A stark meteorological divide is forecast for Italy starting Thursday, with severe storms and a sharp temperature drop impacting the Center-North, while the South braces for intense heat, expecting peaks of 39 degrees Celsius (102°F) in Puglia. Five regions—Veneto, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Liguria, and Tuscany—are under an orange-level alert, while approximately ten others, from Friuli Venezia Giulia to Molise and from Campania to Piedmont, including Marche, Umbria, and Lazio, are under a yellow alert. The severe weather is predicted to persist through the weekend.
Amid the anticipated worsening conditions, the body of 40-year-old Matteo Ciurca was recovered in Sicily. He had been missing since Tuesday afternoon when a sudden cloudburst caused the Crisa stream to swell abruptly near Leonforte, in the province of Enna, sweeping away his Fiat Panda. Tragically, he did not survive, unlike 27 years prior when he was involved in a scooter accident in the same town. On that occasion, he had fought for weeks between life and death, ultimately surviving though left with a leg disability.
In response to the tragedy, the Mayor of Leonforte canceled all scheduled events for the day, including the International Folklore Festival. Other cancellations due to weather include the “Lights for Gaza” torchlight vigil in San Giuliano Terme (Pisa), dedicated to the memory of a 20-year-old Palestinian woman who died of malnutrition at a Pisa hospital, and a concert by singer Masini in Maremma.
The bad weather began manifesting on Wednesday, particularly affecting Lombardy, Liguria, and Tuscany. Two landslides occurred on the road to the Stelvio Pass at Bagni Vecchi (Sondrio province), necessitating the closure of the state highway. Technicians are working to clear the debris and restore traffic on this strategic route, heavily used by tourists from Northern Europe.
Milan experienced heavy rains between Tuesday and Wednesday night, with nearly 50 millimeters (2 inches) of rain falling in two hours, leading to the closure of public parks. The Seveso river is under watch, with a detention basin ready for activation if needed. The situation is more critical for the Lambro river, which rose 1.70 meters (5.5 feet) in two hours at via Feltre, exceeding 2.40 meters (7.8 feet) and prompting the evacuation of a community shelter.
Liguria was struck by a powerful lightning storm, with nearly 5,000 strikes recorded in under 12 hours. Tuscany experienced scattered showers and “leopard spot” thunderstorms, with significant impacts in Arezzo, the Pisa coastline—where a cloudburst dumped 115 mm (4.5 inches) of rain in roughly 30 minutes—and Siena. Minor wind damage was reported at beach establishments in Marina di Pisa.
As a precaution, the city of Carrara ordered the closure of all beach facilities and public beaches, suspended all outdoor events and sports activities, and closed public parks and open sports areas. The CARMI museum also closed early at 5:30 PM. In Livorno, parks, cemeteries, and the municipal kennel will be closed to the public for the duration of the orange alert.
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