Storm warning: 'Avoid driving if you can'

Storms, snow falls and road chaos have been forecast for Sunday evening and Monday by meteorological agency SMHI. Motorists are advised to avoid driving if they can.

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SMHI has issued a category two storm warning and has forecast snow falls of 20 centimetres over Sunday night and into Monday.

"Storm gusts can occur along the coasts and average winds could reach up to 20 metres per second. This means that snow can blow into drifts and create major problems," said Anna Östman at SMHI.

"Gotland and the west coast will see temperatures rise above zero, but the general picture is below-zero temperatures for the whole country," said Anna Österman at SMHI.

Sunday is expected to offer few problems for drivers but after the calm comes the storm.

"We have an area of low pressure over the Baltic which on Sunday night will mean a build up of strong winds over the sea and bring with it more snow."

"Out to sea the winds could reach gale force"

The snow falls and strong winds will be mostly in coastal areas along the Baltic sea and all the way up to the northern parts of the Gulf of Bothnia.

A large part of Sweden is currently covered in snow and even the far south of the country has seen temperatures fall below zero. The roads are accordingly treacherous and a woman is reported to have been killed in southern Sweden on Saturday as she lost control of her car.

The 49-year-old woman died in Hovmantorp, outside of Växjö in southern Sweden, when her car went into a skid, crossed into the oncoming lane, and hit another car head on. She was the mother of two small children.

Car drivers across the south battled icy conditions as temperatures plunged to below freezing on Friday. A total of 85 cars veered off the treacherous roads in Skåne during the course of the day.

By Saturday the icy conditions had moved north to plague drivers on Öland, Gotland and around Stockholm. Reports came in from other areas of the country of icy conditions and a swathe of car accidents.

While Sunday is expected to be relatively calm the low temperatures mean that the snow that has already fallen will remain on the ground.

The wintry conditions are set to hold until at least the middle of next week.

"On Wednesday, or maybe Thursday, temperatures will edge upwards and perhaps melt some of the snow," Österman said.