In these days started raining very heavily here in Liguria. When the weather is so bad local authorities release allerta meteo. What is it, how it works and what you should know about it. All answers here below.
Allerta Meteo
It means weather alert. It is released when the weather forecasts foresee that very bad weather conditions are coming (heavy rains, strong wind, coastal storms). Liguria has a particular shape: the mountains are very close to the sea. When all the water from the hills arrives at the coastal towns it often overflows from the brooks and sometimes it causes flash floods. In the past, it happened that even persons died during that flash floods.
Levels of Allerta Meteo
Exist 4 different levels of allerta:
GREEN (VERDE) – actually it means that there is no alert 🙂 It is foreseen that it can rain but there is no particular dangerous for inhabitants.
YELLOW (GIALLA) – the lightest level – when are foreseen quite heavy rains. There is a danger that can happen landslides, smaller brooks can overflowing, are possible rockslides. Schools, offices and shops work and are open normally.
ORANGE (ARANCIONE) – middle level – when heavy rains are foreseen. It this case landslides and rockslides are highly possible. Chasm creations are possible. Smaller and medium size rivers probably overflowing. Streets located nearby the rivers can be flooded. Schools, offices and some shops are closed and don’t work. Mountain trails are closed. Public transport works regularly.
RED (ROSSA) -the highest level – when very heavy rains are foreseen. Local authorities advise not to leave houses if it is not necessary. Numerous landslides and rockslides are sure. The chasms creations are very possible. All types of brooks and rivers can overflow. Floodings of the large zones (not only nearby of the rivers) are possible. Schools, offices and the majority of shops are closed. It is forbidden to use mountain trails. Many streets, mountain roads, bridges, some parts of highways and especially underpasses can be closed. Public transports don’t work regularly.
From the description, the RED one seems an Apocalypse … I’ve already seen it three times and I can ensure you that it really seems a kind of Apocalypse 🙁
Where you can check the level of ALLERTA?
- The best and the fastest way is to check the official website of Ligurian Authorities ARPAL. They update constantly the weather forecasts and the weather alerts. To check it go the ARPAL website its link you can find here.
- In every town of Liguria, you can find road screens that inform if any kind of weather alert is foreseen.
- When a weather alert is foreseen in every town of Liguria you will see cars of the local Civil Protection that warn population from arriving a weather alert.
Exists a period of the weather alerts?
Well … not really, cause the weather alert can be emitted in every time of the year. However, the rainy weather is much more often during autumn and winter so it is more possible to see the days with a weather alert in that period.
Well …. I wish you and myself less ALLERTA METEO possible!
