It’s been snowing since yesterday morning, here in Milan. Waking up with 20 cm of snow and watching it grow has some sort of hypnotical beauty, which vanishes as soon as you realize that: two of the major national airports (one of which is the italian major international hub) are shut down; basically, all the roads to and from Milan are closed or soon-to-be (and all major news sources advice not to travel unless strictly necessary); also, one of the major railroads axis - the Milano-Roma - is basically cut off.
Two days worth of snow, and the entire northern Italy is cut off from the rest of the planet; so long for it being the economical centre of the nation.