Severe flash flooding in Emilia Romagna (Italy): in 48 hours rain accumulation rates of 2-3 months
Severe weather affected Italy 1-3 of May, bringing flash flooding to many regions with the most intense weather taking place across central and southern Italy. The accumulation rates were extremely high to many cities with some of them exceeding 100 or 200mm (rain rates of 2 or 3 days) in the Emilia Romagna.
Quello che resta della mia auto #maltempo #EmiliaRomagna pic.twitter.com/NVqGsdhFGW
— Giada Dinna Fash Sassenach (@pispantelli) May 3, 2023
Firefighters carrying out rescue operations as flash floods hit Italy's Emilia Romagna@VigiliDelFuoco #Floods #Storm #Italy #EmiliaRomagna #Bologna #Ravenna #Forl esena #Flooding #Viral #Weather #Climate #CastelBolognese #Fontanelice #MassaLombarda pic.twitter.com/AFJymnPGfa
— Earth42morrow (@Earth42morrow) May 3, 2023
THE CAUSE OF THE EVENT - The reason behind this unusual and severe event was an upper level longwave trough, which was stretching across central, southern and parts of eastern Europe, between 1st and 2nd of May. Between 2nd and 3rd of May an upper level low was created across central Italy with a direction towards southeastern Italy and the Balkans. The system has also undergone a further deeping, due to the creation of a low pressure system over the central Mediterranean Sea with a southeastern direction. Among the most affected regions in Italy were, as it was mentioned, southern and central Italy with the most severe events being placed in Salento, Calabria and eastern Sicily and Emilia Romagna. Emilia Romagna had experienced a severe flash flooding as it was influenced by 2 different wind currents: from southeast, which brought warm and humid air and from the northeast which brought cold air. These 2 different air masses, as well as the slow moving motion of the system and the orographic factor reinforced the system bringing excessive rain for 2 or 3 days with rain accumulation rates exceeding 2-3 months.
#BREAKING #ITALY #ITALIA
— LoveWorld (@LoveWorld_Peopl) May 4, 2023
ITALY : #VIDEO SEVERE FLOODING IN EMILIA ROMAGNA REGION!
Footage from May 3.#BreakingNews #UltimaHora #EmiliaRomagna #Flooding #Inundaciones #Inondation #Inundac #Alluvione
by @totospanu (Grazie) pic.twitter.com/1mVA0JqkUP
RAIN ACCUMULATION RATES REACHED 150-200mm
- The provinces of Bologna and Ravenna were influenced, where between 2 and 3 May rain accumulation rates reached even more than 150 mm near the Apennines, with peaks close to 200 mm. In the plains, accumulation rates were lower but still significant with rates more than 50-60 mm. Over 80 mm of rain was recorded in Bologna, with peaks of 100 mm on the southern districts of the city and over 120 mm on the hills (up to 150mm on the Sasso Marconi area, where landslides occurred). Over 100 mm of rain was recorded in Faenza, while over 150-160mm on the foothills. In two days on the plains between Bologna and Faenza recorded twice the rain that should have fallen in the whole month of May (rain rates almost 60mm), while on the Apennines it was tripled (in 48 hours the rain rates of the spring season).