SMHI has a range weather warnings issued and during Monday evening it is mainly Svealand and subsequently also southern Norrland that is affected by the snow storm. On Tuesday morning, the snow has probably moved away from southernmost Svealand – but a large part of northern Svealand and southern Norrland can count on substantial amounts of snow. Locally, there can be up to three decimetres of fresh snow, and in combination with strong winds, there can be major problems in the morning traffic in many places.
– Värmland and especially western Dalarna have orange warnings, that’s where it will be worst, says SVT’s meteorologist Nitzan Cohen.
Risk of slipping
In areas where it stops snowing, plus temperatures and rain are expected instead. Something that will also cause it in the morning traffic on Tuesday.
– It will be challenging road conditions when it freezes on the road. It will be slippery in many places, says Trafikverket’s press manager Bengt Olsson to SVT Nyheter.
How do you prepare for this?
– We have a number of heavy haulers and plow trucks outside. Then slip prevention is underway. The major roads are prioritized. Other routes will take longer.
Several accidents
The storm moved in over southern Sweden on Monday and several accidents have occurred. In Trollhättan, a woman died after being hit by a plow truck. The police have confiscated a bicycle and the plow truck. It is unclear if the woman was traveling on the bicycle.
A number of trucks have driven off the road or become stuck in the snow. On the E4 outside Huskvarna, a truck drove into the center guardrail during the afternoon. The road was closed and only reopened later in the evening.
A bus drove off the road during the evening and ended up in the ditch in Väse in Karlstad municipality. According to SOS Alarm, a few passengers were on board the bus. Everyone must have got out of the bus and according to the rescue service, are unharmed.
The Epiphany is one of the biggest travel days of the year, and despite the difficult road conditions, the Swedish Transport Administration describes the day as relatively calm on the major roads. The authority went into staff mode on Saturday ahead of the storm and has urged the public to avoid car and train travel.
– Many have chosen to travel a day earlier, which was good, says Trafikverket’s press communicator Peter Jonsson.