August in Italy can be hot, no doubt. But this month’s temps make the boot sizzlin’. Eleven Italian cities, from Bolzano to Rome, had code red heat warnings and a few more cities are expected to join the list on Thursday. Temperatures are hoovering at 104F in one of the hottest summers on record in Europe. This heat wave has a name – an appropriate one at that – Lucifer.
Fortunately, many Italians are on vacation right now. But nowhere seems safe to beat the heat and precautions are being taken across the country. Zookeepers at Rome’s zoo are keeping the animals cool with frozen meals. The weather is worsening a worrisome drought and food prices are expected to increase, unwelcome news considering the Italian financial crisis.
By Sunday, a system named “Beatrice” is expected to kick Lucifer out of Italy and bring cooler temperatures.
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