The spring cold continues, regrets about the late snow – L’Aquila

PESCARA. Temperatures below average for the period until next week also in our region. This cold wave was caused by a flow of polar air coming from Scandinavia. The first disturbance with the irruption of colder and more unstable air leaves our country over the next few hours, causing more thunderstorms in the South. Some residual snowfall up to 1100 meters in Abruzzo and Molise, then the weather in the center improves almost everywhere.

The weekend sees the arrival of a second cold pulse from Northern Europe which will reignite the storms especially in the
central regions. More snowfall is expected in the Apennines and rain also in the southern peninsula and Emilia Romagna. Sunday
In the morning the bad weather still affects Marche, Abruzzo and Molise with intense phenomena. The anomalous cold will favor others
widespread snowfall on the central Apennines up to around 1200 metres.
In detail
– Friday 19. In the north: sunny, increasing clouds in the North-East. In the center: bad weather in Abruzzo and Molise until morning then sun. In the south: unstable weather with widespread thunderstorms until mid-afternoon.
– Saturday 20. In the north: sunny, clouds in the North-East with local showers. Middle: very unstable. In the south: initially good
then it worsens in Campania and Puglia.
– Sunday 21. In the north: sunny, clouds in the North-East with local showers then worsens towards the North-West with high snow
hill. In the centre: latest storms in Abruzzo and Molise, sunshine elsewhere. In the south: sunny.
– Trend: disturbed and cold weather for the period; snow on the hills in the North-West on Monday 22 April. Scattered showers again
at least until April 25th.

Delayed snow, lifts remain closed in Alto Sangro. Disappointed entrepreneurs, -40% attendance. Hopefully in the summer

“Unfortunately the snow arrived late and we have already dismantled all the protective nets. We are hoping for refreshments to be able to restart the summer season with more momentum.” This is what Roberto Del Castello, owner of the Aremogna ski facilities, declared after the snowfall during the night which whitened the center of Roccaraso and the other towns of Alto Sangro. The snow cover, explains Del Castello, is insufficient to withstand an extraordinary opening of the lifts. “This is snow that melts after a few hours. There is an organizational machine behind the opening. The refreshments? Let’s hope, in the meantime we prepare for the summer”.

It hasn’t been a rosy season in Alto Sangro. The loss of 40% of tourist presences has been confirmed
to last year. Between Christmas and New Year, with 73 slopes open, the peak was reached with 40 thousand attendances. 137 people including employees and operators worked on the systems in the Aremogna district, but finding them was not easy. Lots of snow also in Pescocostanzo, a charming village at 1,395 meters above sea level, ten minutes’ drive from Roccaraso. The scenery is enchanting, typically winter, but in mid-April it does not offer good prospects for commercial operators. “Unfortunately those who have a second home here won’t come, not even tourists will come, it doesn’t make sense with the ski resorts closed and for us it’s a real disaster” comments Silvia Gizzatorelli, owner of Alimentari Mannella, a historic business at the entrance to the town which , started by his grandfather, is approaching 70 years in business.

“In Roccaraso they have worked wonders for skiing this winter – observes Silvia – because it snowed a little in January and at night the temperatures allowed artificial snow to be fired. The snowfall of these days, however, is damaging the vegetation here trees and plants were already all in bloom.”