January is fast approaching, but the weather forecast doesn't seem to promise anything really wintry or at least snowy at the moment, especially at lower altitudes. The anticyclone will continue to be the protagonist of the debut in 2024, but the rest remains full of uncertainty, as is evident in this context.
Will cold and snow return from January?
The situation could suddenly revive after Epiphany, when the effects of a powerful person could become apparent Stratwarming what will happen over Siberia. This warming of the stratosphere could have direct consequences for Europe with strong waves of frost and snow. Of course, it is not clear at the moment whether Italy will also be affected by snowfall and frost, but we will come back to that later.
The big cold wave of 2017
epiphany There have undoubtedly been several decidedly wintry and snowy moments, as happened in 2017when the Befana brought the Russian frost to our regions!
The wide Russia, known for being an inexhaustible source of intense cold in winter, sometimes generates icy currents that even reach Italy. Such climatic events are exceptional because the penetration of these cold air masses from Russia into our country requires a set of atmospheric conditions that must be perfectly synchronized.
The Epiphany Burial 2017
The most recent episode of this kind occurred in January 2017. At that time, a particularly cold air current, one of the most violent in recent years, spread to Italy, bringing with it a wave of cold and unforgettable snow.
In January 2017, a severe cold wave hit large parts of Eastern and Central Europe and also extended to parts of southern Europe from January 5th to 21st. This climatic episode caused the deaths of at least 60 people.
Snow on the Murge – 2017
This cold air mass emerged from a persistent high pressure area over Western Europe that redirected cold winds from Russia and Scandinavia to Eastern Europe. On January 5, cold air of Arctic-continental origin reached Germany and the Balkans, causing heavy snowfall in Greece and strong Bora winds in Croatia. There was also heavy snowfall in central and southern Italy and on the islands.
The big freeze in Europe
The coldest temperature was recorded in Western Europe -29.9°C in La Brevine, in Switzerland, on January 6th. In Russia, the lowest temperature was recorded in the Tver region -35.7°C on January 8th. In Italyin Dolina Campoluzzo in the Asiago plateau (Vicenza), were recorded on January 16th –31.8°C.
Snow and frost in Italy
From January 5th, the central and southern regions of Italy were hit by this cold wave and a disturbance occurred that brought icy winds from the northeast. The Adriatic coast was among the most affected areas, along with Marche, Abruzzo, Molise, Puglia, Umbria and Basilicata. Snow covered almost all coasts of these regions, forming a layer that reached 40 cm in places. Inland, the snow depth was over 2 meters in some places. On January 8, 2017 To Porto Cesareo (LE)there were accumulations of 22-23 cm of snow, a record for Italian beaches since 2000.
The snowstorm that hit Abruzzo between January 6th and 7th fIt is particularly intense with temperatures between -10 and -13 °C and snow accumulations of up to one meter. After a brief respite, another disturbance hit central Italy with strong and cold winds, increasing the snow depth but bringing mixed rain and snow to the coasts, especially in the Marche and Abruzzo. In Pescara, the river overflowed its banks on the night of January 17th and 18th, causing damage to surrounding houses.
Meters of snow in the mountains
Conditions worsened in hilly and mountainous areas, where blizzards reached speeds of up to 30 km/h 3.5 meters in some areas of Abruzzo. The heavy snowfall caused significant damage to the power grid, with up to 150,000 users affected by power outages. After two difficult weeks, which included earthquakes on January 18, snow began to turn to rain, causing numerous landslides on the hills. Noteworthy is the case of Civitella del Tronto in Abruzzo, which was partially evacuated due to the risk of landslides.
Snow in Porto Cesareo 2017
Earthquakes and frost
The heavy snowfall, combined with the aftershocks of the earthquake that struck central Italy in 2016, caused a catastrophic avalanche in Rigopiano, Abruzzo. An avalanche hit a hotel, destroying it and killing 29 people.
In 2017, Abruzzo was marked by a series of telluric movements that left a profound mark on the region. These earthquakes occurred in an already critical context, exacerbated by extreme climatic conditions, particularly heavy snowfall.
Located in the central part of Italy, Abruzzo is considered an area of high seismicity due to the complex dynamics of the tectonic plates in this region. Due to its location on an active fault, the region is exposed to high seismic risk.
In January 2017, Abruzzo was hit by a series of earthquakes, the epicenters of which were predominantly in mountainous areas. The strongest earthquake in this series reached a Magnitude of 5.3 on the Richter scale. These earthquakes caused significant damage to buildings, homes and cultural assets and increased the feeling of anxiety and insecurity among residents.
The earthquakes had devastating consequences for local communities. Numerous houses were damaged or destroyed, leaving hundreds of people homeless. In addition to the physical damage, the constant fear of new tremors has worsened the situation and caused fear and stress among residents.
The difficulties were compounded by the harsh weather conditions that hit the region during the same period. Heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures are complicating relief in earthquake-hit areas, complicating relief and recovery efforts.