Severe Weather Batters Rome: Flooding, Road Closures, and Traffic Chaos
Rome, February 12, 2026 – Heavy rainfall, which began overnight, has caused significant disruption across Rome and its province today, Thursday, February 12. The incessant downpour, accompanied by strong gusts of wind and localized electrical activity, led to widespread flooding, closed roads, and intense traffic, particularly during the morning commute.
A yellow weather alert was issued for the next 18 hours, signaling continued challenging conditions for residents. Reports of flooding came from all quadrants of the capital, with traffic conditions marked as ‘red’ for those entering the city.
Roads and Underpasses Shut Down
Critical issues were reported on several key arteries. The Via Pontina experienced significant slowdowns from Pomezia Nord towards Rome. The railway underpass on Via Baffi in Portuense was completely flooded, prompting local councillor Marco Palma to comment, “The railway underpass, lacking adequate maintenance, is flooded once again.”
In Tor Sapienza, Via Salviati was closed due to flooding near Via Sansoni. A similar situation unfolded on the Via Appia, where one carriageway was shut between the Ciampino junction (SS217 Via Dei Laghi, Km 13.7) and the Frattocchie junction (SS207 Nettunense, Km 16.7) due to a pump failure in the underpass. Further east, Via Marcello Boglione was closed near the Grande Raccordo Anulare entrance ramp, where a substantial ‘lake’ had formed on the roadway, notably featuring a refrigerator floating in the water.
Other areas affected by closures included Via della Pisana, Via di Centocelle near Via Casilina, and Via Collatina. In Bel Poggio, residents reported high alert as water inundated the roads, with the overflow of the Lello Maddaleno stream leading to the closure of the road at the intersection of Via Monte di Casa and Via di Settebagni in both directions. This situation creates significant challenges for residents in this neighborhood, which is situated between the railway line along Via Salaria and the Rome North branch of the highway, effectively isolating them during such events.
Flooding was also reported in the municipality of Fiumicino, particularly in Fregene, and in the Castelli Romani area.
Emergency with Falling Trees
Beyond the rain, strong winds added to the chaos. In the EUR district, a pine tree collapsed on Viale Umberto Tupini, destroying three parked cars. Similar disruptions were noted in the eastern suburbs, specifically in Giardini di Corcolle, where water engulfed Via Polense near the San Giuliano canal.
Francesco Iriti, president of the neighborhood committee, stated, “We have activated, with thanks to the Carabinieri of San Vittorino station, to contact the relevant authorities to activate the extraordinary pumps. We also thank the Councillor for Public Works of Municipality VI, Giovanni Raiola. I reiterate: there are two types of systems. Those that activate automatically when certain water levels are reached, and extraordinary (auxiliary) pumps, manually activated by a specialized team in case of particularly intense meteorological events, to increase water drainage capacity. At the moment, the ordinary pumps are regularly active, and following checks, the procedure for the intervention of the extraordinary pumps has been activated with the dispatch of the team to the site. The Giardini di Corcolle neighborhood committee will act through the competent bodies to evaluate the possibility of automating the activation of extraordinary pumps as well, to speed up intervention times in the future.”
Gianfranco Pontemezzo, president of the Vivi Fosso San Giuliano neighborhood committee, highlighted, “On Via Prenestina Polense at kilometer 20, floods occur that endanger citizens. Despite repeated reports, the inconveniences continue. I immediately reported everything to the proper authorities. The situation is unsustainable because with every rain, there is a risk of being stranded due to flooding. We demand the cleaning of gutters and drains left in total degradation.”
Highway Disruptions
Travelers on superhighways and motorways also faced difficulties. On the urban stretch of the A24, overflows were reported between the Portonaccio – Galla Placidia junction (Km 6.1) and the Tangenziale Est junction (Km 7.2) towards the Tangenziale Est. On the A1, Rome North branch, vehicles were escorted due to severe weather causing damaged road surfaces between the Castelnuovo di Porto junction (Km 10) and the Settebagni junction (Km 18).
Councillor Palma also reported water ingress into the council chamber of Municipality XI Arvalia this morning.
Monterotondo Isolated
At 11:30 AM, the underpass on Via di Vallericca at the intersection with Via Salaria, in the municipality of Monterotondo, was closed due to flooding. This artery serves as the primary route for motorists traveling from the city north of Rome to the capital via Via Salaria.
Snow in the Mountains
At higher altitudes, the rain transformed into snow. The mountains surrounding the capital are experiencing significant snowfall above 1600 meters, with heavy snow falling for several hours in areas like Campo dell’Osso and Monte Livata.
The Civil Protection agency issued a yellow alert for Lazio, effective from early morning on Thursday, February 12, for the subsequent 12-18 hours.
Source: RomaToday, Civil Protection, Luceverde Roma
