Trafikverket: “It is absolutely not usual” • Orange warnings • This much snow is expected
A British snowstorm is on its way to Sweden and is expected to cause major problems on Monday and Tuesday. Because of this, SMHI has issued several warnings for heavy snowfall and wind in several parts of the country. The orange warnings apply in southern Norrland, Jämtland, Dalsland and western Svealand.
In those areas, 15 to 30 centimeters of snow can fall and locally even more.
“Don’t go out into traffic unnecessarily or prepare yourself for the possibility of standing still. Traffic conditions can be difficult due to drifts, slippage, poor visibility and snow,” writes SMHI on its website.
National staff situation before the snow chaos
The amount of snow and wind is expected to create real problems in traffic. Then the Swedish Transport Administration goes into national staff mode and prepares extra resources.
– We have quite a few tracked vehicles that we place in the orange areas to be used by the emergency services, healthcare, the police or the county administration, says Bengt Olsson, press manager at the Swedish Transport Administration.
Olsson says that the authority went into staff mode on Saturday. Something that he means, belongs to the unusual.
– It is absolutely not common. The last time we were in staff mode was in connection with the pandemic and the outbreak of the Ukrainian war. Then we have to go back all the way to 2010/2012 when there have been weather phenomena that have meant that we have had to go up into staff mode, says Olsson.
– It’s tough weather, think about it one more time – if you were thinking of going out tomorrow, don’t, he concludes.
MSB in crisis meeting
At the same time, MSB, together with several other authorities, had a crisis meeting on Sunday afternoon, where they prepared for the snow storm that is expected to arrive on Monday, reports The Express.
– The aim is to coordinate measures and resources to minimize the risks to socially important functions, says Marcus Årskog, press spokesperson at MSB to the newspaper.
He calls the meeting a “national cooperation conference”, and participants included SMHI, the Swedish Transport Administration and county administrations in the counties where weather warnings were issued.
Urges: Then I would have turned the door
Around the Stockholm area, there may be 7-15 centimeters of snow, which then changes to rain. The same forecast applies in large parts of Götaland. It can be very difficult to get around in traffic due to snow on the roads, traffic accidents or stationary vehicles.
– If I had thought to go out on the roads, I would have turned at the door. I would not have sat in traffic on a day like this, says TV4’s meteorologist Johan Lundberg.
Leila Fogelholm, SJ’s press contact, tells DN that they are currently aiming for traffic to go as usual.
– We are waiting and planning to drive as usual unless the Swedish Transport Administration comes up with other information, she says.