How to get prepared for winter weather
Traffic in winter weather
Road traffic can be severely affected by winter weather, such as slippery conditions and poor visibility. It is therefore important to follow the weather forecasts and the Swedish Transport Administration's traffic information before setting out on the roads.
In the mountains
In the mountains the weather can change quickly. Follow the warnings and forecasts from the Swedish weather agency SMHI as well as the avalanche forecasts at Lavinprognoser.se from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.
A mountain weather forecast is no guarantee of what the weather will actually be like as it can differ greatly between two neighbouring locations. When travelling, you must be prepared for rapid changes in the weather. SMHI makes forecasts for weather in the mountains and they can also issue warnings in case of difficult weather.
In the mountains, weather warnings are issued for:
- wind on the bare mountain
- wind in low terrain
- wind in combination with snowfall in the lowlands.
Weather warnings from SMHI come in three levels:
- Yellow warning - cancel your trip if you are not accustomed to hiking in the mountains.
- Orange warning - you are strongly advised not to go into the mountains.
- Red warning - Being in the mountains is associated with a danger to your life.
SMHI publishes at least two mountain weather forecasts per day - one in the morning and one in the afternoon. A weather forecast with information about the weather in the mountains is broadcasted on the Swedish Radio channel P1 on several occasions each day.
Avalanche risk
The risk of avalanches can increase sharply over just a few hours. If you end up in an avalanche without protective equipment, your chances of survival are slim.
During the winter, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency ("Naturvårdsverket") compiles the risk of avalanches every day on Lavinprognoser.se. Information on avalanches in the Swedish mountains is also available from the Mountain Safety Council ("Fjällsäkerhetsrådet") .
The assessment of avalanche danger applies to areas outside open lift areas. It is the responsibility of the ski resort to secure slopes that are accessible from the lift systems.
Weather factors that increase the risk of avalanches are heavy snowfall, wind that produces snow drifts and rapid temperature rise.
Practice and use safety equipment
It is almost impossible to outrun an avalanche. If you get caught in an avalanche, try to go to the edges of the avalanche, up a ridge of a mountain or similar. If you get caught in an avalanche without safety equipment and training, your chances of survival are slim; it takes a long time to find a person under the snow.
If you are skiing in an avalanche-prone area, you should equip yourself with an avalanche transceiver and a shovel. Practice using it before you go. Ski one by one, so that the whole group does not risk an accident. Never go alone.