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Powerful storm hits parts of western and southern Norway

Vestland County in western Norway and Agder in the south of the country were lashed by a powerful storm on Friday.

Published: 20 October 2023 09:42 CEST

Bergen

Meteorologists have issued an orange-level danger warning for gusts in parts of Agder and the inland areas of Rogaland and Hordaland. Pictured is Bergen in western Norway. Photo by Tom Vanhoof on Unsplash

The storm brought strong winds and heavy rainfall, affecting areas in Agder and the interior of Vestland.

The weather conditions led to falling trees and the closure of the Hardanger Bridge.

These conditions were likely to create challenging driving situations, as the Norwegian Road Administration noted on its website.

Kjetil Larsen, a traffic operator at the Road Traffic Center, revealed reports of fallen trees in Sauda and further up in Samnanger and Modalen.

Strong gusts and dangerous roads

The Meteorological Institute has documented wind gusts of up to 36 meters per second in Agder and mountainous regions.

The police in Agder have issued a warning about slippery roads, urging motorists to exercise caution. They reported widespread slippery road conditions across the county.

Meteorologists have issued an orange-level danger warning for gusts in parts of Agder and the inland areas of Rogaland and Hordaland.

These gusts are anticipated to be among the most potent in the past decade.

Ferry departures cancelled

Fjord Line has cancelled several departures on Thursday and Friday due to the storm, the newspaper Dagbladet reported on Thursday.

Color Line has also cancelled several departures on Friday and Saturday due to adverse weather conditions.

If you’re planning a trip in the affected regions, make sure to check the road conditions on the website of the Road Traffic Centre and the latest weather forecasts and danger warnings on yr.no.

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MAPS: Where is there a risk of forest fire in Norway this week?

The Norwegian Meteorological Institute’s forest fire danger index was already red, yellow, or orange, right across southern Norway on Monday, signalling a risk of forest fires.

The dark red “very high risk” area was, however, limited on Monday to a patch along the coast of Østfold.

The risk of forest fires on May 20th. Source: Norwegian Meteorological Institute (NMI)

On Tuesday, the area of “very high danger” is forecast to spread to cover all of Østfold and areas of Vestfold, with patches of high risk area in Agder around Kristiansand.

The risk of forest fires in Norway on Tuesday May 21st. Photo: NMI

By Wednesday, large parts of Rogaland and Agder are likely to be classed as “very high risk”, as well as areas of Trondelag around Trondheim. Much of central southern Norway will mid-week be classed as at serious risk of forest fire.

The risk of forest fires in Norway on Wednesday May 22nd. Source: NMI

Have there been any fire bans announced?

In Norway there is a general fire ban in place every year from April 15th to September 15th, which bans the lighting of bonfires in forests, beaches, the mountains, meadows, marshes, and other types of wilder landscapes.

Norwegian municipalities or counties can then institute an “extraordinary” or “total” fire ban, which means you are no longer allowed to light a fire even in green areas in cities and towns such as public parks and municipal barbecue areas, or to use a camping stove in forests and other wilder landscapes.

So far as The Local can see, no municipality has yet issued an extraordinary or total fire ban this year, but Stein Laache, the fire chief in Fredrikstad told NRK on Monday that he and the fire chiefs from 29 other municipalities were considering bringing in a ban “in a few days”.

He said that the ban could be a targeted at activities in the forest that could lead to a fire, such as forest itself or shooting at rifle ranges.

Fire servces in Sarpsborg said in a press release on Monday that they were considering bringing in a broader ban.

“The fire service is continuously considering an extraordinary and extended ban on starting fires in and near forests and other wild, natural areas,” the municipality said in its press release, with the local fire chief Terje Surdal adding that “such a ban could be brought in at short notice”.

Terje Romskog, the fire chief for the Rakkestad Municipality, told the NTB newswire that people in the municipality should of their own accord hold back from lighting fires.

“There is one thing that applies: do not light anything – whether it’s a fire for coffee, a primus or a disposable grill. You have no idea how quickly it can spread and how big a fire can become.”

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