Flooding in Italy by Dan Corbett
Violent storms have battered many parts of Italy on Thursday killing two people and causing widespread disruption.
Rome in particular was badly hit by flash floods which inundated entire streets, homes and businesses. Rescuers found one woman who had drowned in her car which was submerged in an underpass. As much as 102mm (4 inches) of rain fell in parts of Rome from midnight to 8am on Thursday; more than the average for the entire month of December. Authorities are keeping a watchful eye on the Tiber River which runs through the capital and has swelled to dangerous levels.
The severe weather across Italy has been associated with an area of low pressure which has been almost stationary over the Aegean Sea for the past few days. Warm and unstable air across the southeastern flank of the low towards Greece has collided with much colder air being brought down along the back edge of the system. Continuous rain with embedded thunderstorms has affected much of Italy where these air masses have collided.
The current low pressure system will gradually weaken over the next day or so and move east into the Balkans. However, another low pressure system is forecast to develop to the west of Italy and move over the country, bringing the threat of more heavy rain and severe flooding to much of Italy later this weekend and into next week.
