This explainer goes with our news report on the red alert for Thursday 5 November 2026, which lists the school closures, the forecast and what happened the last time Gallura was on red. Here are the two graphics in full: the alert hour by hour, and what each colour code means.
The alert hour by hour
The featured chart shows regional civil protection bulletin no. 308 of 4 November 2026. Gallura and Flumendosa-Flumineddu are two separate alert zones with identical levels:
Hydrogeological risk (landslides, mudflows, flash floods on small streams): orange from 18:00 to midnight on Wednesday, red from midnight to 18:00 on Thursday, yellow until 23:59
Thunderstorm risk: yellow on Wednesday evening, orange from midnight to 18:00 on Thursday, then yellow
Hydraulic risk (larger rivers): yellow from about 06:00 on Thursday
Iglesiente, Campidano, Montevecchio-Pischinappiu, Tirso and Logudoro are yellow for hydrogeological risk all day Thursday. The bulletin sets the operational phase at preallarme in the two red zones and attenzione in the yellow ones.
What yellow, orange and red mean
The second graphic summarises the national civil protection department's guidance on alert levels and event scenarios:
Yellow, criticità ordinaria: localised landslides and flooding of small streams; occasional danger to people
Orange, criticità moderata: widespread landslides and flooding, damage to buildings, roads and bridges; danger to people, with possible loss of life
Red, criticità elevata: numerous or extensive landslides and mudflows, major flooding of small streams, bridges blocked by debris; «grave pericolo per la sicurezza delle persone con possibili perdite di vite umane», serious danger to people, with possible loss of life
Thunderstorm alerts stop at orange, because at red level storms are already part of the red hydrogeological scenario. Any alert, even yellow, obliges mayors to activate their comune's emergency plan.
What to do
The regional self-protection guide for floods advises moving the car to higher ground before the rain, staying out of cellars, basements and underpasses, never crossing flooded streams on foot or by car, and keeping documents, a torch, a battery radio, water and a first-aid kit within reach. A car can float in little more than 30 centimetres of moving water. In an emergency call 112.
Alert levels can change. Check the regional civil protection on the SardegnaAmbiente portal and your comune's channels for the latest bulletin and local ordinances.
Graphics: Sardinia Blog, from Regione Sardegna bulletin no. 308 and Dipartimento della Protezione Civile guidance.
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