In 2-3 weeks

Sal is traveling to Sicily, in order to visit above all, his mom. And of course Mary and their two daughter who will be in Catania during that time. A wonderful reunion in other words. I'll be in Stockholm and work as usual because I don't have enough vacation days for a journey - but that's OK.

The last time I was in Sicily, was in fact October 2024, in which we were not only in Catania, but the whole family went to Vulcano. One of the volcanic Aeolian Islands located north of Sicily. Which was awesome, except for the invasion of mosquitoes - which were fierce !!!!

We will never visit the islands during October again *LOL*

Stromboli Volcano and the flooding issue

I just heard that Mary now on the island of Stromboli Volcano. [Nope, She is already back in Catania]. I just hope that no thunderstorms emerge there (which is very common this time of the year). Due to that island's vegetation burned down back in 2020 - with the consequence that the villages now experience severe mud flooding when all the water raves down the volcano slopes. Flooding streets with mud and boulders, destroying the roads as well. Apparently this has gotten much, much worse in the past 5 years. Not because of "man-made climate change"

In 2020, an Italian film team set fire (!) to the vegetation, which quickly went out of control - and destroyed almost all vegetation on the island. Imagine that for a moment...

At the same time, the upper part of the soil got burned, which prevents the penetration of water. Therefore, when the island gets strong showers and thunderstorms - all the water runs down into the villages on Stromboli Island. The streets then get partially washed away, parts of the solids destroyed - and mud is getting everywhere, even into the houses.

Just now over Italy

The country had (and is having) severe weather in parts of North Italy, Middle Italy (Isola di Iscia / near Pozzuoli and Napoli). Many V-type of thunderstorms systems raved across the country. Those are the most dangerous thunderstorms you can think of. And right now, the Middle of the Mediterranean Area are filled with Thunderstorms - and will continue to do so. Often approaching system coming from Tunesia and drifting off to the northeast, towards Sicily and Southern Italy.

You can see that a wide area is filled with thunderstorms tonight.

ESTOFEX

has issued level 2 warnings for Northern Italy, and a wider area with level 1 warning stretching from Mallorca over Sardinia and West Sicily):

• A level 2 was issued for the Gulf of Venice mainly for excessive rain.

• A level 2 was issued for Lombardy and surroundings mainly for large hail, severe gusts, excessive rain and a tornado risk.

• A level 1 surrounds the level 2 and extends into N Algeria/Tunisia mainly for some hail, isolated large (N-Algeria/Tunisia), a few excessive rain and gust events and an isolated tornado risk.

SYNOPSIS

The finalized cut-off process over France turns into an high-over-low pattern as heights increase substantially over the Norwegian Sea into Norway. In the meantime, a blocking anticyclone persist over SE Europe and faces a trough over E Scandinavia. This pattern supports the influx of a drier airmass deep into W/CNTRL Europe, whereas a plume of rich moisture still resides over the CNTRL Mediterranean. A wavy boundary runs from SE Spain to Austria into W Russia, which spreads out an extensive warm sector over Italy and surrounding areas.