A powerful low pressure system with what meteorologists called “large amounts of precipitation” was moving towards southern and eastern Norway on Friday, which otherwise had been sunny and clear. Predictions of an abrupt weather change brought traffic warnings as well.
“There will very bad weather east of the mountains on Sunday,” Per Egil Haga of the state meteorologic institute told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) on Friday afternoon. “In some areas there can be dangerous driving conditions, with snow and wind at higher elevations.”
Snow was only expected at elevations of 800 meters and higher, where blizzards were expected most of the day on Sunday. The valleys of Østerdalen and Gudbrandsdalen were targeted for both snow and heavy rain.
At lower elevations, motorists were warned of heavy downpours and strong winds with the most rain expected in the counties of Agder and Telemark. Southern portions of Vestfold and Østfold counties were also targeted for extreme weather, later in the day.
Skien, Kongsberg and Risør were due to get drenched, but lots of rain was predicted in the Oslo area too.
Hikers and anyone venturing out on boats were warned to be especially careful, because of what the meteorologists described as skikkelig ruskevær (really stormy weather.) Storms were forecast along the coast and in the mountains, with wind, horizontal rainfall and snow flurries.
“The prognoses are consistent with the development of the low-pressure system,” said Hagain. “There’s still some uncertainty over exactly how much rain will fall, but we’re reasonably sure it will be a lot.”
newsinenglish.no/Nina Berglund
