• Sweden edition

Heavy snow wallops central Sweden

Published: 10 Feb 11 16:11 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/31948/20110210/

Winter has returned to central Sweden, with heavy snowfall of up to 20 centimetres expected on Thursday.

The weather has caused a number of road accidents throughout the country and all long-distance train traffic to and from Stockholm's Central Station has been interrupted since 2pm local time after a widespread signal failure at Älvjsö.

SL commuter train traffic is also affected by the stoppage. The interrupted is expected to be resolved shortly.

"The stop affects both southbound and northbound traffic. There are no trains at all between Stuvsta and Sundbyberg," said Tobbe Lundell, press officer at the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket).

A power failure is reported to have caused the error signal. SL has put in extra buses between Älvsjö and Liljeholmen.

Sweden's meteorological office SMHI has issued a class 2 (on an ascending scale of 3) weather warning for Gotland, Södermanland, Stockholm, Roslagen and the Gävleborg coast.

Snowfall is expected to continue through the night until Friday morning and is also forecast for western Sweden and southern Norrland.

Several accidents have taken place in the storm's path. Östergötland reported 12 accidents by lunchtime, but there have been no serious injuries. According to the Östgöta-Correspondenten online, conditions are very slippery.

In Södermanland, the weather has caused a number of accidents on the E4.
Around Örebro, several traffic accidents were reported in a short time period.

"It has become really troublesome there. It is snowing heavily and has become slippery," said Anna Ekberg at the command centre in Stockholm.

The agency went into "enhanced operational management" in the Stockholm area before the snowfall. As such, there is increased preparedness to perform snow clearance as quickly as possible to keep roads and railways open.

"We are following the weather situation very closely throughout the day to cope with any possible storms," said Anna Hanson of the agency.

The central region, which includes Dalarna, Gävleborg, Jämtland and Västernorrland, has also increased preparedness. However, the problems are not expected to be as extensive.

In western Sweden, precipitation is mainly falling in the form of rain or wet snow. In the east, there is a risk of snowdrifts on the roads as the snowfall combines with fresh winds of up to 15 metres per second.

The low-pressure area will remain until Friday morning before moving eastward.

"However, eastern Svealand and northern Götaland should count on snow throughout tomorrow morning," said Elin Torstensson, meteorologist at SMHI.

Snow has fallen in western areas through the night and a warning has been issued for icy roads in the Gothenburg area. Up to 15 centimetres of wet snow are expected during the day.

The snow is expected to turn into rain during the day as temperatures climb towards and above zero.

Some minor traffic accidents have been reported around Gothenburg on Thursday, reported the local Göteborgs-Posten daily.

SMHI has also forecast snow falls for southern Norrland and has issued a lesser class 1 warning for Götaland, Örebro and Värmland counties.

Windy weather has been forecast for Thursday evening for the coasts of Svealand and southern Norrland.

Temperatures have plunged during the night, dropping to below -30 degrees Celsius in several places in northern Sweden. Nikkaluokta in the far north recorded as low as -37.

The cold temperatures are expected to stay over the weekend, with clear skies and little precipitation expected.

TT/The Local/pvs (news@thelocal.se)

What do you think? Leave your comment below.

Fark It! Digg This  Share everywhere
Send to a friend Printable version Twitter This

Your comments about this article:

The comments below have not been moderated in advance and are not produced by The Local unless clearly stated. Readers are responsible for the content of their own comments. Comments that breach our terms and conditions will be removed.

09:11 February 10, 2011 by UScitizen
The second blizzard in a week is sweeping across the US even though Phil didn't see his shadow. Maybe more snow here will cover the ice and make walking easier...... until the spring thaw.
09:46 February 10, 2011 by Rick Methven
"Temperatures have plunged during the night, dropping to below 30 degrees Celsius in several places in northern Sweden."

Looks like the heat wave is over then
10:33 February 10, 2011 by Kalyissa
Stay away from Malmö snow kthxbye
15:09 February 10, 2011 by Lyna Rosa
here in Québec things are not much better, it has been a very cold period for us, wind factors dropping temp. to below 20 degrees...and snow, snow, snow....Hang in there Sweden spring is around the corner.

Stay safe.
17:01 February 10, 2011 by Rick Methven
I have cleared 10cm already and another 15-20cm to come by lunch time Friday. The wet snow on top of very icy roads is making things very bad as you can no longer spot the ice. The car was really slipping when coming up the hill and have seen a few kids and parents falling by our local dagis.

Current forecast is a cold week ahead with temperatures down to -20 but warming up from the 18th onwards
23:47 February 10, 2011 by blondelover
never ending snow :(
23:54 February 10, 2011 by Keith #5083
sowhatuno,itswinter!

In my 60+years I have noticed a definite trend for there to be ice and snow and even darkness at this time of the year.Despite all my inquiries I can find absolutely no scientific data to corroborate my belief that this is caused by aborigines doing rain dances in the Australian outback.
08:18 February 11, 2011 by dammen
hear hear Keith!

In my 50+ yrs I have also noticed that it is perceptibly colder between certain months - even with the heating on.

Anybody would think that winter is an unusual phenomenon these days - they are no worse or better than before (natural variation every year) and at the moment there is no direct link with global warming - oops perhaps I should be politically correct and say climate change. We have just become too comfortable and spoilt . Took an hour this morning to get to the stables (8m away) and dig out the horses so they could be fed for 7am - all part of the winter country life

Mind having said that I will not be going out to day - two sick kids and I haven't found the car yet!

the cold next week will be better than this wind and temps of around zero
13:00 February 14, 2011 by D. ane
and I thought you Swedes had the snow under control. I thought it was only in this (UK) country that everything comes to a standstill!
ADD YOUR COMMENT   (YOU MUST LOG IN OR REGISTER TO MAKE A COMMENT)
Today's headlines
New Swedish union boss seeks welfare state boost

New Swedish union boss seeks welfare state boost

Sweden's Trade Union Confederation on Saturday elected as its new president Karl-Petter Thorwaldsson, who proceeded to call for a restoration of the Swedish welfare model. READ (4 COMMENTS) »

Swedes bask in record May highs

Swedes bask in record May highs

Swedes were enjoying a real taste of summer heat on Friday with thermometers indicated record highs in some areas of the country, with more of the same promised over the weekend. READ (5 COMMENTS) »

Swedish police hunt man for imam shooting

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a man in connection with the shooting of an Uzbek imam in northern Sweden in February. READ »

Hillary Clinton lines up Sweden visit

Hillary Clinton lines up Sweden visit

Sweden is set to host US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in early June and discussions will concern green energy, internet freedom, Afghanistan and the Middle East READ (3 COMMENTS) »

Ibrahimovic pledges future to Milan

Ibrahimovic pledges future to Milan

Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has stated that he is happy at AC Milan and will honour his contract, while bemoaning the club's lack of financial muscle. READ »

'Retard doll' shocks Swedish shoppers

'Retard doll' shocks Swedish shoppers

A doll billed as a "real retard" found its way into stores in Gothenburg in western Sweden on Thursday, prompting strong reactions about a campaign meant to draw attention to the treatment of people with disabilities. READ (16 COMMENTS) »

Woman jailed for fatal love-triangle stabbing

A jealous Swedish woman who murdered her ex-boyfriend’s new partner in September has been sentenced to 14 years in prison. READ (15 COMMENTS) »

THE LOCAL LIST
Ten signs that you've 'gone native' in Sweden

Ten signs that you've 'gone native' in Sweden

After having lived in Sweden for a certain number of years, many ex-pats start asking, “Am I going native or what?” Check out The Local's guide to tell-tale signs that you may be more integrated into Swedish society than you first realized. READ (19 COMMENTS) »

More Science & Technology

Highlights from Follow Sweden

Meet Sanna, 9 years old

Sanna is one of 2 million people in Sweden under the age of 18. Sweden is seen as a good place to grow up. The law makes sure children are well-protected and defends their rights and any organizations work with children's well-being. Read more »

Strindberg, king of drama

August Strindberg's plays shocked society, dazzled audiences and revolutionized drama. A century after his death, Strindberg, with his powerful, timeless themes, is celebrated around the world. Read more »

Find a new job in Sweden now
26/05 Data architecture and delivery manager
Klarna
Stockholm
26/05 Experienced SAP Consultant
IBM
Göteborg
26/05 Healthcare & Life Sciences
IBM
Göteborg
26/05 Manager, SMB Sales (Nordics)
Google
Stockholm
26/05 Nordic Inside Sales Specialist
IBM
Göteborg
26/05 SAP Consultants
IBM
Göteborg

ALL JOBS »


 

Blog Update: The Local's Blog

23 May 16:27

Prime Minister Reinfeldt chats with The Local »

"If you missed it yesterday, here’s The Local’s editor David Landes snagging Prime Minister Reinfeldt for a chat before Princess Estelle’s baptism. Always nice to know the PM has time for TL!" READ »

Highlights
Thegreenj/Wikipedia (File)
OPINION »
Swedish journalist and columnist Ola Tedin to reflect on how a sometimes uncritical media appears to serve the interests of the Swedish state
Photo: Shayne Kaye/Flickr (file)
BUSINESS & MONEY »
Nine of ten tourists 'happy' with Sweden
DoToday
LIFESTYLE »
What's On: The Local's guide to upcoming attractions and events in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö.
German ambassador Harald Kindermann
OPINION »
Harald Kindermann, the German ambassador to Sweden, talks to The Local about the importance of the German language, nuclear power, and the legacy of the Stasi.
Claudio Bresciani/Scanpix
LIFESTYLE »
The Local's coverage of the baptism of Princess Estelle
Björn Tesch/Arbetsförmedlingen (File)
BUSINESS & MONEY »
Sweden drifting from 'Swedish model': report
The Local Street Style - Lund
GALLERY »
The Local's Street Style from Lund, southern Sweden.
Olle Lindeborg/Scanpix (File)
OPINION »
The problem of profiting ex-politicos isn't simply money, money, money, argues contributor and historian David Linden
LIFESTYLE »
The Local catches up with Sweden’s comedian of the year Al Pitcher and preview our first ever “Local Lockdown” video segment.
Photo: Aprilbell.stock.xcbng.com
OPINION »
Sweden strips foreign doctoral candidates of the same rights as other tax-paying migrant workers, argue a group of doctoral candidates from the Royal Institute for Technology (KTH).
Marco Vasini/Scanpix
SPORT »
Sweden looking for redemption at Euros
Chadawg24/Flickr (File)
LIFESTYLE »
'Are Swedes really more polite in English?'
Photo: Nikater
SPONSORED ARTICLE
Saxony with InterRail: a gateway to central Europe
Photo: AGS
SPONSORED ARTICLE
Moving made easy: Top tips for your international move
Photo: Poker Listings
SPONSORED ARTICLE
No Swedes Signed Up for Most Expensive Poker Tournament Ever
Photo: Jan Videgren
SPONSORED ARTICLE
How Bergman blazed a trail for Swedish film
Photo: Contiki
SPONSORED ARTICLE
Ten great reasons to travel this summer
Photo: Stock image
SPONSORED ARTICLE
Swedish university traditions make foreigners feel at home
Highlights from Follow Sweden
Swedish word of the day

lång

adjective

Lång means long, tall and can be used for height, distance or time.

Latest news from The Local in Germany

More news from Germany at thelocal.de

Latest news from The Local in Switzerland

More news from Switzerland at thelocal.ch

Latest news from The Local in France

More news from France at thelocal.fr

Latest news from The Local in Norway

More news from Norway at thelocal.no

Blog
Highlights from Follow Sweden
New book about Sweden – get to know the country

Sweden – Up North, Down to Earth is a book about Sweden today. A country of natural beauty and open space, and a society focused on equality, human rights and sustainability. Meet regular and astonishing Swedes, supercars and indie rock bands, vampires and royalties.

Buy your copy of Sweden – Up North, Down to Earth from Sweden Bookshop

Search News


Register

Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss

REGISTER FOR FREE »

QUALITY ACCOMMODATION ON SWEDISH HIGH COAST
Comfortable Fully Serviced Apartments for Leisure or Business Travel Beautiful surroundings. Internet & Sat TV
www.oldriverhouse.se
Volunteer Venture
Volunteer Venture is dedicated to promoting community tourism by welcoming volunteers and travelers to discover the cultural differences in Nepal as English teaching volunteers, orphanage volunteers, Monk teachers and many more
www.volunteerventure.org/
The Local's new Marketplace
Find products and services that are specifically focused on English speakers living in Sweden!
FULL DETAILS
English Speaking Therapist Stockholm
British-Australian Male Counsellor. Counselling Therapy for Depression, Mental Health, Sex, Relationship & Expat Issues
08-559 22 636 or CLICK HERE
Doctor of Psychology
Therapy in English in Stockholm Trained in California Individuals & Couples (08) 93 81 48 FREE phone consultation
Visit anxiousorblue.se
Turning Point Counseling
Turning Point Counselling centre offers the international community of Stockholm a safe space for personal development, counselling and coaching.
http://www.turning-point.se/show.asp
Swedish Down Town
Swedish Down Town PR Consulting and Productions is an innovative business company which provides valuable assistance with Public Relations and Communications in the Swedish and the international market.
www.swedishdowntown.com