First autumn cold snap: heavy rains and snow in the Apennines.

A deep depression of Balkan origin is crossing Italy, bringing the first significant cold intrusion of the season. The Department of Civil Protection has issued the National Meteorological Vigilance Bulletin for October 30th to November 1st, forecasting isolated to scattered precipitation, locally in the form of showers or thunderstorms, across many regions of Central-Southern Italy, including the Major Islands. The most intense and persistent phenomena are expected between Sunday, November 1st, and Tuesday, November 3rd, along the Adriatic side and in the Southern regions, with cumulative amounts that could exceed 70-90 mm/24h in the Lower Tyrrhenian Sea area.

The first seasonal snowfalls on the Apennines are also reported, with the snow line dropping to 1000-1200 meters on the Emilia-Romagna and Marche Apennines and to 1100-1300 meters on the Abruzzo Apennines on Sunday, with weak accumulations at ground level. Winds will be strong to gale-force from the northeast on the upper Adriatic side and along the Apennine ridges, while the central-northern Adriatic, Ligurian, and northern Tyrrhenian seas will be very rough.

The current meteorological event originates from the displacement of the high-pressure system that had partially affected Italy in recent days towards northern European lands. According to meteorologists from ILMeteo.it, this movement has triggered the descent of cold air masses from Northern Europe towards the Balkans, which then pushed all the way to our country. The cold air meets milder humidity conditions over the Mediterranean, favoring the formation of a cyclonic vortex that is crossing the Peninsula from north to south.

This marks the first true cold outbreak of the autumn season, following a period characterized by more stable weather. The shift from anticyclonic to cyclonic conditions represents a typical seasonal change, which in this case is manifesting with significant intensity, especially in the Central-South. The situation is evolving rapidly: after the initial signs today, the cold core will isolate itself on Sunday into a deep depression over the southern seas, prolonging the instability for at least three days in the most affected regions, with possible hydrogeological criticalities linked to intense rainfall.