Temperatures in Italy to rise ahead of Ferragosto.

Italy can expect "intense but not extreme heat" in the days around the mid-August holiday of Ferragosto, according to the latest weather forecasts.

Temperatures in Italy are currently below average for this time of year, following a prolonged heatwave, however the heat is set to return in the coming days as millions of Italians head to the sea or the mountains on vacation.

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Holidaymakers can expect a "significant increase in temperatures", according to Antonio Sanò, founder of weather forecast site IlMeteo.it, with peaks set to reach up to 38°C in Rome and Florence.

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Sanò said this "typical blaze" of summer heat is expected to last until at least 16 August - the day after the Ferragosto holiday - with the prospect of some localised thunderstorms in the north, particularly in alpine regions.

Cover image Terracina, photo Wanted in Rome.