ROME, June 17 -- For the third year in a row, Italy is set to suffer from another early heat wave in June, with temperatures already rising across most parts of the country.

Italian weather monitoring site Il Meteo said Monday that hot weather from North Africa is moving north, bringing with it higher temperatures from Monday, with highs of 34 degrees Celsius in the country's northern regions. This is around 10 degrees Celsius above historical norms.

The highest temperatures of the first of this year's heatwaves are expected between Wednesday and Friday, with highs of 40 degrees Celsius in Rome, Naples, and Florence, Il Meteo said. In the inland parts of the island regions of Sicily and Sardinia, temperatures could top 44 degrees Celsius. These temperatures far above historical norms for this time of year, with summer not set to officially begin until June 20.

From Saturday, Il Meteo said, temperatures should return to normal levels, ushering in heavy rains, which will batter some northern regions.

This is the third consecutive year Italy suffered from a significant heatwave before the official start of summer. In each of the last two years, the country has faced repeated high temperatures as well as drought, storms, floods, melting glaciers, and wildfires.

These natural disasters sparked hundreds of "red" alerts across the country, dramatically lowering water levels in major rivers, slashing agricultural production, and damaging infrastructure.

  - Xinhua