While 17 Italian cities were warned of dangerous heat over the past weekend, as of Monday only seven remain on red alert: Rome, Florence, Bologna, Palermo, Perugia, Rieti and Campobasso.

The heat warnings are due to expire on Tuesday everywhere except Palermo in Sicily, which is currently in the grip of record-breaking temperatures.

Forecasters say the anticyclone responsible for the extreme heat of the past week – nicknamed “Lucifer” – is finally on its way out, though that does not mean the weather will return to normal everywhere in Italy.

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Rain storms have already reached the north and are forecast to continue into Tuesday, especially over the eastern Alps.

Italy’s Civil Protection Department has warned of thunderstorms, floods and landslides in the autonomous province of Bolzano (Alto Adige/South Tyrol), while storm warnings are also in place across much of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Veneto and Lombardy. 

One person was reported dead on Monday morning after a mudslide in the Valdurna area of Alto Adige, a man in his 50s who was swept away while checking storm damage. 

While regions further south remain hot and dry, Italy’s heatwave is expected to recede over the coming days. Temperatures could fall by as much as 12 degrees C in some areas of the north, bringing them down to the mid-20s. 

However, many parts of Italy could return to the high 30s next weekend, forecasters warn.