Cyclone over Central-Southern Italy, orange alert in Puglia and Basilicata

The Civil Protection Department issued today, Monday 2 November, an orange alert for meteo-hydrogeological risk over Puglia and Basilicata, extending a yellow alert to Calabria, Campania, Molise, Abruzzo and Sicily. The measure follows the arrival of a cyclonic vortex crossing the country, bringing torrential rain, violent storms and wind gusts of up to 100 kilometers per hour, according to Adnkronos, which directly cites Civil Protection, and Leggo.

The phenomenon also brings a drop in temperatures, estimated at between 3 and 4 degrees below seasonal averages, an element accompanying the more pronounced instability phase expected over the central-southern regions. The orange alert, the intermediate level on the Civil Protection’s criticality scale, concerns in particular hydrogeological risk, linked therefore to the possibility of landslides, flooding and critical conditions on minor waterways rather than a single specific event.

The practical consequences of the alert have already translated into concrete decisions on the ground: in Lecce, Brindisi and San Severo schools remained closed for the entire day, a precautionary measure adopted by local administrations in coordination with Civil Protection guidance. No other closures beyond these three localities currently appear in the sources consulted.

The combination of an orange alert over two regions and a yellow alert extended to five others paints a picture of widespread instability across much of Central-Southern Italy, with the cyclonic vortex keeping the front of rain and wind active along its entire trajectory over national territory. The coming hours will show whether the alert level needs to be revised, upward or downward, based on the actual evolution of the phenomenon in the areas already affected.