In the aftermath of Storm Dave's hurricane-force gusts battering Sweden's west coast over Easter Sunday, conditions are gradually improving on Monday. Fallen trees caused widespread road and rail disruptions, but key lines are reopening and power outages are dropping. The storm has moved toward Finland, though new risks loom in Skåne.
Storm Dave peaked Sunday with gusts up to 39.8 meters per second at Måseskär off Orust, prompting SMHI's orange warning for storm gusts. By Monday, alerts shifted to strong winds, high water levels, and flooding risks in Skåne. Rescue services managed numerous fallen trees and debris along the coast, exacerbating initial chaos that included tens of thousands of power outages and canceled transport.
Rail updates show recovery: Västra stambanan between Göteborg and Stockholm reopens at 18:00, per Trafikverket; power faults between Flemingsberg and Södertälje resolved by 17:00, restoring Stockholm-Malmö services; Göteborg-Malmö traffic running since after lunch. SJ urges free rebookings as replacement buses are unavailable. At 16:00 Monday, only 9,000 customers remained without power, down significantly from Sunday peaks, according to Svenska kraftnät.
"It has started to lighten up a bit," said Trafikverket's Daniel Mossberg.
A tree crashed onto Victoria Åkesson's car in Alingsås Sunday evening, denting the roof and shattering the windshield, but she and passengers sustained only minor injuries. Storm Dave has since progressed to Finland, leaving Swedes to clear up the damage.
