Torrential rains and strong winds have abruptly ended summer in Northern Italy, where a severe weather alert is in effect. A red alert has been issued for Lombardy, an orange alert for much of Piedmont, and a yellow alert for five other regions. The cause is the former Hurricane Erin, now an extratropical cyclone dubbed ‘The Terrible,’ whose cold Atlantic currents are causing widespread disruption. Meanwhile, Southern Italy continues to experience a heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius in many areas.
In Milan, parks have been closed as a precaution. According to the city’s Councilor for Civil Protection, Marco Granelli, this is “a necessary sacrifice for citizens to prevent serious damage.” In just a few hours, between 30 and 40 millimeters of rain fell on the Lombard capital, activating the overflow basin for the Seveso River. “Since the start of 2024, this is the ninth time it has saved the city from flooding,” Granelli noted. “The Lambro River is also rising, and we are monitoring levels for a potential evacuation of the Parco communities, while mobile barriers are already in place at Ponte Lambro.”
Firefighters received over 100 emergency calls in the province of Pavia and around forty in the Brianza area. Roads and underpasses were flooded in the Varese region, and a landslide on Lake Como’s shore forced the closure of the SS 340 ‘Regina’ highway. In Piedmont, the Maddalena highway was closed for nearly the entire day. Sixty-five municipal operational centers were activated as the storm hit the Verbano area—where the San Bernardino stream reached warning levels—Novara, Valsesia, Biella, Val Chiusella, and the northern plains. The region also experienced 1,900 power outages, with peaks in the Vercelli and Verbano-Cusio-Ossola areas. Regional President Alberto Cirio urged citizens to exercise caution and avoid all non-essential travel, especially in mountainous zones.
Heavy rains also struck Liguria, where a severe storm surge is expected in the coming hours. The severe weather is forecast to move into central Italy and then the south. The National Civil Protection Department has issued an advisory for adverse weather conditions. Rain and thunderstorms are forecast for Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Emilia-Romagna, Umbria, Lazio, and later the south in Molise and Campania.
Furthermore, scattered to widespread precipitation, including thunderstorms and hail, will persist in Lombardy, Trentino-Alto Adige, and Tuscany. Florence has also closed its parks and gardens, while many towns in Tuscany have suspended outdoor sports activities and markets. The same precautionary measures will be implemented in Naples, where access to public beaches will also be prohibited. The severe weather is expected to briefly subside on Sunday, but a new worsening is predicted between Monday and Tuesday.
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