With nearly 61 million people, Italy is the most populous country in Southern Europe and the fourth most populous European Union member state. It covers around 116,350 square miles. The northern hemisphere country of Italy has a 4,700-mile coastline that includes the Ionian Sea, the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Sardinian Sea, the Ligurian Sea, the Sicilian Strait, and the Adriatic Sea.
There are several different climatic systems in Italy. Liguria’s coastline region has a dry summer climate, whilst Italy’s inland northern parts enjoy a humid subtropical climate. As a result, the south and north might have significant temperature differences throughout the summer every year. During the winter, temperatures in Milan might drop to -2°C and snow, while temperatures in Palermo and Rome reach 20°C and 8°C, respectively.
So Does It Snow In Italy?
In the northern Italian highlands, snow is a regular occurrence. In the Alps, snowfall is more in the spring and autumn than in the winter. Dry and frigid times characterize the alpine winters. In the winter, the Apennines receive more snow, although they are cooler in the other seasons.
It seldom snows along the shore, such as at Trieste, Ravenna, and Venice. When it snows in the northern highlands, the Sirocco wind blows down the Adriatic shore, turning snow into rain. The coastal regions from Grado to Venice may experience snow while it is raining in Ravenna, the Po River mouth, and Trieste.
In Italy, Where Does It Snow?
The Aosta Valley, Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, Trentino, Alto Adige, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia are the six Italian regions that push towards the Alps. Some, like Alto Adige, are located in the eastern Alps, while all have considerable alpine sections that get snow in the winter.
The Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, and Monte Rosa are just a few of the iconic mountains that can be seen from the Aosta Valley. The Piedmont Alps are located in Piedmont. Summer tourists as well as visitors visiting in the winter for skiing, snowboarding, skating, and other cold-weather activities are common in most of these places.
While snowfalls in the northern Italian Alps every winter, it also makes an appearance in other parts of the nation. There is usually snow in Italy’s mountains in December and January, and it can even fall in cities such as Milan, Florence, and Rome. Venice’s snowy scene is delightful.
Snowflakes do not continue for weeks in the central parts. There might be snow one week and sunlight the next. It’s an unusual event in cities like Rome. It was the first snowfall in Rome in 26 years when it snowed in 2014.
What About Snow in Rome
Rome is more than just spaghetti. Pasta and gelato are both delectable. Rome is also culturally, artistically, and historically rich. Yes, snow has fallen in Rome. Snowfall, on the other hand, is an uncommon event in Rome. In Rome, the last time it snowed was in 2014. Snow had not fallen in Rome for about 26 years before that. When it snows in Rome, the entire city gathers together to appreciate the magnificent sight.
Florence Snowfall
Florence is a northern Italian city known for its art. Did you know that Leonardo Da Vinci was born in Florence? Florence was also the birthplace of opera as a genre.
It does snow in Florence. The precipitation, on the other hand, is minimal. As a result, snow-filled winters only occur every few years. Do you want to see some snow in Florence? I recommend that you go in late January or early February.
Italia’s Snowiest Events
In Italy’s snowiest years, snowfall totaled more than 65.6 feet in different high-altitude regions. During the winter of 1950-1951, the Falcade hamlet in the Dolomites got nearly 38.3 feet of snow, breaking the record for the greatest snowfall in an inhabited area. The biggest quantity of snowfall ever recorded in 24 hours in Italy was 71.3 inches in Roccacaramanico hamlet in January 1951.