2.5 m (!!!) of snow in Valle Castellana (600 m elevation), Abruzzo, central Appennines this morning – January 18! This great photo was sent by Marco Di Maio who also reports he felt all three earthquakes!!!
Extremely heavy snowfall is reported from parts of central Italy, including Abruzzo, where locally over 2.5 m of snowfall have acummulated over the past 48 hours. The region was also hit by three strong earthquakes today: a magnitude 5.4 shock at 9:25, 5.7 at 10:14, and 5.5 at 10:25 UTC (data: EMSC). The region has been affected by a number of strong earthquakes since August 2016, with several in the 6+ magnitude range.
Heavy snowfall and windy conditions are being reported in the epicentral region. Below is a webcam photo from l’Aquila, just south of the epicenters.
The massive snowfall does not come as a surprise, and is the result of the persistent cutoff low over the Tyyrhenian sea. It is causing strong Bora northeasterly winds across the Adriatic sea, which in turn cause sea-effect and stau-effect snow over E Italy and the Apennines. See our outlook for more details and the update.
*** Hurricane force Bora winds outlook for the E-NE Adriatic region (SW Slovenia, NW Croatia-Kvarner) and excessive snowfall for Marche / Abruzzo regions in central Italy ***
In response to huge pressure difference between high pressure over Balkan peninsula / central Europe and deep low pressure system over Mediterrenean, a severe to hurricane force Bora wind gusts will continue through this afternoon/evening and also tomorrow. Expected wind gusts are 140 to 170 km/h over larger area while locally even in excess of 200 km/h.
On the other side of the Adriatic sea, strong Bora combined with humid ESE-rlies provides strongly sheared environment for excessive precipitation and especially sea-effect snowfall and orographic “stau effect” snowfall into Marche and Abruzzo region in central Italy. There, another 75-100cm seems likely through the next 36 hours after already 100-150cm of fresh snow being reported.
Additionally, severe Bora wind gusts are also expected over Toscana region where gusts up to 160 km/h seem possible overnight!
Our teams and chasers will be out reporting live from these areas later this afternoon and evening hours
*** Excessive snowfall outlook for Balkan peninsula and Italy through the next 72 hours ***
With a strenghtening “Rex block” ridge over Europe (low in Mediterranean while the rest of Europe under high pressure), a significant pattern for excessive snowfall is developing across parts of Balkan peninsula (NW Croatia, W Bosnia, W FYROM, N Greece, E Albania, Bulgaria) and central Italy (eastern Appenines). Persistent ESE flow in these regions should enhance orographic precipitation and result in 30-70cm (or even more localy) over the shaded areas across the Balkan peninsula while a robust environment for strong orographic “Stau effect” snowfall combined with “Adriatic sea-effect” snowfall will result in 150-200 cm of fresh snow over higher terrain of Abruzzo region, central Italy.
Sharp and huge pressure/temperature difference between central Balkan peninsula and Mediterranean will develop an extremely severe Bora (Bura) winds along the Croatian coast as well as over SW Slovenia. Peak wind gusts are expected to reach 140-170 km/h while locally gusts even higher are quite possible.
More heavy snowfall is expected over the next 24-48 hours, locally 100+ cm in Abruzzo and Marche regions of central Italy.
Intense sea-effect and stau-effect snowfall is expected to continue today over parts of central Italy. Expect locally over 100 cm of snowfall in 24h today – that is on top of locally well over 1 m of snow so far. More snow is expected tomorrow! Maps: WRFItalia, Consorzio LaMMA
Italy: Military joins response as snow-coverd central Italy hit by triple earthquake
Military vehicles were spotted joining response efforts after a 5.4 magnitude earthquake struck the snow-covered town of Isola del Gran Sasso d’Italia in the province of Teramo in central Italy, Wednesday, followed by two tremors of magnitude 5.7 and 5.3 within minutes of each other. The earthquakes come after 36 continuous hours of snowfall in the region.
A 5.4 magnitude earthquake has struck the Italian city of Rome, according to reports. The quake was reportedly felt across Lazio, Abruzzo and Marche.
The quake hit at around 10:25am local time was was recorded 111km (69 miles) northeast of Rome at a depth of 10km, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.No injuries or damage to buildings have so far been reported, according to Reuters.
