(ANSA) - Rome, June 9 - Above-average temperatures are sweeping the Italian peninsula in the country's first intense heat wave of the summer, weather agencies reported Monday.
The hot temperatures, which began over the weekend, are expected to last through Friday, reaching sweltering temperatures by mid-week.
"The peak is scheduled between Wednesday and Thursday, when maximum temperatures will be almost anywhere between 30 and 35 degrees", Epson Meteo Center meteorologist Andrea Giuliacci said.
The higher-than-normal temperatures will affect several regions, adding humidity and muggy weather to the already mercury-tipping highs. Thunderstorms are predicted for areas such as Sicily and the Alps, as well as parts of Calabria.
Temperatures are expected to lower over the June 14-15 weekend when Atlantic currents bring in more moderate, cooling breezes.
Giuliacci suggested that residents and visitors head to the beach or the mountains for relief from the heat, and to be careful when taking in the sun, advising "proper protection as solar radiation at this time of year is already intense and comparable to mid-July".
Italy swelters in summer's first heat wave
Mid-week highs expected, followed by weekend cool down