On Wednesday, 9 September 2026, severe storms reached northern Italy, bringing an end to the heatwave that had gripped the country for several weeks. The Italian civil protection authority, Protezione Civile, has issued an orange weather warning for thunderstorms across large parts of the Veneto and Lombardy regions, as well as the western sectors of Emilia-Romagna. A lower yellow alert is in place for numerous other regions across the north and centre of the country. Heavy downpours, hail and strong gusts are forecast, accompanied by a temperature drop of seven to eight degrees Celsius within the space of a few hours.
Orange Warning for Veneto, Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna
The orange alert level is the second highest in Italy and applies to areas where localised flooding, landslides and traffic disruption are to be expected. According to the official communication from Protezione Civile dated 8 September 2026 , the orange warning covers large parts of Lombardy and Veneto, as well as the western provinces of Emilia-Romagna. The provinces of Piacenza, Parma, Reggio Emilia and Modena are specifically under heightened alert.
The yellow alert level for thunderstorms and hydrogeological risk extends further to cover Trentino-Alto Adige, Umbria and parts of Valle d'Aosta, Piedmont, Liguria, Tuscany, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Calabria, according to an overview published by the news portal Fanpage on the affected regions. In Liguria , the regional environmental protection agency Arpal has issued a yellow warning for the centre and east of the region for this Wednesday from 08:00 until midnight, with severe thunderstorms, locally intense rainfall and hail expected.
Thursday the Peak, with up to 200 Millimetres of Rain
The heaviest rainfall is expected on Thursday, 10 September. According to the weather forecast from the Italian meteorological service ilmeteo.it , models indicate cumulative rainfall of up to 200 millimetres in Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia within the space of a few hours. In Tuscany and Lazio, expected totals range from 40 to 80 millimetres, though the precise location of peak values remains uncertain.
For context, the long-term September average in the affected regions is typically 60 to 100 millimetres of rainfall across the entire month. Should 200 millimetres fall within just a few hours, drainage systems may be overwhelmed, small watercourses could burst their banks, and in mountainous areas landslides may be triggered. The coastal zones of Liguria and Tuscany are particularly vulnerable, where rain cells moving in from the sea meet the hillsides and can intensify significantly.
End of the Heatwave and the Outlook Ahead
The storm marks the end of the heatwavethat has held Italy in its grip for weeks. According to meteorological forecasts, temperatures in the north will fall by seven to eight degrees Celsius within a matter of hours. On Friday, 11 September, the weather system will also affect central and southern Italy, reaching Lazio, the Marche, Umbria, Sicily, Campania, Puglia and Calabria, as reported in an analysis by the news site Today on the temperature reversal. It is only on Saturday, 12 September, that conditions across much of Italy are expected to return to a regular autumn pattern.
Travellers in northern Italy should expect delays in rail and road traffic over the next 24 to 48 hours. Those who have planned a hike in the Alps, in Trentino or in the Apennine foothills are advised to postpone. Particular caution is also recommended at campsites situated near rivers or in narrow valley floors. For the north, the storms also bring an end to the prolonged heat in Italythat has persisted for weeks. The current situation is summarised in our storm warnings for Italy . The official status of regional alert levels is published in real time by Protezione Civile on its website.
