A severe weather front battered northern Italy on August 20-21, bringing torrential rain, 40,000 lightning strikes and widespread flooding across Liguria, Lombardy and Tuscany that forced 350 people to evacuate and destroyed critical infrastructure. Within hours, the extreme heat that had tormented the region for weeks gave way to exceptional rainfall and a sharp drop in temperatures, leaving authorities scrambling to respond.
Liguria: Lightning Strikes Hit Train and Railway Hub
Liguria bore the brunt of the storms first. The Civil Protection agency reported approximately 40,000 lightning strikes hit the region in 24 hours. One bolt struck a Frecciabianca train leaving Genoa for Rome on the morning of August 20, forcing the convoy to stop and passengers to disembark.
In the Tigullio area, a supercell formed off the coast, dumping 200 millimeters of rain on Chiavari and Lavagna in just 24 hours. A waterspout developed off Rapallo, flooding numerous streets in all three coastal municipalities and damaging infrastructure and shops. Lightning also hit the traffic control center at Ventimiglia station, suspending train services across western Liguria.
Agricultural losses are mounting. The farmers association Coldiretti reported an alarming situation for olive growing in the Tigullio hinterland, warning the harvest season is compromised. Wine-growing sectors are also reporting damage.
Lombardy: Bridge Collapses as 350 Are Evacuated
In Lombardy, the provinces of Brescia, Sondrio and Bergamo were hardest hit. In Sonico, a debris flow from Val Rabbia carried boulders and rubble onto state road 42 to the Tonale Pass, causing a bridge to collapse. In the Bergamo area, around 350 people were evacuated as extreme weather tore through the region.
Rainfall totals reached 250 millimeters on the Orobic Alps near Lake Como, according to the Lombardy regional hydrometeorological center at Arpa. A slope collapsed along a provincial road in Alta Val Brembana, while falling trees damaged parked cars. Six municipalities – Valleve, Carona, Foppolo, Branzi, Valbondione and Gandellino – were cut off by Friday morning. A campsite at Isola di Fondra was evacuated over landslide risk.
Tornado Rips Roof in Tuscany as Winds Peak at 106 km/h
Northern Tuscany recorded more than 23,000 lightning strikes, with 60-70 millimeters of rain falling in 12 hours across Massa Carrara, Lucca and Grosseto provinces. Wind gusts reached 106 km/h on the Pisa coast and 103 km/h in Florence province. In Grosseto, a tornado tore the roof off a building.
The disturbance was fueled by a marine heatwave that pushed Mediterranean waters above 33 degrees Celsius off Majorca, according to data from the Spanish meteorological agency Aemet. When cooler, unstable air met the lingering hot air masses, the moisture picked up from the sea triggered the extreme events. Scientists note that Europe climate warming is progressing faster than the global average, increasing the frequency of such phenomena.
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