Bad weather: orange alert (the highest level) issued for thunderstorms in Liguria and Tuscany
Severe weather is forecast for some areas in the north, and is expected to affect parts of central Italy between Thursday 20 and Friday 21 August
Key points
Bad weather and more thunderstorms, whilst the weather alert has been raised from yellow to orange: this is the forecast issued by Arpal, the regional meteorological and hydrological centre, for the coming hours in Liguria. Following an initial spell of unsettled weather with heavy rain and downpours affecting the Tigullio area, east of Genoa – with rainfall peaks reaching 103 mm this morning as measured by the rain gauges in Chiavari – the second phase of the weather system affecting the whole of northern Italia has led forecasters to update the alert status.
Following the yellow alert, which has been in place since this morning, from 3 am tonight until 3 pm tomorrow, the alert will be upgraded to orange, the highest level for thunderstorms, covering the north-eastern parts of Liguria and the eastern slopes of the Po Valley, before reverting to yellow until 5 pm tomorrow. The yellow alert has been extended to the far west and the western slopes of the Po Valley from 3.00 pm today until 3.00 pm tomorrow.
Conditions of severe instability persist across Liguria. This morning, a very intense thunderstorm affected the Tigullio area; throughout the morning, several thunderstorm cells developed within a line of instability that crossed our region.
A loud bang, followed by a power cut affecting the control and safety systems. A bolt of lightning, after striking a pole, is believed to have caused a sudden electrical surge inside the Ventimiglia railway station, causing chaos in the control room and resulting in the loss of control over rail traffic. The station is at a standstill: no trains are departing or arriving. The control and safety systems have failed, and technicians are working to restore normal operations. An initial intervention only allowed a train carrying passengers, which was already approaching the station, to enter the station. Otherwise, services remain suspended and it is not yet known how long it will take to fully restore them.
An orange alert for severe thunderstorms has also been issued by the regional civil protection operations centre for central and northern Tuscany, from 10.00 pm today until 6.00 pm tomorrow, Friday 21 August , with a yellow alert in place for the rest of the region tomorrow. The President of Tuscany, Eugenio Giani, announced this on social media, adding that a yellow alert has been issued for flood risk affecting the main river network in central Tuscany and the Lunigiana area tomorrow. “Our Civil Protection system,” adds Giani, “is operational and ready to intervene if necessary; let’s remain vigilant and exercise caution! Conditions are expected to worsen, with the possibility of severe thunderstorms in the north-western areas, particularly from this evening. Tomorrow, Friday, heavy thunderstorms are expected to spread from the north-west to the rest of the region. Strong gusts of wind and hailstorms associated with the thunderstorms are likely. Maximum cumulative rainfall of up to 70–100 mm and locally up to 150 mm. Hourly rainfall intensity of up to 60–80 mm.”
