Irrigation ban and forest fire risk in June became flood risk in western Kronoberg in August. Summer rains have filled the ground with water and a flood warning has been issued – but it could have been worse.
– At the beginning of June it was dry in many places and then large spaces were created in lakes and larger watercourses, had it been normal May and June the situation could have gotten worse faster, says Niclas Hjerdt, Hydrologist at SMHI.
The land is sensitive to precipitation
On the other hand, the dry beginning of the summer has been followed by unstable weather, which has caused the water levels to fill up, and now the storm Hans, despite the long period of drought, may be the final straw that causes the smaller watercourses to overflow in parts of western Kronoberg.
– It’s like mother nature has her finger on the trigger. All land in the area that the precipitation passes through is incredibly sensitive to large amounts of water at the same time, says Niclas Hjerdt.
Cross throw between extremes
Niclas Hjerdt also recalls that 2018 was a year that initially brought many flood warnings as a result of large amounts of snow, which was then followed by a very dry summer.
– We have a reversal between different extremes and it is something that is in reality a consequence of climate change, he says.
According to SMHI’s assessment, it is likely that the warnings for western Kronoberg will remain, as heavy rainfall is expected during Wednesday.