Central-north Italy heat wave step by step
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Here we are, the African breath has reached much of central northern Italy but it is only the appetizer.
In fact, tomorrow the temperature at 850hpa (1500m in normal conditions), which is now around 1620m due to the crazy geopotentials we have on our heads, will increase even reaching the incredible value of + 28 °.
The GEOPOTENTIAL represents the necessary energy needed to move a unitary air mass upwards.
When the geopotential is high it indicates the transit of a hot air mass, and said in a very simplistic way it is as if the troposphere were dilated.
The altitude of 1500m, in case of high geopotentials, is found higher and on the contrary with low geopotentials lower.
Thursday
Liguria, Piedmont, Lombardy
The awakening will already be dramatic with temperatures close to + 30 ° in different areas of western Liguria, foothills of Lombardy and Piedmont.
Slightly lower values elsewhere but with higher humidity.
During the day, almost certain records will be torn up, in fact, subsidence (descending motions induced by very high geopotentials) and adiabatic compression will act simultaneously.The already boiling air will undergo alpine compression with values that between Piedmont, Lombardy and central-western Liguria will reach values above + 42 °.
Veneto, Emilia Romagna, Trentino Alto Adige, Friuli
Even in these areas it will be tragic from the morning, with higher values on the Veneto foothills and a few degrees less towards the coasts but with the high humidity price to pay.
During the day, values up to +41 on the Emilian plain and between +37 and +40 degrees are expected on the rest of the flat areas.
The Val d'Agide will reach very high values with temperatures close to +40, especially in the plain of Bolzano.
Tuscany
Despite some less value at 850hpa, even in this region it will be a really hot day. In the internal basins it will be possible to reach + 40 °, while along the coasts will be a Turkish bath with very high humidity values and temperatures close to +30 degrees
Friday
Po valley
A return of air from the east will intervene on the Po valley, leading to a drop in temperatures that in the day will hardly exceed + 35 ° but with a general increase in humidity and a feeling of oppressive sultriness.
If the compression does not let go until morning, record values will be recorded in the minimum, especially between Varese, Lecco, and Como.
Liguria
It will be the worst day on Liguria, with adiabatic compression from the north east.
Yes, just that wind that will bring about a drop in temperatures on the other regions, on Liguria it will determine a further soaring with possible boiling awakening and temperatures already above +35 in the early morning.
Compression will bring values on the + 37 / + 38 degrees in the day despite a drop in temperatures to 850hpa.
Jacopo Zannoni
The member of the storm chasers group ZenaStormChaser from Genoa, Italy. Follow ZenaStormChaser on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter
