Italians were busy pulling out blankets from mothballs and taking out their stored winter coats ahead of the arrival this weekend of the first cold snap of the fall-winter season.
After a mostly mild autumn, forecasters say Italy is poised to be hit by an Arctic cold front which will bring rain, storms, high winds and snow even at lower altitudes, as temperatures plunge nationwide.
The bad weather will begin Friday in the west, where arriving cold will clash with warm air rising up the Mediterranean causing storms with heavy local rainfall.
Rain will continue on Saturday, especially in central and eastern Italy, and snow is expected not only in the mountains but also as low as 600m.
Temperatures will continue to drop Sunday and snow is expected also in the south.
Authorities have urged all those planning to travel this weekend to keep informed of road conditions and weather forecasts and to keep chains in their cars if they are going to areas where snow is expected.
