Western Sweden told to brace for heavy snow

Around 15 centimetres of snow is expected to fall in the Värmland region overnight, as well as the west coast of Västra Götaland, including the city of Gothenburg. A class-two warning (on a scale from one to three, where three is the most serious) has been issued.

There is also a class-one snow warning in Örebro, Västmanland, Södermanland, the rest of Västra Götaland, Halland, Skåne, Blekinge and Småland, apart from the east coast.

Strong winds are also expected in the class-two areas, which could cause snow drifts.

A class-two warning means there’s a risk of traffic problems and power blackouts.

A grass fire warning is also in place in Dalarna (apart from the mountains), Gävleborg, Uppsala, north-eastern Västra Götaland and Östergötland. Although it may seem paradoxical, wildfire warnings are not uncommon this time of the year, when the snow melts and exposes last year’s grass which then quickly gets dry in the cool air.

Sweden has around 2,000-3,000 grass fires a year, according to official statistics. The season peaks in April and May before the old grass is replaced by new vegetation.

This article was accurate at the time of publication. Keep up to date with the latest weather warnings on SMHI’s website.

⚠️ Från sent onsdag kväll rör sig ett snöfallsområde in västerifrån och vindarna tilltar. Under torsdagen, ymnigt snöfall som i Götaland fram på dagen övergår i regn, även blåsigt med hårda till vid kusten mycket hårda vindbyar. 🌨️🌧️🌬️
Håll er uppdaterade, https://t.co/E0qbgTC6IV pic.twitter.com/uWawvg9nqq

— SMHI Väder (@SMHIvader) March 10, 2021