A new monitoring system is launched on 1 June to guard against the summer heatwave. Officials from 12 participating cities (Milan, Turin, Bologna, Rome, Brescia, Genoa, Palermo, Naples, Bari, Florence, Catania, Venice) are meeting at the department for civil protection to wrap up plans for the early-warning system, which aims to prevent heat-induced deaths by issuing daily city bulletins (also available on www.protezionecivile.it). These feature weather forecasts and health advice especially directed at those most at risk (the sick, pensioners, infants, pregnant women). When temperature, humidity and high pressure forecasts point to a major heatwave, the bulletin will signal a red alert, mobilising local health groups, doctors, hospitals, retirement homes and voluntary bodies to give additional help to special risk groups. Ahead of the monitoring system, temperatures have already reached 33C in Turn and Florence, 32C in Milan, and 31C in Perugia and Verona, with the high pressure set to continue, despite occasional thunderstorms.