Overview
- The Arctic cyclone, which intensified Thursday, prompted orange wind alerts in Lombardy and Alto Adige and led Milan to close parks and cemeteries as officials warned of falling trees and loose objects.
- Monitoring networks reported extreme gusts, including 131 km/h at Campo dei Fiori in Varese and near 100 km/h on several Alpine ridges, while mountain stations such as Val Ridanna plunged to −19°C.
- Heavy snow hit the Apennines and some lowlands, with up to 50 cm in parts of the Modena mountains and about 40 cm on Tuscan passes, forcing road work crews into action, closing Dolomite passes Gardena and Sella, and slowing traffic on the A22.
- Rough seas disrupted Gulf of Naples ferry links as high‑speed boats were suspended, and strong winds in Puglia toppled trees and a streetlight onto a car in Barletta, prompting park and cemetery closures in Foggia.
- Meteorologists attribute the outbreak to explosive cyclogenesis that dropped central pressure toward 985 hPa over the Adriatic, unleashing Föhn, Bora and Maestrale winds, with hazards expected through Friday and a gradual lull by Sunday.