by InTrieste
A violent hailstorm struck Friuli Venezia Giulia on Sunday afternoon, with the city of Udine and surrounding areas experiencing the brunt of the sudden change in weather. The storm marked the arrival of a new front of instability expected to bring widespread rainfall and cooler temperatures across the region well into next week.
In the municipality of Pozzuolo del Friuli, a sudden whirlwind caused significant damage in an area recently used for festivals and local fairs. Strong gusts tore through structures belonging to the town’s Pro Loco, overturning a cash register booth and two sheet-metal kiosks despite precautionary anchoring. Several modules, the association reported, were damaged beyond repair.
Volunteers quickly moved in to secure the site, and dismantling of the remaining installations is expected to continue in the coming days.
Elsewhere in the region, heavy rains and sudden hailstorms hit mountain communities such as Sauris, while coastal areas were also affected. In Duino and Sistiana, police patrols on jet skis urged swimmers and boaters to return to shore as the storm approached, in an effort to prevent accidents during the busy holiday weekend.
The new weather system, meteorologists warned, is likely to linger over northeastern Italy, bringing sustained rainfall, occasional thunderstorms, and a marked drop in temperatures after weeks of summer-like warmth.
