SMHI has issued two yellow warnings for sudden black ice in northern Svealand and southern Norrland following recent snowstorms that have caused multiple traffic accidents. Meteorologist Toni Fuentes warns that rain can freeze quickly on cold roads despite rising temperatures. Police urge drivers to adjust speed and keep distance.
Recent snowstorms have led to numerous accidents and traffic disruptions across Sweden, particularly in the southern parts. SMHI is now warning of sudden black ice through two yellow alerts. One covers northwestern Svealand starting at 9 PM on Saturday evening and lasts through the night. The second begins at 1 AM Sunday night and includes parts of northern Svealand and southern Norrland. Both warnings are valid until lunchtime on Sunday.
"When the rain freezes on, it gets slippery very quickly," says Toni Fuentes, meteorologist at SMHI. Even though temperatures are rising from below to above freezing in some areas, the ground remains cold, causing rain to freeze rapidly after falling. A rain area is moving in from the west during Saturday evening and night, with risks of freezing rain in areas like Örebro, Värmland, and northwestern Svealand.
Several accidents have already occurred in the Bergslagen region. Shortly after lunch on Saturday, a car ended up in a ditch on road 547 between Degerfors and Björneborg due to slippery conditions; one person complained of pain but no one required hospital treatment. Shortly after, two cars collided at the Pumpgatan and Lantvärnsgatan intersection in Karlstad, where one person reported pain but no one was taken to the hospital.
"Adapt your speed to the current road conditions and keep distance," says Anders Dahlman, police spokesperson for the Bergslagen region. SMHI and police recommend allowing extra time for journeys, adjusting speed, and preparing for delays in public transport. Fuentes urges checking updates on Sunday morning for any extensions to the warnings.
