Parts of the province of Lecce were turned white by an unseasonal hail storm, leading to surreal scenes as people in shorts and T-shirts were left digging out cars from up to 15 cm of ice.
Snowploughs were brought out of storage to clear roads, while in other areas heavy downpours swept away cars and flooded houses.
The storms also damaged crops in Puglia, which grows many of Italy's olives, grapes and other fruits.
Major sever hailstorm in Poggiardo (Le), Puglia, south Italy this afternoon, June 2nd! Report: Alessandra Ra Guida / Meteopuglia in Foto pic.twitter.com/ycaEyRLoks
— severe-weather.EU (@severeweatherEU) June 2, 2019
#grandine come neve oggi a Sternatia (LE), foto da https://t.co/xdTb9JTcTr @MNW_Puglia pic.twitter.com/3C0s18Hzol
— MeteoNetwork (@meteonetwork) June 2, 2019
Tantissima #grandine oggi nel #salento a #poggiardo (Le) #meteo #puglia @severeweatherEU @MeteoEuropa @Emergenza24 @wwwmeteoit pic.twitter.com/OeFQzyICT9
— MeteOne Puglia e Basilicata (@MeteOnePB) June 2, 2019
By this time of year average temperatures in southern Puglia typically around the mid 20s, and many people would usually spend June 2nd - Italy's Republic Day - at the beach.
But this year has seen Italy swept by extreme weather, from floods in the east, high winds in the south and freezing temperatures in the north. The disturbances follow an unusually warm winter.
While the sun has returned to Rome and most of either coast, Italy's Civil Protection Department is warning of ongoing storms and heavy rains in the far south and north, as well as over the mountains running up the centre of the peninsula.
In these parts of the country, the bad weather is forecast to continue until at least Wednesday. But temperatures could climb suddenly towards the end of the week, hitting 30 degrees C in parts.
Huge amounts of hail in Sternatia (Le), Puglia, south Italy this afternoon, June 2nd! Report: Meteopuglia in Foto pic.twitter.com/D2aLdukrZc
— severe-weather.EU (@severeweatherEU) June 2, 2019
Earth's atmosphere is becoming increasingly unstable, and as a consequence, that what we call "weather", is only going to get worse.