On Friday, tourists and residents in Rome endured the country’s first summer heatwave, with little respite offered by the potted trees throughout the city.
The official Air Force weather service predicted temperatures to reach 40˚C in some parts of the nation, and the health ministry issued red alerts for Rome and Palermo, among other cities.
The African anticyclone named “Minos,” who was the son of Zeus in Greek mythology, was held accountable by the weather website Il Meteo. Minos became an underworld judge after he passed away.
Rome’s city hall has placed potted palm trees at bus stops in an effort to provide some shade, following the air force’s Thursday afternoon record of 39˚C. The capital is full of parks and sprinkled with functional and ornamental water fountains, but there are also many open-air streets and piazzas with little to no shade.
This week, many people have abandoned outdoor lunch tables in favor of the cool, air-conditioned restaurants during lunchtime because the occasional palm tree could not counteract the oppressive heat. Using a thermal camera, the environmental advocacy group Greenpeace observed temperatures exceeding 50˚C in several locations within Rome, including the Colosseum.
