Last Sunday (2023-04-16), the Italian west coast experienced large precipitation sums, as shown on our historical satellite and radar images. These images are available back to 2019 with our point+ website subscription. The rainfall was strengthened by the regional wind phenomenon "mistral", a wind type primarily known in France. Namely, Provence and the lower Rhône Valley frequently experience these strong winds, as can be seen in our wind animation (screenshot from 2023-04-16).
The decisive factor for the rainy conditions in Rome, however, is the "Genoa Low," which is caused by the mistral, as it makes the polar air masses from the north collide with the warm Mediterranean air. Low-pressure systems are characterised by stronger cloud development and high moisture.
When the low-pressure area moved further south and southeast, it brought precipitation to the Italian coast. We made a recording of the radar for Rome on 2023-04-16, showing heavy precipitation in violet as a minute-by-minute animation. At the beginning of this week, we expect further showers and clouds in Rome. You can track them with high precision in our radar map for the past and the next 2 hours. Furthermore, we suggest you also explore our clouds & precipitation map for a longer-range forecast. Here, in the bottom right corner of the map’s interface, you can select from the forecast data from several weather models. In addition, the MultiModel diagram is an excellent tool for comparing different weather models, which will help to interpret our forecast data more precisely.
The spring will most likely return from Thursday onwards, bringing sunny, clear, and warm days.
