Title: Stormy Weather: Traffic Chaos, Power Outages, and Snow Delays in Mid-Norway
Heavy snow and strong winds have caused chaos across Mid-Norway, with traffic disruption, power outages, and delayed public transport. Here’s a roundup of the situation as of Friday morning.
Traffic Nightmare
Runar Kvalshaug, traffic operator at the Mid-Norway Traffic Control Centre, reports challenges, particularly on the coast, including Hitra, Frøya, and Fosen. While some roads closed overnight have reopened, Fylkesvei 720 in Indre Fosen remains closed.
On the E6 between Trondheim and Stjørdal, a bus broke down, leading to lengthy delays for other motorists. Despite the harsh conditions, emergency services have been working tirelessly to clear the roads and assist stranded travelers.
Police operations leader Øystein Volden advises drivers to allocate extra time for their journeys. "Some areas have seen heavy snowfall and drifting snow," he warns. Heavy snow, drifting snow, and strong winds have led to treacherous driving conditions and numerous road closures across the region.
The trunk road out of Trondheim towards Stjørdal has been particularly affected, with one flybuss reportedly stuck, causing significant delays for passengers. Klaus Sonstad, traveling to Trondheim Airport, expresses his frustration: "I’ve been sitting here for 1 hour and 50 minutes without moving. I wanted to catch a flight to Liverpool to watchLiverpool vs. Manchester United, but now I’m not sure if I’ll make it."
Power Outages
Approximately 5,000 households in Trøndelag woke up to power outages on Friday morning, with affected areas including Levanger, Inderøy, Stjørdal, Midtre Gauldal, Malvik, and Åfjord. Strømtilsynder, the power supplier, assures customers that they are working to resolve the issue promptly but warns that repairs may take longer than usual due to the adverse weather conditions.
Nettselskapet Mellom in Nordmøre also reports power outages, affecting areas such as Frei in Kristiansund, Tustna, and Smøla. They are deploying technicians to fix the issue, and additional phase failures have been reported in Smøla, Aure, and Tingvoll.
Public Transport Woes
AtB, the collective transport company in Trondheim, suspended all bus services on Friday morning due to heavy snow and strong winds. However, services started to resume gradually after 7 am, with some buses restarting their routes. Trams in Trondheim continued to operate as normal, and AtB is working towards restoring full bus service.
Train services also face disruptions, with Bane Nor reporting delays between Støren and Steinkjer due to difficult weather conditions. The extent of the delays remains unknown at this time.
With more snow and strong winds expected throughout the day, road users, public transport users, and those without power are advised to monitor updates and follow the advice of local authorities. Stay safe, and remember to allocate extra time for your journeys during these challenging weather conditions.
