An extreme summer. In the “good” and the “bad”. And it’s not over. In fact, the second half of August opens up a completely new meteorological phase for Tuscany. The Centro Meteo Toscana, in the analysis released on the afternoon of Thursday, August 13, describes a region crossed by exceptional meteorological contrasts: violent thunderstorms, hailstorms, gusts of wind and, just a few hours later, temperatures that return to nearly 42 degrees. A sequence of events that confirms the increasingly extreme nature of summer 2026.
Torrential rains
“August has decided to show us all its extremes and so Wednesday, August 12 gave us really violent thunderstorms with peaks of 80 millimeters of rain fallen in Montalcino – explains the Cmt – 65 millimeters in Empoli and many areas where gusts of wind, hail, and lightning made their presence felt.” The picture drawn by the experts tells of a day marked by sudden and very intense precipitation, with rainfall accumulations in some locations reaching values typical of an entire month. The thunderstorm cells struck irregularly, but with such violence as to cause flooding, traffic disruptions, and localized damage.
The return of extreme heat
“After 24 hours – continues the Cmt – as if nothing had happened, on Thursday, August 13, we recorded 41° in Florence, 40° in the Grosseto hinterland, in Follonica, in Bibbona and peaks of 38/39° recorded almost everywhere in the plains and hills.” Tuscany quickly returned under a heat dome, with values bringing the region back to the highest peaks of the summer. The muggy heat enveloped the cities and inland areas, while the coast recorded very high temperatures accompanied by significant humidity.
Another change of scenario
According to forecasts, the intense heat phase is not over yet: the Ferragosto weekend will be characterized by exceptional temperatures, before the arrival of a new disturbance that could bring widespread instability. “We will continue like this for several more days – explains the Centro Meteo – with extreme heat accompanying us until Sunday, August 16 with possible peaks of 41-42° in the coming days and then with the handover from extreme heat to violent thunderstorms.”
Thunderstorms
The worsening expected at the beginning of next week – the one starting August 17, editor’s note – could be more structured: a thunderstorm front capable of crossing the region from northwest to southeast, also involving coastal areas. A dynamic that, combined with the heat accumulated in recent days, could favor intense phenomena. “Thunderstorms that could already reappear from the afternoon of Sunday, August 16 in some inland areas similarly to Wednesday, August 12, while then between Monday evening and Tuesday they should be able to organize a thunderstorm front moving from northwest to southeast probably crossing all of Tuscany, including the coasts.”
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High risk of hailstorms and downpours
The invitation from Centro Meteo Toscana is to be cautious: the atmosphere is charged with energy and the arrival of cooler air could generate violent thunderstorms, with possible critical issues for traffic, outdoor activities, and infrastructure. “Clearly with all the energy in play – continues the Cmt in the explanation – the risk of hailstorms, wind gusts, and downpours will be high. It is impossible at the moment to understand which areas will be more or less affected but it is equally obvious to expect locally intense phenomena.”
A break from extreme heat
After the thunderstorm passage, Tuscany should experience a more stable phase, with lower temperatures and values closer to seasonal averages. “Intense heat like these days will not return,” confirms Centro Meteo Toscana.
More variable last ten days of August
The second half of August could therefore be characterized by an alternation between clear days and unstable phases, with a more livable but still dynamic climate. “We cannot say summer is over – the Cmt explains again – but only a break that will probably accompany us throughout the last ten days of August with an alternation between sunny and hot days, with maximum temperatures up to 34/35° and others much more unstable and with frequent thunderstorms.”
Change of pace
The Centro Meteo Toscana emphasizes in conclusion how the region is experiencing one of the most extreme summers of recent years, with a long sequence of heat waves and violent phenomena. The hope is that the new thunderstorm phase will not cause further damage. “A drastic change of pace after two almost consecutive months of intense heat – concludes the analysis – hoping that the damage caused by the incoming thunderstorms will not be too significant.”
