High-pressure system shields Italy: dry weather until All Saints' Day, but watch out for the cold.

Italy is enveloped by a robust anticyclone that will ensure predominantly dry and stable weather until the All Saints' Day bridge holiday. Monday, October 26th, presents itself with widespread clear skies across most of the country, except for some passing veils of cloud and isolated, weak rainfall confined to northern Sicily. Maximum temperatures are slightly on the rise, with values between 16-20°C in the North and 18-22°C in Central-Southern regions, peaking at 23-24°C in Calabria and the Islands.

In the coming days, however, the weather will be characterized by a flow of cold air from the eastern or northeastern quadrants. This will bring temperatures around or, especially in the latter part of the week, even 4-6 degrees below seasonal averages, particularly in the southern regions. The weekend of October 31st-November 1st might see a first change, with the arrival of a core of colder air that could bring instability and rain to Central and Southern Italy.

The current weather situation is dominated by a high-pressure field, known as an anticyclone, which has positioned itself over the Mediterranean basin and is expanding toward the western and central sectors of the European continent. These high-pressure areas, known for bringing stable weather and clear skies, act as a "wall" that blocks rainy disturbances. Their formation is a common atmospheric phenomenon, but their persistence until the end of October is the main cause of the prolonged period of fine weather.

However, on the opposite side, over the Balkans, a small low-pressure circulation (an area of low pressure) laden with colder air has formed. This is precisely the source of the easterly currents that, flowing along the eastern edge of the anticyclone, reach Italy. This explains the unusual combination of clear skies and below-average temperatures: the cold air arrives from the northeast, but the high pressure prevents the formation of significant clouds and rain. The forecast of a possible worsening over the weekend stems from the possibility that this Balkan cold air core could penetrate more forcefully into Italian territory, overcoming the anticyclonic barrier and finally bringing rains.