Spring storm to bring downpours, thunderstorms to parts of Italy and the Balkans into Tuesday
A timelapse, filmed in the Tuscany region of Italy, shows a winter storm taking this road from spring to winter and then back to spring, on May 5.
Rain and thunderstorms will spread over much of Italy and the Balkans through Tuesday as a slow-moving storm system sets up shop nearby.
Heavy rainfall and flash flooding will be the biggest concerns, but locally strong storms will also be a possibility, which could lead to damaging wind gusts.
"The most likely areas to get flash flooding will be the eastern coast of Italy and the northern portions of the Dinaric Alps," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Tyler Roys. There will be an increased threat for mudslides in the Dinaric Alps as well.
Much of this area will receive a general 25 to 75 mm (1 to 3 inches) of rain through Tuesday, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 150 mm (6 inches).
While there will be some showers and thunderstorms across western Italy, including Rome and Naples, rainfall amounts will generally be under 25 mm (1 inch), with a much lower threat for any flooding issues.
The threat for strong thunderstorms with the potential for gusty winds and perhaps even some small hail will be across southern Italy on Monday and Tuesday.
By Monday, the concern will also shift eastward toward Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania and Greece.
A storm of this size and magnitude this far south is a little unusual for this time of year.
"This is typically the type of storm that we see during the winter and early spring," Roys said.
The rain from this storm will add to what has already been a wet stretch over much of the area. Many places received two to three times their normal rainfall during the month of April.
Venice, Italy, received 230 mm (9.09 inches) of rain during the month of April, which was more than triple the average for the month. The wet pattern has continued into May, as the city has already surpassed the average rainfall for the month of May.
With the storm being very slow-moving in nature, showers and thunderstorms will linger into Wednesday and potentially the second half of the week.
While there still will be some localized downpours, these heavier pockets of rain will not be as widespread.
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