Severe storms unload knee-deep hail in Rome

Severe storms unload knee-deep hail in Rome

The hailstorm followed unseasonably mild weather in Rome. High temperatures had been in the mid- to upper 70s for the prior week, compared with the average of about 70.

After the storm, highs on Monday were only in the low 60s.

The culprit for the event was a cold front and an associated vigorous high-altitude disturbance that dropped in from the northeast, shown in the animation below:

An intense high-altitude disturbance or vorticity maximum passed through Italy on Sunday from northeast to southwest. (PivotalWeather.com)