Snow in Rome. The Capital woke up under a white blanket due to the perturbation brought by the northern Burian wind.
After bringing heavy snowfalls and sub-zero temperatures to the north, the icy air is moving along Italy, investing the center but also the south, from Puglia to Basilicata, passing through Campania and the major islands, with temperatures that will drop even 10 degrees below the seasonal averages. However, the record was reached in the Vicenza area, -40°.
Temperatures below the seasonal average of 2/8 degrees are expected until Friday 10 March. Improvements are expected starting from the weekend, precisely in conjunction with the now imminent election day, March 4, hoping that the weather conditions will not make the expected percentage of abstentionism.
In Rome, where the emergency plan implemented by the Capitol is operational, which yesterday evening decided to keep the schools closed for today.
Salt spreaders and antifreeze machines, alerted all the competent offices, from the Civil Protection to the Local Police of Rome Capital up to the Simu, Atac, Ama, Acea and School department to prepare the measures to be implemented. Also this year there is no lack of controversy: many, especially on social networks, have pointed out the absence of Mayor Virginia Rays, engaged in Mexico to attend a conference on the climate despite the snowfalls being forecast for several days.
The Rome Civil Protection Operations Room is also active, which can be contacted on the toll-free number 800 854 854 or on 06 67109200.
Rail traffic is currently slowed down, at times stopped, in the Rome junction, due to snowfall which is blocking some exchanges. Traffic - informs FS - has also slowed down significantly on all the Lazio lines that refer to the capital, on the Siena - Grosseto and on the Verona - Modena lines. The average delay, says Fs, it's two hours, but peaks of even five hours of waiting have been reached.
Access to Termini station has been blocked for high-speed trains from the north to Naples. Problems also a fiumicino, with numerous delays and cancellations.
Trenitalia specified the conditions for being able to request a refund of the ticket: " Trenitalia customers who during the morning have given up their journey on long-distance trains, involved in the delays caused by bad weather, have received and are entitled to a full refund of the ticket . To those who have traveled and reached their destination with a more than three hours late, Trenitalia will recognize full reimbursement of the ticket, instead of the 50% indemnity provided for by European regulations”. Similar decision for Italian: if the delay exceeds two hours, the compensation increases from 50 to 100% of the ticket.
The offer of railway services may undergo further changes and reductions, while the snow and frost plans of RFI and Trenitalia remain active.
RFI is engaged with its technical teams throughout the country to deal with the emergency, overseeing the nerve centers of the network and also intervening with the help of contractors.
Trenitalia has enhanced its customer assistance services and is reprogramming, where necessary, transport services with progressive reduction of trains.
The FS Italiane Group invites travelers to inquire about the rail traffic situation before traveling, also through the information channels of the FS Italiane Group: FSnews.it and on Twitter the @FSnews_it account.
As for trucks, a ban on the circulation of heavy vehicles in Rome and its province has been decided from 22pm on Sunday until the weather alert lasts. This was established by the prefect of the capital, Paola Basilone, on the basis of the indication of the Traffic Operations Committee (Cov). This is an "extension of the traffic ban on the entire road network outside residential areas and motorways, including the ring road (Gra) - reads a press release from the prefecture - in the Province of Rome, for vehicles complexes of commercial vehicles with a total mass when fully loaded exceeding 7,5 tons, from 22 pm on 25 February 2018 and until the need ceases".
