Just a week ago, people were taking advantage of the last vestiges of autumn to dive into the island's crystal-clear sea. Today, that memory seems to belong to another season. Sardinia awoke to a blanket of white, surprised by a sudden low-pressure system—which began yesterday afternoon—that brought heavy snow from the peaks of Gennargentu to the Limbara mountains, passing through Montiferru, Monte Linas, and many areas of Sardinia's hinterland.
The most faithful image of this winter interlude are provided by the webcams of the Baku Meteo network of the Sardegna Clima association, which since yesterday show completely transformed landscapes: roofs, roads and pastures covered in an unexpected but spectacular blanket of white.
From Fonni to Tonara, from Desulo to Buddusò, and also Sadali, Esterzili, Seui, Nuoro, much of Barbagia and Montiferru, the Nuoro area, and even Gallura, saw widespread snowfall, with flakes that in some cases even reached the hillsides. Temperatures plummeted in several towns to near freezing, with the province of Nuoro recording the lowest temperatures.
The sharp drop in temperatures had been anticipated: the Civil Protection had in fact issued a weather alert, valid until this morning, although an extension of the warning measures cannot be ruled out given the persistent instability.
Waking up to the snow also brought with it the predictable inconveniences: farm workers and residents of small towns found themselves dealing with slippery roads and vehicles not always equipped to cope with the sudden change of season. But, as often happens, there are also those who were just waiting for the snow: families, hikers, and mountain enthusiasts, many Sardinians are already ready to set off for another dive... this time into the snow.