Bari Snowstorm: February 1956 Epic Snowfall

Exactly 70 years have passed since an exceptional event, which entered the history of Puglia, but also of the entire nation, as one of the largest frost waves of the 20th century. On Tuesday 7 February 1956, in fact, Bari found itself immersed in snow with temperatures dropping below zero. The city woke up completely covered by a white and thick blanket of snow: the people of Bari were experiencing what they will remember as a very large-scale atmospheric event. And there were many inconveniences, starting with the closure of schools: children and teenagers had extra days of holidays, which lasted for almost two weeks, because the snow continued to fall heavily even in the following days. But for many of them it was a real joy: the frozen squares and snow-covered streets became containers for playing and throwing countless snowballs, with some rude episodes towards some women, who became targets of groups of troublemakers. Result? Lots of broken glasses and ladies ended up in the emergency room, where they had their wounds caused by throwing snow globes treated.

At the time there were few cars around, owned by the richest, but in those days, due to the impassable roads, it was usual to see carriages, some used above all to send for the midwife for women giving birth. Some of them named their daughter Bianca. Like snow. Very deep snow, where the snow accumulated on the pavements almost reached the height of the first floors of the buildings. And in the province it reached a height of almost two metres. With the squares completely frozen and the houses cold from the frost and heated with the heat of the fire. Bari sank in situations of great emergency, in which aid and means of subsistence were arranged: thousands of parcels of pasta, milk and blankets were delivered to many families. Almost all of Puglia was in despair. And in the most disparate areas, aid arrived by plane.

There was so much snow that the Municipality of Bari employed over 1000 people, including 500 unemployed workers, who made enormous efforts for the shoveling works. A great job was also done by the firefighters, working day and night. In Bari and its province, everything was colored white, like the completely whitewashed trulli of Alberobello. A huge inconvenience for many, but a spectacle for lovers of the most extreme nature. That, in fact, was defined as the “snowfall of the century”: spectacular and copious, but the cause of much damage in many areas of Italy. Epic, so much so that years later they made a very successful song about it, performed by Mia Martini. The air on that February 7, 1956, was truly pure white. And Bari was a huge sheet of ice.