Late summer heat wave targets Europe

ROME, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- The seventh heat wave to hit Europe this summer is expected to send temperatures soaring into the triple digits Fahrenheit, officials said Thursday.

The "Desert Colossus" heat wave is forecast to hit Europe Saturday and last through Tuesday, Italy's ANSA news agency reported.

Temperatures as high as 104 F. degrees are predicted in France and Spain, 3bmeteo.com said.

In Italy, the Lombardy, Emilia, Tuscany, Lazio and Sardinia regions are most likely to be effected by the excessive heat.

Heat waves throughout Europe this summer have caused an estimated $1.2 billion in agricultural damage alone, ANSA said.