The Epiphany this year will not only mark the end of the holidays but also the dominance of the anticyclone that characterized much of the Christmas period.
According to the latest elaborations of the main global meteorological models, a radical change in weather conditions is expected, with the arrival of intense cold and possible extreme snowfalls in some Italian regions.
Baric upheaval in Europe: what awaits us?
A significant change in the atmospheric framework is expected across the entire European continent in the first days of January.
The high pressure, which has so far maintained stable and mild conditions, will retreat towards the Azores, favoring the formation of a block to zonal currents.
This will allow the entry of freezing air of continental origin, which will move from east to west invading Central-Southern Europe and, subsequently, Italy. Before the cold snap, between Friday, January 3 and Sunday, January 5, a difficult-to-read disturbance could occur.
At the moment, it is unclear whether it will affect the entire country or only some regions, but it could represent a first sign of the ongoing change.
Epiphany: intense cold and widespread snowfalls
For the day of the Epiphany and the following period, meteorological models agree on an incursion of freezing air across Italy, initiating a very severe winter phase.
Temperatures will undergo a significant drop starting from Sunday, January 5, but the cooling will become even more pronounced from the Epiphany, with effects that will continue in the following days. Snowfalls could affect large areas of the country, but the most affected regions would be those of Central-Southern Italy, where abundant, if not extreme, accumulations are expected.
For Northern Italy, however, snow could appear only in a later phase, should Atlantic disturbances interact with the already present cold air masses.
Extreme cold and intense winter phase
The masses of freezing air, arriving from Siberia and Central Europe, will reach their peak in the days following the Epiphany, imposing a very harsh winter phase across the country.
This type of baric configuration will bring not only snowfalls but also intense winds and a drastic drop in temperatures across all regions. In particular, the cold will be especially acute in Central-Northern Italy, with widespread frosts during the night and temperatures remaining below freezing even during the day in many locations.
In Southern Italy, however, more unstable conditions are expected, with episodes of bad weather and abundant snowfalls, especially in the Apennine areas.
A weather phase to monitor
The forecasts for the Epiphany outline a typically winter scenario, but the situation remains evolving.
Updates in the coming days will be crucial to better understand the details of the cold incursion and the distribution of snowfalls.
However, with high probability, the intense cold and freezing temperatures will dominate the Italian weather scene for the entire second week of January, providing a true taste of harsh winter.
Follow our feed
