Violent storm drops huge hail, produces massive hail accumulations in Rome, Italy

Intense storms brought heavy rain, strong winds and up to tennis-ball-sized hail to Rome, Italy on the evening of October 21, 2018.

The city was brought to a standstill, forcing some of the drivers in the city's eastern part to abandon their cars and hide from the storm as massive chunks of ice started falling from the sky.

The 4^th century basilica of San Sebastiano Fuori le Mura was flooded in up to 50 cm (1.6 feet) of water.

Similar events took place in Florence and Pisa.

Northern Italy, as well as Sicily, were also affected by the storm.

The Italian Civil Protection department has issued an orange warning for bad weather in four regions of the country, with nearly the entire south under a yellow warning, according to ANSA.

"Moderately critical" (orange) warnings for storm risk in Basilicata and Molise and hydrogeological risk in Campania and Puglia.  A yellow alert is in place for storm, flooding, and hydrogeological risk in Abruzzo, Calabria, Lazio, Molise, Puglia and Sicily.

Farmers' association Coldiretti called it a "calamity for Italian farming" with millions of euros in losses."Hailstorms are the most feared weather event this time of year due to their ability to wipe out an entire year's harvest in a matter of minutes," the agency said in a statement.

Violent hailstorms in Palombara and Nerola, Lazio destroyed the last of the olives that had survived the spring freeze.

 

Featured image credit: Meteo neve Roma e Castellii