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WEATHER: Italy issues storm and snow warnings ahead of 'intense' cyclone

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WEATHER: Italy issues storm and snow warnings ahead of 'intense' cyclone
Waves crash on a promenade on December 22, 2019 in San Remo. (Photo by VALERY HACHE / AFP)

Heavy rain, storms and snowfall are forecast across Italy over the next few days due to the arrival of another cyclone, according to weather reports.

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After severe storms battered southern Italy last week, a new "intense" cyclone is expected to bring thunderstorms and cold weather from Wednesday, reports national weather forecaster Il Meteo.

The so-called storm 'Poppea' will arrive from the north Atlantic, characterised by colder air, bringing with it "a cyclonic vortex" that will form in the stretch of sea between Sardinia and Liguria, in the east of the country.

This is set to cause adverse weather conditions, especially in central and northern regions, according to reports.

READ ALSO: Italy hit by 20 ‘severe weather events’ in a day as Liguria sees record rainfall

The worsening is also expected to reach Campania, where "real cloudbursts with strong winds will be possible, especially near the coasts".

With the arrival of cold air, Italy is expected to experience "a sharp drop in temperatures, more noticeable in the northern regions" and possible snowfall in the Alpine area "up to relatively low altitudes for the period", stated Il Meteo.

The areas of Lombardy and the Dolomites are set to be particularly affected "with snow that could whiten places like Livigno, Madonna di Campiglio, Solda and Cortina d'Ampezzo".

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Italy's Department of Civil Protection has placed the region of Veneto under an orange alert for Tuesday (heavy rainfall, landslide and flood risk), while six further regions have been given a yellow weather warning (localised heavy and potentially dangerous rainfall), including Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sicily and Calabria.

The Department is responsible for predicting, preventing and managing emergency events across the country, and uses a green, yellow, orange and red graded colour coding system for weather safety reports.

Green signifies calm and stable conditions, while a red weather warning is issued only in the event of widespread, very intense and persistent conditions that pose a threat to public safety.

The further forecasts of storms and heavy rainfall come just one week after Sicily and Calabria suffered extreme weather events, killing three people and submerging city streets and squares.

A rare tropical-style cyclone known as a “medicane” reached Sicily’s eastern coast and the tip of mainland Calabria at the end of last week.

READ ALSO: Climate crisis: The Italian cities worst affected by flooding and heatwaves

The Department for Civil Protection placed eastern Sicily under an amber alert and the highest-level red alert on Friday in anticipation of the storm’s arrival, after almost a week of extreme weather in the area.

Heavy rainfall continued to sweep through Italy on Monday, followed by a brief respite forecast for Tuesday.

The weather is expected to improve from Friday, even though the cyclone is expected to continue circulating over Italy, creating "unreliable" conditions through the weekend.

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