Meteorologists Warn Against Putting Away Winter Clothes and Summer Tires Just Yet

– If you haven’t changed to summer tires yet, you might as well wait a week before making a new assessment, says on-duty meteorologist Geir Ottar Fagerlid at the Meteorological Institute to NTB.

In large parts of the country, especially in the south, the sun is shining this week, and temperatures are up to 20 degrees. But according to Fagerlid, it is only temporary.

– Especially from Trøndelag and further south, the weather is very nice today. It will also be up to 20 degrees on Thursday and Friday. Many will be able to enjoy very nice weather then. But then a lot happens over the weekend, says Fagerlid.

Decent winter

The meteorologist points out that people from Nordland and north have not had nearly as good weather as in the south this week.

– There is relatively much rain and low-pressure activity that controls the weather. They will also receive rainfall every day going forward. The difference is that the mild weather we have now will be much colder from Friday and Saturday. The low temperatures will mean that precipitation comes as snow showers and a generally wintry type of weather again.

The cold weather will persist for quite a while, well into next week. It can be particularly tough on Svalbard.

– We have had a mild start to the month in Spitsbergen, with some rain and sleet and real spring weather there too. But now it will be winter in full, and tough and cold, with 10-15-20 minus degrees ahead, says Fagerlid.

Be careful on the road

He advises people from Trøndelag and further south to enjoy the sun while they can.

– Temperatures will drop this weekend. There is a low pressure that comes from the south on Sunday with fairly mild air, but it pulls down cold air masses from the north. It will result in significantly lower temperatures from Monday. When the precipitation comes, there is a great danger that it will be in the form of snow again in the mountains and in the lowlands, eventually, at least in the interior.

He says the contrasts between day and night can be great. Longer days mean that it dries up a bit more, but the cold air masses at night will bring freezing temperatures and night frost.

– In Østafjell, we are so far into April that it can be many plus degrees a day. But there will also be frost at night, and precipitation will then come as snow. Many may be tempted to put out plants and flowers right now, but be aware that this with the frost, he advises.

– The time we are most worried about is early in the morning, considering that many people go to work with summer tyres, and that it can be slippery after night frost.

According to Varsom, it is incidentally moderate to significant avalanche danger in large parts of the country currently.

– In large parts of the country it is also forest fire danger now. It has been dry for a long time in several places, and there is also a lot of dry grass. Vegetation can then easily ignite, and large areas can be affected, warns Fagerlid.

The forest fire warning applies until Saturday in many places. There has also been a general ban on lighting fires outdoors since 15 April.