus continues
Southern Europe is sweltering under extreme heat, amid warnings that the continent could see its hottest ever day with Italy nearing the 48.8°C record and a second fierce heatwave on the way.
Weather alerts are in place across Spain’s Canary Islands, Italy and Greece, with the Greek authorities expecting temperatures to reach 44°C on Friday and Saturday.
The high-pressure system affecting the region has been named Cerberus, after the three-headed dog in ancient Greek mythology that guarded the gates to the underworld.
And Italian forecasters expect a second heatwave – named Charon after the ferryman to the underworld in Greek mythology – to follow hot on its heels next week.
In Greece, authorities shut the ancient Acropolis from midday until 5pm on Friday to protect visitors, while an ambulance has been placed on standby near the archaeological site to provide first aid to tourists.
Red Cross workers handed out bottles of water to people forming long queues at the Acropolis with only olive trees for cover before the site was temporarily closed.
Greece’s meteorological service forecast temperatures peaking at 41°C in Athens by midday, but the mercury on the Acropolis Hill that overlooks the Greek capital usually reaches higher due to its altitude and lack of shade.
In Athens and other Greek cities, working hours have changed for people to avoid the midday heat, while air-conditioned areas were opened to the public.
The intense heat in Spain‘s Canary Islands, which hit 37°C to 39°C in most areas and more than 41°C in Gran Canaria, will continue to exceed 35°C or 37°C on Friday, El Pais reported.
Animals in the Madrid Zoo Aquarium were treated to frozen food to cool off amid the sweltering heat. Pandas and bears were fed watermelon ice lollies while seals ate frozen sardines and lions gnawed on frozen meat.
In Italy, temperatures were expected to hit 48°C in Sardinia and Sicily, and television ads encouraged city dwellers to look after their pets and check in regularly with elderly relatives.
The highest European temperature of 48.8°C was registered in Sicily in August 2021, and there is potential for that record to be broken in the coming days.
Temperatures are likely to reach 40°C in Rome on Monday, while Naples, Palermo, Bologna, Venice and Florence could see highs of 38°C, according to the Italian Meteorological Service.
“Next week there will be an even stronger heatwave than this one, some values in the central south will be really freaky,” said Luca Lombroso, a meteorologist from the Ampro association of weather experts in Italy.
“Between Tuesday and Wednesday in Rome and Florence we will probably exceed 40 degrees, which will also be approached in the north,” he added.
