Italy plunges into winter. From North to South there are heavy snowfalls which are creating many inconveniences.
In many municipalities, in the most difficult areas, especially in
Sardinia
, the closure of schools is being prepared.
And precisely on the island, in the
Nuoro
area, there is an electricity blackout in five municipalities.
In
Venice the
Mose
will come into action
, while in the inland areas, in the mountains, the avalanche danger has risen to 3 out of 5.
Vesuvius
whitened in
Naples
and orange weather alert: irregular connections with the islands of the Neapolitan gulf;
while in
Ischia
90 people were even evacuated due to the risk of heavy rainfall.
A violent sirocco has hit
Capri
.
The Castelli area, on the outskirts of
Rome
, is whitewashed.
Emergency plan for the Autostrada dei Parchi in
Abruzzo
;
while in
Molise,
in
Campobasso,
the schools will remain closed tomorrow.
Snow also in Tuscany where 40 cm is recorded on the summit of Mount Amiata.
Temperatures well below zero in Val d'Aosta.
Bad weather in Sardinia, car blocked while trying to cross a stream
.
Whitewashed Sardinia
There are many towns that have closed schools in the province of Nuoro.
And there are also the first difficulties in the streets.
The snow plows have been in operation since this morning.
The white flakes have already fallen at low altitudes above 500 meters throughout the central part of Sardinia and according to meteorologists they will continue to fall until tomorrow morning, then the snow will only affect the peaks above 1,000,000 metres.
Even a large part of northern Sardinia woke up under a blanket of snow.
Some difficulties in the main road arteries with traffic slowdown, but Civil Protection, Anas and Traffic Police are guaranteeing safe circulation.
Schools closed in many Municipalities, in particular in the Goceano, Anela, Benetutti, Nule, and in Gallura, in Pattada, Buddusò, Tempio Pausania, Alà dei Sardi, Luras.
Enel technicians at work on blackouts in five municipalities in the Nuoro area
In prohibitive conditions due to the snow that continues to fall in the Nuoro area, Enel technicians have been at work since this morning to re-supply the electrical substations affected by the electricity block that caused a blackouts in at least five towns in central Sardinia: Desulo, Tonara, Belvì Gadoni and Aritzo.
According to ANSA, the outage occurred on the high-voltage lines, cutting off Enel's cabins.
For this reason, through generators and wiring, an attempt is being made to bypass the block while waiting for the connections to become active again.
Tomorrow in Venice the Mose is activated. A maximum tide of 115 centimeters is expected at 9.55
Tomorrow Venice will again have to deal with a significant high tide: for this reason the implementation of the Mose system, the sluice gates to defend the city, has been announced.
For 9.55, based on the forecasts of the tide center of the Municipality, a maximum of 115 centimeters is expected.
Minimum temperatures: during the night it snowed even at hilly altitudes.
In the mountains, including the pre-Alps, the avalanche danger is marked as '3' on a scale up to '5'.
Snow in Maremma, 40 cm on the Amiata summit.
Snowfall in Maremma all night long.
The teams of Vab volunteers are at work in the Grosseto area with salt spreaders, especially in the municipality of Roccastrada where the schools in the hamlets of Sassofortino and Roccatederighi have remained closed.
If the weather conditions do not improve, the use of additional teams is foreseen also in the Montieri area.
Snow also on Monte Amiata where in Prato delle Macinaie there is a blanket of about 30 centimeters.
On the peaks about 40 cm.
The ski resort should open at the weekend.
The top of Vesuvius covered in snow and the temperatures dropping sharply
.
This is what the Neapolitans found when they woke up, and with them the residents of the municipalities on the slopes of the volcano, as a consequence of the sudden drop in temperatures.
The Civil Protection in Campania has issued an orange weather alert from 12 today until 8 on Saturday with possible storm surges along the coasts and snow above 400 meters.
The inconveniences continue in the Gulf of Naples.
The strong east wind made the sea very rough and
the connections to Ischia and Procida were irregular
.
A deterioration is expected for the next ones which could cause further stops to the ships.
In Ischia, 90 people evacuated in the Monte Vezzi area
- The orange weather alert led to a further evacuation from the island of Ischia: in addition to the citizens living in the risk areas of Casamicciola seriously affected by the recent landslide, the removal from homes also began from the early hours of the day for 90 inhabitants of the Monte Vezzi area, in Ischia Porto, another locality affected by hydrogeological risk and where a landslide occurred in 2006 which killed four people.
Due to the weather alert, the mayors of the island have also ordered the closure of all schools of all levels as well as cemeteries and sports fields.
A violent scirocco hit
Capri
, with wind reaching peaks of over 40 knots equal to 60 km/h, sea force 5 with waves exceeding 2 metres.
Improvise the storm of water, wind and hail.
The last departure from Capri to Naples for now took place at 15.35 with the fast ship and the slow ship of Caremar from Naples to Capri at 14.20.
The rain and the wind have greatly reduced visibility, in the ports the moorings have been reinforced for the boats that were moored in the port.
Snow at the gates of Rome, the Castles whitewashed
With the lowering of temperatures, snow has also arrived at the gates of Rome, in particular at the Castelli Romani.
Rocca di Papa, a municipality a few kilometers from the capital, woke up with whitewashed streets.
The Municipality has activated all the precautionary measures with the Civil Protection present on site.
"At the moment - communicates the administration - there have been no significant problems and all the main roads have been cleared and made passable in safety. The Municipality staff has been alerted and ready to intervene in case of need".
Some traffic problems due to ice on the roads have been recorded in the neighboring municipality of Rocca Priora.
A few snowflakes have fallen here too.
same situation in Albano, Velletri and in the municipalities that insist on the Castelli Romani.
Snow emergency plan active on A24-A25. It snows between Carsoli-Teramo and Torano-Torre de Passeri
From today afternoon and for the next 24 hours, adverse weather conditions are expected on the A24 and A25 motorways and in particular snowfall in the stretches between Carsoli and Teramo and between Torano and Torre de Passeri and at the junction with the A14.
Anas advises users not to travel on the two sections of the motorway, except for reasons of urgency and only after having informed themselves on the actual weather conditions in progress and on the real conditions of circulation on the motorway, to plan the journey, if possible, avoiding crossing sections most affected in the most critical time slots;
travel equipped with winter tires or alternatively with chains on board, which in any case must be fitted exclusively in the service area or in the parking area.
Schools closed tomorrow in Campobasso
Schools of all public, equivalent and equal levels and public and private nursery schools, including the relative offices in Campobasso closed tomorrow Saturday 21 January due to the weather alert.
This was ordered by the mayor, Roberto Gravina, with his own ordinance "having taken note of the notices issued by the Civil Protection Department which indicate a decrease in temperatures to the minimum values which could cause ice formation, and snowfall, locally even of strong intensity from from today afternoon and for a good part of tomorrow 21 January".
The measure, explained the mayor, in order to limit inconvenience and risks for public safety.
The cold has also arrived in Valle d'Aosta
: after weeks of almost mild temperatures, those recorded in these hours are "well below the average for the season", confirmed by the regional weather office.
Looking at the tourist resorts, the minimum values recorded today are -19.1°C in Cogne (Cretaz), -17 in Cervinia, -15.7 in La Thuile, -13.1 in Courmayeur.
Going down to Aosta, the mercury column stopped at -7.9 °C, in Saint-Vincent -7.4.
At 3,480 meters of altitude on the Plateau Rosà glacier, on the Matterhorn, at 9 this morning it was -23°C.