A bit of winter has also arrived in Sardinia with a few weeks delay, after a prolonged autumn that brought mild temperatures - and above average for the period - for Christmas and up until Epiphany.

Since yesterday evening , the Island has also been affected by a new arctic front that has brought snow back to 800 meters. This night, about 2-3 cm have settled on the ground above 1200 meters and a veil of snow from 850 meters in the Nuoro reliefs. A light white blanket also in mountain villages such as Fonni and Desulo, while on Gennargentu another snowfall is expected this evening.

The flakes could also fall in Ogliastra, since temperatures are set to drop further this evening. Due to the new disturbance arriving from northern Europe , Sardinia has to deal with a sudden wave of cold that has caused temperatures to drop by about 8-10 degrees, sending the mercury column below zero in the most internal and highest areas of the island.

What has been missing, however, in this prolonged autumn, is the rain. Despite some help from the sky that has given a breath of fresh air to the northern Nuoro area, now 17 municipalities in Barbagia served by the Jann'e Ferru aqueduct are suffering: Nuoro, Bolotana, Dorgali, Fonni, Gavoi, Lei, Lodine, Mamoiada, Oliena, Ollolai, Oniferi, Orgosolo, Orani, Orotelli, Ottana, Sarule and Silanus. From Monday 27, in these centers, water will be rationed and will arrive in homes on alternate days.

"This snow is a real godsend," says the mayor of Fonni and regional president of Anci, Daniela Falconi, "it's still snowing this morning and we'll see in the next few days if we'll be able to get out of the emergency, immediately."

Tomorrow there will be a new meeting with the Civil Protection and the water manager Abbanoa to verify the situation again. In the meantime, the municipality has organized itself: «We have done some work in the schools to fill the tanks and avoid their closure and the citizens and businesses are doing the same». Beyond the drought, however, Falconi explains that efficiency of the networks, interconnection between the dams, safety of the Govossai basin».