How Rome responded to a very rare snowfall
This Day In Weather History is a daily podcast by Chris Mei from The Weather Network, featuring stories about people, communities and events and how weather impacted them.
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It snowed in Rome in 1982 and again in 2012. Snow isn't really a thing in Rome, so when it happens, the capital of Italy looks quite different in many ways.
On Monday, Feb. 26, 2018, Rome received between four and 15 cm of snow. This would alarm cities in Canada that are used to a very real, snowy, and drawn-out winter.
The snow was courtesy of a Siberian weather front, dubbed "Beast from the East," which sent temperatures plunging.
Considering snow is rare in Rome, they don't exactly have an army of snowplows waiting to be called in for their daily shift.
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As a result, the army was called in to help (and no one mocked them, unlike when Toronto's mayor called in the army).
Rome's transportation systems were shut down, as were schools, shops, and cemeteries. Dozens of cars were stranded in the streets.
Some subway and train stations were kept open to provide temporary refuge to homeless people. There was even a shelter specifically for homeless people with animals.
Considering the city's inexperience with snow, it reacted pretty quickly and effectively.
Though rare snow has its challenges it also has its benefits; snow day.
People crafted some makeshift sleds and headed to Rome’s public parks. Other people, including priests, enjoyed some snowball fights. Nuns also joined in on the wintry fun and built snowmen.
To hear more about the snow in Rome, listen to today's episode of "This Day In Weather History."
Luckily, this occurred during the days of Twitter.
A rare snowball fight in St Peter's Square. Vid: @EdwardPentin in #Rome #nevearoma pic.twitter.com/j3nwEopxQm
A rare snowball fight in St Peter's Square.
Vid: Alan Holdren on Twitter: "A rare snowball fight in St Peter's Square. Vid: @EdwardPentin in #Rome #nevearoma pic.twitter.com/j3nwEopxQm / Twitter" in Alan Holdren on Twitter: "A rare snowball fight in St Peter's Square. Vid: @EdwardPentin in #Rome #nevearoma pic.twitter.com/j3nwEopxQm / Twitter" Alan Holdren on Twitter: "A rare snowball fight in St Peter's Square. Vid: @EdwardPentin in #Rome #nevearoma pic.twitter.com/j3nwEopxQm / Twitter" Alan Holdren on Twitter: "A rare snowball fight in St Peter's Square. Vid: @EdwardPentin in #Rome #nevearoma pic.twitter.com/j3nwEopxQm / Twitter"— Alan Holdren (@AlanHoldren) Alan Holdren on Twitter: "A rare snowball fight in St Peter's Square. Vid: @EdwardPentin in #Rome #nevearoma pic.twitter.com/j3nwEopxQm / Twitter"
Do you want to build a snowman? These nuns sure did! #snow #snowday #SnowInRome pic.twitter.com/LRElBBB7r3
Do you want to build a snowman? These nuns sure did! Elise Ann Allen on Twitter: "Do you want to build a snowman? These nuns sure did! #snow #snowday #SnowInRome pic.twitter.com/LRElBBB7r3 / Twitter" Elise Ann Allen on Twitter: "Do you want to build a snowman? These nuns sure did! #snow #snowday #SnowInRome pic.twitter.com/LRElBBB7r3 / Twitter" Elise Ann Allen on Twitter: "Do you want to build a snowman? These nuns sure did! #snow #snowday #SnowInRome pic.twitter.com/LRElBBB7r3 / Twitter" Elise Ann Allen on Twitter: "Do you want to build a snowman? These nuns sure did! #snow #snowday #SnowInRome pic.twitter.com/LRElBBB7r3 / Twitter"
— Elise Ann Allen (@eliseannallen) Elise Ann Allen on Twitter: "Do you want to build a snowman? These nuns sure did! #snow #snowday #SnowInRome pic.twitter.com/LRElBBB7r3 / Twitter"
Today! The Colloseum under snow for the first time in 60 years! #Rome #Roma pic.twitter.com/3n1SRJcjuR
Today! The Colloseum under snow for the first time in 60 years! Ronnie C on Twitter: "Today! The Colloseum under snow for the first time in 60 years! #Rome #Roma pic.twitter.com/3n1SRJcjuR / Twitter" Ronnie C on Twitter: "Today! The Colloseum under snow for the first time in 60 years! #Rome #Roma pic.twitter.com/3n1SRJcjuR / Twitter" Ronnie C on Twitter: "Today! The Colloseum under snow for the first time in 60 years! #Rome #Roma pic.twitter.com/3n1SRJcjuR / Twitter"
— Ronnie C (@From_Rons_Desk) Ronnie C on Twitter: "Today! The Colloseum under snow for the first time in 60 years! #Rome #Roma pic.twitter.com/3n1SRJcjuR / Twitter"
ROMA SEI BELLISSIMA ! Snow is giving an extra touch of beauty to the already magic #eternalCity #Rome 😍 #Roma #dcqitalia #PiazzaSanPietro #StPetersSquare pic.twitter.com/HtTmHacBQA
ROMA SEI BELLISSIMA ! Snow is giving an extra touch of beauty to the already magic DCQItalia 🇮🇹 on Twitter: "ROMA SEI BELLISSIMA ! Snow is giving an extra touch of beauty to the already magic #eternalCity #Rome 😍 #Roma #dcqitalia #PiazzaSanPietro #StPetersSquare pic.twitter.com/HtTmHacBQA / Twitter" DCQItalia 🇮🇹 on Twitter: "ROMA SEI BELLISSIMA ! Snow is giving an extra touch of beauty to the already magic #eternalCity #Rome 😍 #Roma #dcqitalia #PiazzaSanPietro #StPetersSquare pic.twitter.com/HtTmHacBQA / Twitter" 😍 DCQItalia 🇮🇹 on Twitter: "ROMA SEI BELLISSIMA ! Snow is giving an extra touch of beauty to the already magic #eternalCity #Rome 😍 #Roma #dcqitalia #PiazzaSanPietro #StPetersSquare pic.twitter.com/HtTmHacBQA / Twitter" DCQItalia 🇮🇹 on Twitter: "ROMA SEI BELLISSIMA ! Snow is giving an extra touch of beauty to the already magic #eternalCity #Rome 😍 #Roma #dcqitalia #PiazzaSanPietro #StPetersSquare pic.twitter.com/HtTmHacBQA / Twitter" DCQItalia 🇮🇹 on Twitter: "ROMA SEI BELLISSIMA ! Snow is giving an extra touch of beauty to the already magic #eternalCity #Rome 😍 #Roma #dcqitalia #PiazzaSanPietro #StPetersSquare pic.twitter.com/HtTmHacBQA / Twitter" DCQItalia 🇮🇹 on Twitter: "ROMA SEI BELLISSIMA ! Snow is giving an extra touch of beauty to the already magic #eternalCity #Rome 😍 #Roma #dcqitalia #PiazzaSanPietro #StPetersSquare pic.twitter.com/HtTmHacBQA / Twitter" DCQItalia 🇮🇹 on Twitter: "ROMA SEI BELLISSIMA ! Snow is giving an extra touch of beauty to the already magic #eternalCity #Rome 😍 #Roma #dcqitalia #PiazzaSanPietro #StPetersSquare pic.twitter.com/HtTmHacBQA / Twitter"
— DCQItalia 🇮🇹 (@dcq_italia) DCQItalia 🇮🇹 on Twitter: "ROMA SEI BELLISSIMA ! Snow is giving an extra touch of beauty to the already magic #eternalCity #Rome 😍 #Roma #dcqitalia #PiazzaSanPietro #StPetersSquare pic.twitter.com/HtTmHacBQA / Twitter"
And now for something completely different ☺ #PiazzaNavona and it's snowing...#Rome pic.twitter.com/LaOpozW5RX
And now for something completely different ☺ Carmen Barnhoorn on Twitter: "And now for something completely different ☺ #PiazzaNavona and it's snowing...#Rome pic.twitter.com/LaOpozW5RX / Twitter" and it's snowing...Carmen Barnhoorn on Twitter: "And now for something completely different ☺ #PiazzaNavona and it's snowing...#Rome pic.twitter.com/LaOpozW5RX / Twitter" Carmen Barnhoorn on Twitter: "And now for something completely different ☺ #PiazzaNavona and it's snowing...#Rome pic.twitter.com/LaOpozW5RX / Twitter"
— Carmen Barnhoorn (@CarmenBarnhoorn) Carmen Barnhoorn on Twitter: "And now for something completely different ☺ #PiazzaNavona and it's snowing...#Rome pic.twitter.com/LaOpozW5RX / Twitter"
snow is starting to melt here in Rome, but the Cupola of St Peter's Basilica still has a dusting! #bello #snowday pic.twitter.com/vXs9Ck6ZC4
Elise Ann Allen on Twitter: "#snow is starting to melt here in Rome, but the Cupola of St Peter's Basilica still has a dusting! #bello #snowday pic.twitter.com/vXs9Ck6ZC4 / Twitter" is starting to melt here in Rome, but the Cupola of St Peter's Basilica still has a dusting! Elise Ann Allen on Twitter: "#snow is starting to melt here in Rome, but the Cupola of St Peter's Basilica still has a dusting! #bello #snowday pic.twitter.com/vXs9Ck6ZC4 / Twitter" Elise Ann Allen on Twitter: "#snow is starting to melt here in Rome, but the Cupola of St Peter's Basilica still has a dusting! #bello #snowday pic.twitter.com/vXs9Ck6ZC4 / Twitter" Elise Ann Allen on Twitter: "#snow is starting to melt here in Rome, but the Cupola of St Peter's Basilica still has a dusting! #bello #snowday pic.twitter.com/vXs9Ck6ZC4 / Twitter"
— Elise Ann Allen (@eliseannallen) Elise Ann Allen on Twitter: "#snow is starting to melt here in Rome, but the Cupola of St Peter's Basilica still has a dusting! #bello #snowday pic.twitter.com/vXs9Ck6ZC4 / Twitter"
A beautiful photo of Rome under the snow ❄️❄️ pic.twitter.com/JzoRvcgWS7
A beautiful photo of Rome under the snow ❄️❄️ ✒️ Lydia 🇫🇷🇪🇺🇬🇷 on Twitter: "A beautiful photo of Rome under the snow ❄️❄️ pic.twitter.com/JzoRvcgWS7 / Twitter"
— ✒️ Lydia 🇫🇷🇪🇺🇬🇷 (@llm_s) ✒️ Lydia 🇫🇷🇪🇺🇬🇷 on Twitter: "A beautiful photo of Rome under the snow ❄️❄️ pic.twitter.com/JzoRvcgWS7 / Twitter"
The Roman Forum now, simply stunning #Rome #nevearoma pic.twitter.com/uuMqj6kemx
The Roman Forum now, simply stunning Stephen Kay on Twitter: "The Roman Forum now, simply stunning #Rome #nevearoma pic.twitter.com/uuMqj6kemx / Twitter" Stephen Kay on Twitter: "The Roman Forum now, simply stunning #Rome #nevearoma pic.twitter.com/uuMqj6kemx / Twitter" Stephen Kay on Twitter: "The Roman Forum now, simply stunning #Rome #nevearoma pic.twitter.com/uuMqj6kemx / Twitter"
— Stephen Kay (@stephenjohnkay) Stephen Kay on Twitter: "The Roman Forum now, simply stunning #Rome #nevearoma pic.twitter.com/uuMqj6kemx / Twitter"
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