March 24th, it looked like the middle of winter along south Italy
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As you know, weather and the meteorology in general is an engaging science, always able to give us a few of surprises.
Indeed, that is what the southern Italy, in particular Adriatic areas, is experiencing over these last days.
We said several times, it was definitely a weird winter, during which wide high-pressure areas were lying all over the Mediterranean, bringing settled weather condition with above-average temperatures.
But this time, a quick change of the atmospheric setting managed to bring white surprises even along lower latitudes.
It started during the last weekend, when a strong high-pressure bridge moved from the Azores to the north Atlantic. Spinning in clockwise, it pushed chilly air along its right edge toward southern Europe. We can talk about a backward movement, from Siberia to the Mediterranean, bringing wintery sceneries along the way.
The imagine above shows us an interesting phenomenon that started on March 23rd, when colder air began to cross the Adriatic sea.
It is known as A.S.E., Adriatic Effect Snow: it is the result of the contrast between the cold air, coming from northeast Europe and the warm sea surface.
Consequently, that gives the right condition for a particular type of clouds, moving towards the ground and able to bring fresh snowfalls, up to the sea level.
That is what occurred a few days ago along the Adriatic regions of Italy, hit by a wintry cold wave.
In fact, the fall in temperatures was so drastic and sensible that it looked like winter again, giving white landscapes, never seen so far.
Here you are some amazing and unexpected pictures, taken just two days ago from northern Apulia, where winter came back hardly and providing stunning sceneries.
Paolo Saracino
From Lecce, Italy
