It will be a scorching August 15th for Sardinia , with some patches of instability and the possibility of thunderstorms around the Gennargentu massif and in the higher reaches of the island's north. The African anticyclone that has dominated the Mediterranean all summer is holding its ground . At least until Monday, forecasts meteorologist Carlo Spanu, a lieutenant colonel in the Italian Air Force, when winds are expected to shift to the northwest: the long-awaited mistral.
Cagliari is under a red alert today , with perceived temperatures expected to remain very high throughout the day. The Ministry of Health has issued a level 3 alert for the island's capital, the highest level on the heatwave scale , and the Municipal Operations Center has ordered the closure of Tuvixeddu Park for the entire day. The cemeteries (San Michele, Pirri, and Bonaria), the Covered Promenade, the crypt of Santa Restituta, and the Roman amphitheater will be closed from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.; however, the climate-controlled shelters designated by the city council in the main city parks will remain open.
Another critical factor is the sea temperature, which has also exceeded 30°C around the island: many experts have warned of a risk of extreme weather events when cold air masses arrive in the Mediterranean.