Formazza

Formazza (Walliser German: Pomatt, Piedmontese: Formassa) is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 160 kilometres (99 mi) northeast of Turin and about 50 kilometres (31 mi) north of Verbania, on the border with Switzerland. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 443 and an area of 131.8 square kilometres (50.9 sq mi).

The municipality of Formazza contains the frazioni (subdivisions, mainly villages and hamlets) Foppiano, Antillone, Fondovalle, Chiesa, Valdo, San Michele, Ponte, Brendo, Grovella, Canza, Sotto Frua, La Frua, and Riale.

Formazza borders the following municipalities: Baceno, Bedretto (Switzerland), Bignasco (Switzerland), Binn (Switzerland), Bosco/Gurin (Switzerland), Cavergno (Switzerland), Premia, Reckingen-Gluringen (Switzerland), Ulrichen (Switzerland).

The village was founded by Walser and Walser German is still spoken.

Geography and climate

The village is situated about at elevetion the of 1200 m on the sea level in Valle Formazza, the northest extention of the main valley, Val d'Ossola. The position, directly under the high mountains of western Alps, influences the climate; the altitude does too. In fact there are averege more than one meter and thirty centimeters of precipitation a year (expecially snow). The climate is the type Dfc (Köppen climate classification), humid continental climate with fresh and short summer (usually there's no dry season), that is the tipical alpine climate. The annual average temperature is about 4°C and usually the coldest month (January) has got about -4°C as daily mean temperature; the lowest values can reach also about -20°C. The hottest month (July) has got an average temperature about 13°C and generally the summer lasts less than three months.