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WEATHER

What do Denmark’s weather warnings actually mean?

Denmark's weather agency issues warnings for potentially dangerous weather, on a three-point scale. What does the weather alert system mean, and what should you do if there's a warning?

Published: 17 January 2024 15:17 CET
What do Denmark's weather warnings actually mean?
Heavy snow (kraftigt snevejr) hits the Randers area in Jutland, 17 January 2024. Photo: Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix

The Danish Meteorological Institute, DMI, uses three different warning categories for dangerous weather, with category 3 being the most dangerous.

The warnings could relate to severe rain or snow, icy conditions or conditions caused by a combination of things like snow drifts, which occur when strong winds move loose snow. High winds and storms can also give weather alerts, as can very hot weather.

DMI also sometimes issues alerts ahead of other, more unusual weather events like storm surges, which cause flooding.

Category 1: Severe weather (Voldsomt vejr)

Be aware that weather conditions can affect your surroundings and outdoor activities.

Category 2: Hazardous weather (Farligt vejr)

Be prepared for weather conditions to affect your surroundings and disrupt traffic. Follow the authorities’ advice and be extra careful when you’re out and about.

Category 3: Very hazardous weather (Meget farligt vejr)

Follow the advice of the authorities. Be prepared that there is a high risk that weather conditions may affect you and your surroundings and disrupt day-to-day activities.

This category often comes with a warning to stay at home if possible.

Key weather vocabulary to be aware of

Snow (Sne) 

Kraftigt snefald, snestorm, snefygning

Heavy snowfall, blizzard, snow drift

When DMI warns of a snowstorm (blizzard), you should not go outside unnecessarily. Heavy snowfall (kraftigt snefald) reduces visibility and disrupts traffic, with smaller roads at risk of being closed. There is also a risk that public transport is delayed or stops running. 

A snow drift (snefygning) can lead to the rapid closure of exposed roads, reduced visibility and public transport cancellations.

Ice (Is):
 
Glatføre, isslag, isdøgn
 
Slippery, widespread ice, ice day (a 24-hour period under freezing temperatures)
 
If ground ice or black ice has become widespread within a certain location or region, DMI may advise staying inside if possible.

Wind (Vind)

Orkan, storm, stormende kuling, vindstød

Hurricane, storm, gale-force winds, gust of wind

Rain (Regn):

Nedbør, kraftig regn, langvarig regn, oversvømmelser, vandstand, bølger

Precipitation, heavy rain, prolonged rain, flooding, water level, waves

Storm (Torden)

Torden og skybrud, stormstyrker, strøm, lufttryk

Thunderstorm, storm strength, power, air pressure

Fog (Tåge)

Tæt tåge

Dense fog

Temperature (Temperatur)

Havtemperatur, hedebølge, kuldebølge, tropenat

Sea temperature, heatwave, cold wave, tropical night

Where can I find out more?

You can keep up to date with DMI’s current weather alerts via this link.

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WEATHER

April set to be Denmark’s wettest for 150 years

Persistent rain throughout this month means a new mark for the wettest April on record is expected to be set.

Published: 26 April 2024 13:09 CEST
April set to be Denmark’s wettest for 150 years

There was a good chance the precipitation record for a the month of April will be broken on Friday.

The record has stood for 88 years.

By 9am on Friday some 94.9 millimetres of rain had fallen, with the downpour not showing any signs of relenting.

The wettest April on record in Denmark was in 1936, when the country received 98 millimetres.

“When we combine the amount of precipitation meteorologists expect with what we’ve already had, we expect to beat the old record sometime this afternoon,” Mikael Scharling, climatologist with national met office DMI, said.

April is normally among the driest months of the year in Denmark.

Rainfall records go back to 1874, with meaning that if the existing record is broken on Firday the month will be the wettest April Denmark has seen for at least 150 years.

The beginning of April brought particularly heavy rain but given the proximity of this weather to the end of March, the high total for April is to some degree a chance occurrence, Scharling said.

But the climatologist also noted the changes to weather systems caused by climate change.

“Climate changes are giving as more locked-in weather systems so we get long periods of drought and long periods of rain. That’s why we get both temperature records and precipitation records,” he said.

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