Southern Europe: Adverse weather forecast across central and southern Italy, Greece, and southern Bulgaria through at least Dec. 13

Event

Thunderstorms, heavy rain, and strong wind are forecast across southern and central Italy, Greece, and southern Bulgaria through at least Dec. 13. Snow and ice are also forecast in parts of central Italy through at least Dec. 11. As of Dec. 10, authorities have issued the following warnings and watches across the affected area:

• Orange heavy rainfall warnings (second-highest level on a four-tier scale): Basilicata, Calabria, Lazio, and Sicily regions in Italy; and Blagoevgrad, Kardzhali, and Smolyan provinces in Bulgaria.

• Orange thunderstorm warnings: Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Lazio, Sicily, and Tuscany regions in Italy; and Central Macedonia, East Sterea and Euboea, Thessaly, and West Macedonia regions in Greece.

• Orange strong wind warnings: Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Puglia, Sardinia, and Sicily regions in Italy and the Ionian Islands in Greece

• Orange snow and ice warnings: Emilia-Romagna Region in Italy.

• Yellow rainfall warnings: Abruzzo, Campania, Liguria, Marche, Molise, Puglia, Sardinia, Tuscany, and Umbria regions in Italy; and Haskovo, Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, and Stara Zagora provinces in Bulgaria.

• Yellow thunderstorm warnings: Abruzzo, Calabria, Liguria, Marche, Molise, Puglia, Sardinia, and Umbria regions in Italy; and all of Greece not under orange thunderstorm warnings, with the exception of Attica region.

• Yellow snow and ice warnings: Abruzzo, Marche, Tuscany, and Umbria regions in Italy.

• Yellow wind warnings: Abruzzo, Basilicate, Campania, Liguria, and Umbria regions in Italy; and Crete, Cyclades, Dodecanese, and North East Agean islands, as well as East Sterea and Euboea, Thrace, and West Peloponnese regions in Greece,

Authorities will likely issue new alerts or update/rescind existing advisories as weather conditions change over the coming days.

Hazardous Conditions
The storms could produce rounds of heavy rainfall, strong winds, and isolated thunderstorm activity across the affected area. Sustained heavy rainfall could trigger flooding in low-lying communities near rivers, streams, and creeks. Urban flooding is also possible in developed areas with easily overwhelmed or a lack of stormwater drainage systems. Sites located downstream from large reservoirs or rivers may be subject to flash flooding after relatively short periods of intense rainfall. Landslides are possible in hilly or mountainous areas, especially where heavy rainfall has saturated the soil.

Precipitation could fall as snow in the higher elevations in central Italy over the coming days. Wind gusts could cause blowing and drifting snow; decreased visibility is likely in mountainous areas. There is the possibility of avalanches in mountainous areas where the snowpack has become unstable due to heavy snowfall. Power outages could occur throughout the affected area.

Transport
Floodwaters and debris flows may render some bridges, rail networks, or roadways impassable, impacting overland travel in and around affected areas. Ponding on road surfaces could cause hazardous driving conditions on regional highways. Authorities could temporarily close some low-lying routes that become inundated by floodwaters. The disruptive weather may cause some delays and cancellations at regional airports. Authorities may temporarily suspend port operations if strong winds trigger hazardous sea conditions, impacting freight and passenger maritime traffic. Flooding could block regional rail lines; freight and passenger train delays and cancellations are possible in areas that see heavy rainfall and potential track blockages.

Disruptions triggered by inclement weather and resultant hazards, such as flooding, could persist well after conditions have improved - it could take days before any floodwaters recede and/or officials clear debris. If there is severe damage to infrastructure, repair or reconstruction efforts may result in residual disruptions.

Advice

Monitor local media for weather-related updates and advisories. Confirm all transport reservations. Stay away from elevated streams, creeks, and other watercourses that are prone to flash flooding. Do not attempt to navigate flooded roadways. Exercise caution in elevated terrain due to the threat of landslides. Charge battery-powered devices in the case of prolonged electricity outages.

Resources

MeteoAlarm
Servizio Meteorologico, Italy (Italian)
Hellenic National Meteorological Service (Greek)