Florence sits in central Italy’s hilly Apennine terrain, where a Mediterranean-to-continental transitional climate produces its heaviest rain in autumn, sometimes concentrated into short, intense, and highly localized storms.
On the Arno River, the city suffered a catastrophic flood in 1966 that destroyed countless artworks and reshaped Italy’s approach to flood defense. The steep, closely-spaced valleys typical of this part of Italy mean small rivers can rise dramatically within hours, a pattern that has produced serious floods here in past decades, and radar remains one of the best tools for anticipating it. Learn more: Flash Flood Warning Signs on Radar · Open the full Rain Map