Storm Johannes sweeps across Sweden with strong winds and snow, leading to two deaths and major disruptions. Two men have died after being crushed by falling trees in Härnösand and Sandviken, while roofs have been blown off and windows shattered in several locations.
Storm Johannes struck Sweden on December 27, 2025, with gale-force winds and snow, prompting SMHI warnings for half the country. Two men died in storm-related accidents. A man in his 60s, employed by energy company Hemab, was crushed to death under a tree in Härnösand around 4 p.m. during cleanup work. 'We have brought everyone who was out back home; it's not safe to perform any field work,' says Fredrik Olsson, head of customer and market at Hemab.
Earlier that day, around 2 p.m., a man in his 50s died after a tree fell on him in a nature reserve near Kungsberget ski resort outside Sandviken. He was walking on an illuminated trail.
The storm caused widespread damage. In Sundsvall, parts of the sheet metal roof were blown off Hotell Södra Berget shortly after noon. Guest Malin Heikkilä, 35, saw insulation swirling outside the spa and initially thought it was starting to snow. 'I first thought it was starting to snow,' she says. Rescue services cordoned off the entrance and evacuated parts of the hotel, while the road up was blocked by fallen trees.
In Gävle, 19-year-old Elsa Törner lost her bedroom window at her family's villa in Mårtsbo. 'I guess I'll sleep on the sofa for a while,' she says, shocked after the window flew to the ground. In Bergsjö, the Sevenheim family was stuck in their car on the neighbor's lot with trees over the cabin like pick-up sticks.
The Hesa Fredrik warning siren sounded in Gävle, frightening many. Cecilia Stolpe, 32, and her children thought it was war. 'We thought it was war,' she says about the important public alert (VMA) regarding falling trees.
Trafikverket shut down several train routes, including Gävle-Vännäs and Mittbanan, until 12 p.m. on December 28. Sundsvallsbron and Högakustenbron are closed due to the winds. Infrastructure Minister Andreas Carlson urges: 'Follow the recommendation!' Around 16,000 households in Gävleborg were without power, and mobile networks were down in some areas.
