The illusion of spring, which arrived well in advance in recent weeks, is about to give way to an abrupt change of scenery. In fact, Italy is preparing for a sudden return of winter, with falling temperatures, widespread rain and new snowfalls in the mountains. All due to a disturbance fueled by cold air of polar origin which will cross much of the Mediterranean in the next few days.
A disturbance from Northern Europe towards the Mediterranean
The cause of the worsening is a cyclonic vortex that will take shape between the British Isles and the North Atlantic. The depression system will move rapidly southwards, starting from the Scotland area and heading towards North Africa in a matter of days. On its path it will cross Western Europe and the central Mediterranean, also directly involving the Italian peninsula.
The disturbance will begin to influence the weather in our country as early as Friday, when the first rains will mainly affect the North and part of the Centre. Over the course of the weekend, the cyclonic system will deepen further, bringing decidedly more unstable weather conditions.
Busy weekend: rain, wind and colder air
The weekend will be marked by a more evident deterioration. The cold currents associated with the vortex will favor the formation of widespread showers and sustained winds, with rough or rough seas in different sectors.
The most obvious fact will be the drop in temperatures. After the almost spring-like values recorded in recent days, the mercury could drop by as much as 4-6 degrees in many areas of the country. The contrast will be particularly perceptible in the Centre-North, where peaks typical of late April had been reached in recent days.
Mountains white again: snowfall in the Alps
The return of the cold will be felt especially in the Alps. Widespread snowfall is expected across much of the Alps between Saturday and Sunday.
According to current projections, the most intense phenomena could affect the Dolomites and the eastern sectors, where the snow level should drop to around 1400 metres. In these areas, even significant accumulations cannot be ruled out, with several decimeters of new snow in the areas most exposed to precipitation.
The change will be clear: in a few hours we will go from almost spring days to a fully winter landscape, especially at high altitudes.
After the anomalous heat, a more unstable March
Although the arrival of the cold air is now close, some uncertainty remains about the final trajectory of the vortex. The speed with which the system will move over the Mediterranean leaves room for possible last-minute variations in the most affected areas.
Looking beyond the worsening of the weekend, attention shifts towards the second half of March and the approach of the spring equinox, expected on the 20th of the month. After an unusually warm start to the month, with temperatures above 20 degrees in many cities, the meteorological picture could rebalance.
In fact, current trends indicate a more unstable and cooler phase, with more frequent rainfall and a less stable climate than that seen so far. In other words, spring may be arriving more gradually than it seemed just a few days ago.
