Tuesday 20 October will be a particularly delicate day in terms of weather conditions. A disturbance is affecting various areas of the Peninsula, bringing widespread rainfall, even intense thunderstorms and possible traffic disruptions. The Civil Protection has issued an orange weather alert in Liguria and a yellow alert in numerous areas of Central-North and Sardinia, inviting the population to be extremely cautious.
The greatest concerns concern above all Liguria, where the risk of particularly intense storms has pushed several municipal administrations to adopt precautionary measures. Among these, the suspension of teaching activities in schools of all levels, with measures affecting Genoa, Savona and numerous centers in the region.
Schools closed in Genoa today 20 October due to the orange alert
The most critical situation is recorded in Liguria, where an orange weather alert for thunderstorms has been issued for today. In Genoa, the Municipality has ordered the closure of schools of all levels for the entire day of Tuesday 20 October with a specific ordinance. The decision was taken as a precaution, considering the intensity of the expected rainfall and the possible risks to the safety of students, families and school staff. The objective is above all to limit travel during the hours when atmospheric phenomena could be more intense.
The Municipality of Bogliasco has also decided to suspend school activities, following the same prudential line adopted by the Genoese administration.
Lessons also suspended in Savona: the list of Municipalities
The closures do not only concern Genoa. Even in the Savona area, numerous municipalities have decided to stop lessons for the entire day of October 20th, in light of the orange alert and the possible consequences of heavy rain. In Savona, teaching activities in schools of all levels have been suspended, with specific provisions also for school buildings located in flood-prone areas. Similar measures have been adopted in Albissola Marina, Albisola Superiore, Bergeggi, Carcare, Cosseria, Dego, Finale Ligure and Vado Ligure.
Local administrations continue to monitor the evolution of the disturbance, while the list of closed schools may be updated based on weather conditions and the provisions of the competent authorities.
Yellow alert in Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Tuscany and Umbria
In addition to Liguria, the attention of the Civil Protection is directed to various regions where ordinary criticality due to thunderstorms has been reported. In Emilia-Romagna the yellow alert mainly affects the mountainous and hilly areas of Piacenza and Parma, the central Emilian mountains and hills, the Piacenza-Parma plain and the Bolognese mountains. In these areas, thunderstorms of even strong intensity are possible.
In Lazio the warning concerns numerous basins, including the Middle Tiber, the Liri, the Aniene, the Rome basins, the Rieti Apennines and the northern and southern coastal areas. The phenomena could lead to local critical issues, especially in the most vulnerable points of the territory. The yellow alert is also particularly widespread in Tuscany, where Lunigiana, Versilia, Garfagnana, Valdera, the lower Valdarno, the coastal areas and the islands of the Archipelago are involved, as well as numerous basins in the regional territory.
In Umbria, however, the alert concerns the Middle and Upper Tiber, the Chiascio-Topino, the Trasimeno-Nestore, the Nera-Corno and the Chiani-Paglia, with the possibility of thundershowers and locally abundant rainfall.
Thunderstorms also in Sardinia
The disturbance also involves Sardinia, where the Civil Protection has signaled a yellow alert for thunderstorms in the areas of Iglesiente, Campidano, Logudoro and the Flumendosa-Flumineddu basins.
In Liguria, however, the yellow alert affects the maritime and Po basins of the Levante, while in the other areas of the region, attention remains high for the phenomena associated with the orange alert. The meteorological picture therefore presents significant differences between one territory and another, with levels of criticality that depend on the intensity of the expected rainfall and the vulnerability of the individual areas.
Risk of flooding and landslides: the recommendations of the Civil Protection
The intense rains forecast for October 20th could cause flooding, traffic difficulties, sudden rises in watercourses and landslides, especially in the areas most exposed to hydrogeological risk. Civil Protection invites citizens to carefully follow official updates and adopt prudent behavior during storms. In particular, it is important to avoid underpasses and flooded roads, not to stop near streams and waterways and to limit non-essential travel during the heaviest phases of rainfall.
Maximum attention also to communications from municipal administrations, which could order further closures of schools, parks, sports facilities and other public facilities.
