Paolo Sottocorona, the meteorologist who for over thirty years reported the weather to Italians with a calm voice and clear gaze, died suddenly. He was 77 years old. His latest predictions had aired only a few hours before the news of his passing, with the calm tone and rigor that had always distinguished him.
Born in Florence in 1947, Sottocorona began his career as an Air Force officer, before dedicating himself to television meteorology. After his debut in Rai, he arrived at Telemontecarlo in 1993, later becoming the historical face of La7’s weather forecast. With his clarity and balance he had won the public’s trust, managing to make complex concepts understandable without ever giving in to sensationalism.
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In addition to his scientific expertise, Sottocorona brought to TV an ethical and respectful vision of nature. His speech on 21 March 2016 remains famous, when during the forecast he showed a screenshot of Animal Equality’s “Save a lamb” campaign, inviting viewers to reflect on the possibility of giving up lamb meat for Easter. “We should wish these lambs happy holidays,” he said, live, with his usual kindness.
Those words, pronounced without polemical tones, had great resonance and were relaunched online by thousands of people. For that gesture Sottocorona received the “Hero to Animals” award from PETA, which defined him as “a courageous and compassionate voice in favor of animals”.
The meteorologist, who defined himself as “almost vegetarian”, had always shown attention to conscious consumer choices and the need to treat animals with respect. He was convinced that information could change habits more than any slogan, and that even a few minutes of live broadcast could be an opportunity to invite reflection.
In 2010 he published What do the clouds know?a popular book for children in which he explained atmospheric phenomena in simple and curious language, with the aim of transmitting respect for the Earth and its balance to younger people.
Until the end, Sottocorona maintained his sober and human style. In his last appearance on TV he chose to read a poem dedicated to Gaza, sent by a viewer. A gesture of empathy that summarizes his idea of communication well: informing without forgetting sensitivity and solidarity. Paolo Sottocorona reminded us that meteorology is not just prediction, but education in respect for the Planet.
