In March 2025, the Italian region of Tuscany, particularly the province of Florence, was hit by severe storms. On 14 March, 70 liters of rain per square meter fell in Florence in just six hours – an amount that normally corresponds to the entire monthly average. This extreme rainfall led to a dangerous rise in the water level of the Arno, the river that flows through Florence, Empoli and Pisa, among other places. Emilia-Romagna was also affected by flooding, as the water level of the Sieve, a tributary of the Arno, also rose sharply (Sadeghi, 2025).
The effects of the storm were considerable in Tuscany: schools were closed in several cities and museums, cinemas and theaters in Florence had to close. In total, around 250 people were evacuated from the region (SPIEGEL, 2025; Sadeghi, 2025). The city of Florence, which is famous for its historical art and cultural sites and is a major tourist destination, was particularly affected. The water level of the Arno rose so high that it almost reached the arches of the medieval Ponte Vecchio bridge and almost flooded the entrance to the world-famous Uffizi Gallery, one of the most important collections of paintings in the world (Deutschlandfunk, 2025). However, thanks to a hydraulic safety system with floodgates, major flooding of the city was largely prevented.
Despite these measures, the damage in Tuscany is estimated at around 100 million euros (Sadeghi, 2025). The intensity of the storms is unusual for this time of year. Such heavy rainfall normally occurs in November, when the warm sea temperatures favor high evaporation. The winter of 2024, however, was unusually mild, meaning that the sea was unable to cool down properly and contributed to the extreme weather conditions (Bayrischer Rundfunk, 2025).
The weather situation remains tense: An area of high pressure over Central Europe is blocking areas of low pressure and forcing them southwards. As a result, humid air masses repeatedly gather over the Mediterranean region, which discharge in severe storms (Jung, 2025).
As of 17.03.2025
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Sadeghi, J. (2025): Schäden durch schwere Unwetter in der Toskana. Abgerufen am 17.03.2025 unter: Hochwasser in Italien: Schäden durch schwere Unwetter in der Toskana | ZEIT ONLINE
Spiegel (2025): Behörden in Toskana rufen Alarmstufe Rot aus. Abgerufen am 17.03.2025 unter: Unwetter in Italien: Behörden in Toskana rufen Alarmstufe rot aus – DER SPIEGEL
Deutschlandfunk (2025): Überschwemmungen in der Toskana: Schleusen verhindern Flutwelle in Florenz. Abgerufen am 17.03.2025 unter: Italien – Überschwemmungen in der Toskana: Schleusen verhindern Flutwelle in Florenz
Bayrischer Rundfunkt (2025): Toskana: Heftige Überflutungen in Italien. Abgerufen am 17.03.2025 unter: Toskana: Heftige Überflutungen in Italien | BR24
Jung, D. (2025): Heftige Unwetter in Urlaubsregionen: Lage in Italien bleibt weiter angespannt – Experte ordnet Prognosen ein. Abgerufen am 17.03.2025 unter: Heftige Unwetter in Urlaubsregionen: Lage in Italien bleibt weiter angespannt – Experte ordnet Prognosen ein
(Image source: ZDFheute | AFP)