A heavy snowstorm has moved into Skåne from Germany on Monday, with SMHI issuing an orange warning for up to 30 centimeters of snow in the southeast. Public transport is canceled and authorities urge people to stay home. Preparations have been strengthened following past chaos.
A snowstorm from Germany reached Skåne on Monday, prompting SMHI to issue yellow and orange weather warnings for the region. The orange warning applies to southeast Skåne from 5 p.m., with risks of heavy snowfall and winds creating drifts up to half a meter high. Locally, up to 30 centimeters of snow or more is expected until midnight, potentially continuing into the morning hours.
Duty meteorologist Niklas Einevik at SMHI warns: "The weather could simply become problematic, and if you don't need to go out, you shouldn't." Incident leader Claes Jeppsson at the Southeast Skåne rescue service urges: "If you have no essential need to go out, stay home. And don't go shopping tonight; wait until tomorrow."
Trafikverket has stationed tracked vehicles and heavy tow trucks in Brösarp, while the rescue service has three such vehicles ready in Ystad, Tomelilla, and Skillinge, mainly for accidents. A total of 240 snow plows and tractors are deployed to clear the road network, with the ability to call out more quickly.
Disruptions are already evident: Train services between Ystad and Simrishamn are suspended until early Tuesday morning, all bus traffic in Ystad is canceled, and Ystad Gymnasium is closed. Longer wait times are expected for paratransit and medical transports. Authorities highlight the risk of freshly plowed roads quickly refilling with drifts.
Preparations have been sharpened following the snow chaos on E22 on January 3, 2024, when over a thousand vehicles were stuck between Hörby and Kristianstad due to high drifts from snowfall and winds.
