Italy is bracing for heavy
storms, strong winds and rain over the weekend with snowfall of
up to one metre expected in the Alps.
The Civil Protection Department has issued an alert,
warning that a low-pressure area is set to bring heavy rainfall
from Thursday to central and southern regions, involving thunder
and lightning and strong winds.
The bad weather is expected to hit Lazio first and then
spread to southern regions including Basilicata and Calabria. It
is then set to intensify across the country at the weekend.
"Italy is the target of several low-pressure areas in the
coming days, the first one is about to hit us and will bring
rain and sparse storms in the Centre and South, especially in
the Tyrrhenian regions, and some storms in the North," said
Meteorologist Edoardo Ferrara from 3bmeteo.com.
"But eyes are focused above all on the weekend, when we
face a second and more intense low-pressure area which will
cause bad weather above all in the North and Centre," he said.
The Mediterranean cyclone due to arrive at the weekend is
set to cause winds of up to 100 km/h, as well as snowfall in
Alpine regions.
On Saturday, rain and storms are likely to focus on
northern regions - Tuscany, Umbria, Sardinia and Liguria. Then
on Sunday it will intensify and also affect the central and
southern regions.
Flooding is possible in regions where particularly high
rainfall is expected, such as Piedmont and Friuli Venezia
Giulia.
Meanwhile, parts of the Alps are set for strong snow
showers on both Saturday and Sunday, said Ferrara.
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