A severe heatwave is gripping large parts of North Africa and the Mediterranean, with temperatures in some areas approaching 50°C and national meteorological agencies issuing top-tier warnings. Millions of people are affected across Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Iran, and southern Europe, where the extreme conditions are expected to persist through the weekend.

In Tunisia, the National Institute of Meteorology recorded 49°C in the eastern city of Jemmal and 48°C in Majaz al-Bab in the north on Friday, placing 21 of the country’s 24 governorates under a high-level alert just below the maximum warning. Algeria’s National Meteorological Office issued a red-level bulletin for seven wilayas, including Relizane, Chlef, and Skikda, where temperatures were forecast to reach or locally exceed 48°C, and an orange alert for a further 36 wilayas, with highs of up to 49°C expected in Biskra, Oued, and Ouargla. Morocco’s Directorate General of Meteorology said the heatwave would continue through Sunday, with temperatures ranging from 39 to 47°C in interior regions, while Iran’s national weather service predicted that Ahvaz would surpass 50°C on Sunday and Monday, and Tehran would reach 41°C.

Across the Mediterranean, the heat is combining with other hazards. Italian meteorologists described a nation split in two: the south and islands facing exceptional heat, with peaks of 46°C in inland Sardinia and 45°C in Sicily, while the north braces for violent thunderstorms and downburst winds. In France, forecaster La Chaîne Météo reported temperatures of up to 38°C in Corsica and 35°C on the Côte d’Azur, with authorities warning of a high fire risk from the lower Rhône valley to Languedoc and Corsica. The heatwave has pushed temperatures 8 to 13°C above seasonal norms in Tunisia, and Italian experts noted that average summer peaks have risen by at least 4°C since the 1980s and 1990s.

Meteorological agencies across the region indicate that the intense heat will begin to ease gradually from Monday or Tuesday, with temperatures in northern Italy and central France falling to the low 30s, and a relative drop expected in Tunisia and Iran by midweek. However, the heat is forecast to persist in interior and southern areas of North Africa and in Italy’s south and islands, albeit at slightly lower levels. The heatwave remains ongoing, with top-level alerts in effect across multiple countries and no immediate end to the dangerous conditions.