ITALY - Storm "Amy" hit Italy with full force at the weekend and delivered a foretaste of winter. The foothills of the northern European superstorm caused chaotic conditions throughout the country with heavy rain, gale-force winds and even the first snow of the season in the mountains. In numerous regions from the Alps to Sicily, the warning level yellow issued by the civil protection authorities is in force.
Storm surges on the Adriatic, snow in the Alps
The storm hit the Adriatic coast particularly hard. In Romagna, winds of up to 80 km/h whipped the sea ashore and caused severe storm surges. In coastal towns such as Cervia, Cesenatico and Milano Marittima, beach resorts and entire promenades were flooded; in some cases, the water even reached the adjacent districts. In the province of Rimini, the sea level reached an extraordinary 1.24 meters above normal. In Cesenatico, the fire department had to rescue a woman with a disability from a flooded beach area. The MOSE flood protection system was also activated in Venice due to the first "Acqua Alta" of the season. While the coasts were battling with the water, snow was already falling in the Alps and the Apennines above 1500 to 2000 meters, leading to road closures such as on the Gavia Pass in Lombardy.
Wind and cold snap across the country
The strong winds caused problems across the country. In Trieste, the Bora reached peak speeds of over 100 km/h, which led to numerous fire department interventions due to falling building parts. In Valle d'Aosta, the civil defense warned of strong foehn winds. In the Gulf of Naples, ferry services to the islands of Ischia, Capri and Procida had to be severely restricted or completely suspended due to the high swell. The cold snap caused temperatures to plummet in many regions, such as Abruzzo. However, forecasts point to an improvement in the near future: From Monday, the weather should slowly calm down again from the north.
