- The preparedness is great for the extensive snowstorm that is expected, especially in Västernorrland, tonight and into the night.
- For the first time in at least ten years, SMHI has issued a class 3 warning regarding snowfall.
- “We can expect that we will have a serious situation, especially tomorrow morning when all this snow has fallen. Then we will have traffic problems and power outages “, says Torbjörn Westman, emergency director at the county administrative board.
That SMHI issues a class 3 warning for snowfall is very unusual, it is the first time it has happened since SMHI started keeping statistics ten years ago, according to information to Ekot.
Even in Jämtland County and the coast of Västerbotten, really difficult weather is expected tonight and tonight, with a class 2 warning. Train traffic between Sundsvall and Umeå has been suspended and train traffic north of Stockholm may be diverted via the hinterland.
The Swedish Transport Administration invests extra resources and people and motorists are encouraged to stay at home.
– Class 3 is a very sharp warning, everyone should be aware of that and then you should really avoid driving and there will be such huge amounts up to 70 centimeters, you can not drive if there is so much snow on a road, says Katarina Wolffram, press communicator at the Swedish Transport Administration.
Public transport in Jämtland County flags that it may become relevant with canceled trains and buses. In Örnsköldsvik, Härnösand and Sundsvall municipalities, schools and preschools are closing, more municipalities are expected to follow suit. There is also a great risk of extensive power outages. One of the electricity companies in the area is Eon, which has gone on full alert according to regional manager Lena Berglund.
– We will work as intensively as we can just because if there is a power outage, all those customers get the power back as fast as possible. But we will put safety first and not endanger any troubleshooters out in the woods and on the ground.
Source: ICELAND NEWS