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WEATHER

Traffic chaos and cancelled flights as blizzard hits east coast of Sweden

Traffic accidents, school closures and cancelled flights were reported in Sweden on Tuesday as a blizzard swept in from the east, with up to 30 centimetres of snow forecast for some areas.

Traffic chaos and cancelled flights as blizzard hits east coast of Sweden
Queues on the E4 motorway south of Stockholm on Tuesday. Photo: Pontus Lundahl/TT

A yellow weather warning was issued for the north-east of Sweden, from Stockholm to just south of Luleå, including a more serious orange alert for the area around Umeå and Skellefteå, where up to 30 centimetres of snow was expected to fall between Tuesday and Wednesday.

In Gävle, all school buses were cancelled on Tuesday, reported Gefle Dagblad. And in Skellefteå, broadcaster SVT reported schools were to close early so that children could get home before dark.

Several flights between Stockholm and Umeå were delayed due to the blizzard. One flight which was scheduled to land in Umeå at around noon was forced to turn back to the capital due to the strength of the side winds, reports regional newspaper Västerbottens-Kuriren.

Several traffic accidents were reported, including two trucks crashing into each other on the E4 motorway south of Umeå, although by 3pm there had been no reports of serious injuries.

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HEATWAVE

Heatwave alert as summer weather set to return to Sweden

A heatwave is set to engulf large parts of Sweden this week, from Jönköping in the south to Örnsköldsvik in the north-east. 

Heatwave alert as summer weather set to return to Sweden

Temperatures of 25-30C in the eastern half of that region, including Stockholm, are expected.

Swedish weather agency SMHI has issued a warning of high temperatures from Tuesday onwards, saying the heatwave could cause “increased stress on the body. Risk highest for those with underlying health problems.” 

It’s not yet clear just how long the heatwave will stick around.

“It currently looks like it’ll hang around until Friday, after that we’ll have to wait and see,” SMHI meteorologist Kristin Sahlström told the TT newswire.

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