Rome - A final, sultry touch of summer. Sunday, October 12th, brings Italy a day of full sun and record-breaking temperatures, with highs of up to 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) that make us forget we're in the middle of autumn.
But it's the calm before the storm. Meteorologists are sounding the alarm for next week: a powerful cyclonic vortex is forming over the Mediterranean and heading straight for southern Italy, threatening to unleash downpours and violent thunderstorms starting Wednesday the 15th.
The last day of abnormal heat
This weekend's early summer is the result of a vast high pressure system sweeping across Italy from Western Europe. Thermometers are showing unusual temperatures, with a positive anomaly of 3-4°C above seasonal averages. Florence, Rome, and Naples are hitting 25°C, while in the North, though a few degrees cooler, the weather is unusually mild.
The picture will change radically starting Monday.
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Mathematical model projections, still being finalized, indicate that the most likely trajectory of this vortex will directly impact Sicily and Sardinia. These two islands, along with part of the southern peninsula, could therefore be targeted by the most extreme weather.
Day-by-day forecasts and alert trends
Sunday 12th ofNorth: Sunny and mild. Central: Sunny and warm. South: Some more clouds over Sardinia and Sicily.
Monday 13The North is seeing a few more clouds. Central Italy remains stable. Clouds are starting to gather in the South, especially in Sardinia.
Tuesday 14The good weather persists in the North and Central Italy. In the South, the sky becomes threatening: dense clouds over Sicily and Sardinia, with the first rains heralding what's to come.
The trend: alert for the South
Next week will open with a severe phase of severe weather in the South. The affected regions, particularly the major islands, should prepare for intense and persistent rainfall, with the very real risk of violent thunderstorms and downpours. The hydrogeological risk, in an often fragile region, should not be underestimated. The North and Central Italy currently appear to be on the fringes of the disturbance, continuing to enjoy more stable conditions. But for the South, summer is about to end as abruptly as possible.
Comments (1)
The article discusses a period of unusually warm weather, but bad weather is expected soon. It's important to stay informed about the forecast, especially for those living in Southern Italy. Weather risks shouldn't be underestimated.