Extreme winds, temperatures dropping by at least 10 degrees, storm surges, and waves up to 10 meters high: the Arctic cyclone has arrived in Italy, with its effects expected to persist until tomorrow. A final wave of winter.

Today, in particular, explained Lorenzo Tedici, meteorologist for iLMeteo.it, "we will have gale-force winds and storm gusts, a Foehn wind in the northwest, a Bora wind initially in the northern Adriatic, and a Mistral wind elsewhere. In Sardinia, the Mistral wind will raise massive waves, classified as "rough sea," with heights between 7 and 10 meters (Douglas scale). Snow will fall down to hilly altitudes, especially on the Adriatic coast, and maximum temperatures will drop by as much as 10°C."

Snowfall is also expected in Sardinia, at altitudes around 1,000 metres, and is set to decrease as the weather persists.

On Friday, Tedici added, "we will experience even more wintry conditions: night frost is expected in the northwest, reaching the plains, with lows around -2°C. Heavy snowfall will affect the central and southern Apennines at low altitudes. Gale-force winds and storm surges will persist along the coasts of the central Adriatic, the lower Tyrrhenian Sea, and western Sardinia."

During Palm Sunday weekend , however, "we will see a gradual improvement, albeit with cold temperatures. The wind and bad weather, still strong on Saturday, especially on the Adriatic coast and in the south, will tend to subside by Sunday. The Apennines will be widely covered in snow, recalling typical conditions of at least two months ago."

In detail

• Thursday 26 – In the North: Arctic front with fast-moving bad weather in the Northeast. In the Center: strong winds, showers, and snow in the hills. In the South: Arctic front with bad weather and snow in the hills.
• Friday the 27th – In the North: Night frost in the northwest, clouds elsewhere. In the Center: Severe weather on the Adriatic coast, with wind and snow in the hills. In the South: Unstable weather with rain, wind, and snow in the hills.