Extreme Weather In Italy during the

Winter of 2012

Christina BittoniInternational Relations & Diplomacy,

ItalianCollege of Arts and Sciences

The Average Winter in Italy

Cool and rainy

Average high temperature = 13°C

Average low temperature = 5°C

January average low temperature = 2°C

Moderate climate

So, why did Rome see snow for the first time in 26

years in the Winter of 2012?

Cold FrontLow-pressure areas

Accompanied by precipitation

Move from 0-30 mph

Arctic Oscillation (AO)

Global Warming

Europe

London: Fountain across from the House of Parliament

Berlin: Ice sheets float in the Spree river next to the Reichstag building

Kosovo, Serbia: Eastern Europe

Temps (°C) for one of the coldest mornings across Europe, Feb 4

Temperatures averaged 10-20°F below normal for

almost two weeks across most of

Europe

Places where snow fell across Europe, as of Feb 13

Weather/Climate Change Effects on

Society

“Grab a shovel and let’s liberate the city together,” Rome’s Mayor Gianni

Alemanno said.

Civil protection authorities distributed 2,000 shovels in piazzas in the city

center to Romans willing to help with the cleanup.

Public HealthDeath toll

Homeless people

Heating in Italian homes

Ambulances

TransportationCar accidents

Trains

Flights

Agriculture

Italian villagers cannot reach their stables to feed livestock

CommerceBusinesses

Tourism

Summary

Cold front, AO, and global warming caused this extreme weather in Italy in Winter of 2012.

Leaders, citizens, and first-responders alike all did not know what to do

Affected Public Health, Transportation, Agriculture, and Commerce

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gIFJViGhAys/URl0elGmDiI/AAAAAAAAHig/2590cEf9160/s640/extreme-snow.jpg

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2012/09/extreme-weather/extreme-weather-photography#/02-phoenix-desert-dust-storm-670.jpg

http://www.bu.edu/today/2013/covering-extreme-weather/

http://www.worldweatheronline.com/Rome-weather-averages/Lazio/IT.aspx

http://static.neatoshop.com/images/product/36/5636/The-Beatles-Abbey-Road-Large-Recycled-Shopper-Tote_26580-l.jpg?v=26580

http://www.columbus.climatemps.com

Textbook: "Understanding Weather and Climate" (6th ed.) by E. Aguado and J. Burt (published by Prentice Hall).

Works Cited

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/16feb_deepfreeze/

http://www.daculaweather.com/images/ao.png

http://theextinctionprotocol.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/italy-crippled-by-winter-storm-snow-in-naples/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2095509/Snow-Rome-1st-time-26-YEARS-36c-temperatures-eastern-Europe.html

http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/05/travel/europe-cold-snap/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2096402/Rome-snow-Colosseum-closes-drivers-abandon-cars.html

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/weatherhistorian/overview-of-the-european-cold-wave-a-snowfall-during-february-2012

Works Cited