Summer Thunderstorm Over Tuscany

In the height of summer, temperatures in the Tuscan hinterland often climb to or above 40 degrees. At such times, tourists and locals alike prefer the Tyrrhenian Sea coast, where a fresh breeze provides cooling and the sea offers a refreshing dip. But even there, in the humid summer heat, clouds can gather, releasing their pent-up energy in flickering, rumbling heat lightning or powerful thunderstorms with squalls and heavy downpours.

Over a longer period, I watched the clouds thicken along the coastline from a beach in southern Tuscany. From a distance, a thunderstorm cell approaching over the Gulf of Follonica announced itself, dark and menacing. Soon the wind picked up, driving away the beachgoers. At the campsite, pitches were secured against the storm, lines tightened, tables cleared, and awnings retracted. The gusty wind sent forgotten newspapers flying, towels flapping, or tent awnings collapsing.

Soon, the first fat drops splattered onto the dust-dry ground, covered in pine needles, creating that intense, spicy scent of a Mediterranean summer rain beginning. But the magic is soon over; the sky clears again and transitions into a dramatically lit sunset.

More pictures in the Tuscany Gallery.