Following SMHI's earlier warnings, sudden ice has now caused major transport chaos in Västerbotten on Wednesday, with over 30 bus trips canceled, flights grounded, and multiple accidents including one injury. Disruptions are expected to persist through Friday.
Building on SMHI's yellow warnings issued earlier in the week for icy conditions in northern Sweden, sudden ice struck Västerbotten hard on Wednesday, December 17, paralyzing public transport and roads.
Länstrafiken canceled 34 bus trips by afternoon, with 44 disturbances reported overall. 'It's not the best traffic situation... we currently have 44 different disturbances,' said Harriet Söder, CEO of Länstrafiken, to Norran. Issues are forecast to continue into Thursday and Friday.
At Skellefteå Airport, a slippery runway with excess water led to canceled departures. 'It's way too slippery... to be able to sand it,' said airport manager Robert Lindberg to P4 Västerbotten. A Stockholm flight was canceled, but SAS planned a replacement.
Accidents included a head-on car collision in Lövånger (five people, no serious injuries), about a dozen SOS calls, 11 wildlife collisions, and a bus sliding into a shelter in Vännäsby, injuring a waiting passenger who was hospitalized.
Trafikverket struggled with ice control in Umeå, while Skellefteå deployed 20 vehicles. Police advised cautious driving. SMHI's renewed yellow warning covers eastern Västerbotten and southern Norrbotten coast.
