A snowstorm hit Denmark on Friday, causing flooding, traffic jams, and the closure of some bridges.

According to TV2, a new snowstorm is hitting Denmark today, Friday, with a high probability of a regular snowstorm in the evening and night in North Jutland. Large parts of the country will experience near-storm-level snowfall, impacting a major travel day when many Danes are heading out for their winter holidays. See the detailed forecast bulletins in the last paragraph of this article.

The forecast for Friday indicates that snow and wind may pose traffic challenges in several places. This coincides with the fact that, in relation to rush hour and winter holidays, there are expected to be heavy traffic jams on the roads, especially between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Friday, with the possibility of queues, particularly in major cities.

Many forecasts predict snowfall of between 5 and 15 cm in several parts of the country from early Friday morning to Saturday morning, but new forecasts show there could be around 10 or 20 cm of snow in central Jutland.
Particular snow chaos is expected in central and eastern Jutland during Friday and night into Saturday, and in addition to the snow, wind will also play a role during Friday.

Full or partial closures of major bridges

As winds pick up on Friday and reach strong gale force from the east, the wind direction means that bridges between north and south in particular may face restrictions on wind-sensitive vehicles, and this applies to the Vejlefjord Bridge and the Farø Bridge.

The Storebæltsbroen bridge has already been closed to vehicles weighing less than 750 kg, as there is a warning in Storebæltsbroen about winds that could affect driving, and passage with trailers weighing less than 750 kg is prohibited, according to Sund og Bælt on the X website, citing the source.

The ban on the aforementioned vehicles is expected to be lifted tonight at 11 pm.

Crossing the Vejlefjord bridge with wind-sensitive vehicles is currently not recommended, according to the Directorate of Roads on X, citing the source.

Strong winds are currently blowing from the east, and the winds are generally intensifying.

The winds are expected to subside on Saturday morning.

New floods in several places

A stormy day is expected with strong easterly winds. Due to these strong winds, water will be pushed towards the eastward-facing coasts. Since the water level in the Baltic Sea is already slightly higher due to several weeks of strong westerly winds, the water level may be even higher than the models indicate. This higher water level poses a risk of flooding along coastal areas. Furthermore, it could contribute to flooding along already congested waterways that are struggling to drain excess water.

Municipalities warn of rising water levels and severe weather – stay away from summer homes.

Solrod municipality is warning of bad weather and the possibility of flooding in the southern part of the municipality. Vordingborg municipality is also preparing for rising water levels and advising citizens not to stay in holiday home areas in Roneklint, Oddermosen and Ulvshale Strand from Friday afternoon due to the possibility of dikes breaching that could cause “a significant rise in water levels in a short time”, according to the municipality on Facebook, citing the source.

A water pipe will be laid in Præstø, and in Tubæk Å a tractor pump will be set up to pump water away from the stream if the water level rises too high.

The municipality of Kuj also extended the water pipe, and ”flooding may occur depending on the wind.”.

The DMI also issued a warning for rising water levels in Køge Bay and Faxe Bay. Water levels are expected to rise between 1.15 and 1.3 meters above sea level daily between Friday noon and Saturday 1 a.m. The forecast falls under category 1, which stands for “severe weather.” The rising water levels are attributed to strong easterly winds on Friday.

The area is already more vulnerable to rising water levels, as many dams remain full after the storm in October 2023.

TV2 published a map showing an overview of what to expect across the country, as follows:

• The South and South Jutland, as well as Fyn, Lolland, Falster and Mönn: 5 to 15 cm of snow, which is expected to fall mostly in the form of frost, and as a result the snow becomes too dense to blow in these parts of the country.
• Central and eastern Jutland: Snowfall ranging from 5 to 20 cm is expected. Harsh weather is anticipated in these parts of the country.
• North Jutland: Risk of regular snowstorms in the evening and night hours.
• Sheland: 5 to 15 centimeters of snow.
• Bornholm: 5 to 10 cm of snow.
• Eastbound coasts: Strong easterly winds cause water levels to rise up to 1.4 meters above the daily water level on coasts extending to the Baltic Sea.

These forecasts may change continuously, please follow the guidelines of your local municipalities.