First snow of the season: SMHI warns of snowfall in central Sweden
Swedish weather service SMHI has issued the first snow warning of the season. Northern Värmland, Dalarna west of Lake Siljan and the south of Jämtland County are affected – with possible consequences for road traffic.
Winter is announcing its arrival in parts of central Sweden: the Swedish weather service SMHI has issued a yellow warning for snowfall for Thursday, 8 October 2026. According to TV4, it is the first snow warning of this season. Affected are northern Värmland, Dalarna west of Lake Siljan and the southern part of Jämtland County, including large parts of Härjedalen.
What SMHI expects
According to TV4, the warning applies on Thursday from 7 am to 11 pm. The cause is a low-pressure system moving in from the British Isles. Its precipitation front first reaches southern Sweden and then moves north. There it meets colder air flowing south on northerly winds, so that the rain turns to snow or sleet in the course of Thursday, as the TT news agency and broadcaster SVT report. At times the snowfall may be heavy, and according to SVT strong winds are also expected in Härjedalen.
The reports do not give specific snow depths. Because the ground is still relatively warm after the autumn, much of the snow is likely to turn to slush quickly and hardly settle.
Possible consequences for traffic and power supply
Yellow is the lowest of SMHI’s three warning levels. It nevertheless means that the weather service expects noticeable effects. These mainly include:
- slush and slippery conditions on the roads, as well as reduced visibility,
- delays and cancellations in public transport,
- wet snow sticking to trees, which can cause them to fall,
- disruption to power and telephone networks in areas with overhead lines.
SMHI advises drivers to allow more time and to adapt their speed to road conditions and visibility. TV4 meteorologist Madeleine Westin recommended driving only with winter tyres in the affected areas on Thursday. Snow is not unusual at this time of year, she told the broadcaster; it is rarer for it to settle.
Winter tyres: The rules in Sweden
The early snow comes at a time when many vehicles are still running on summer tyres. According to the Swedish Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen), winter tyres are mandatory for cars and light trucks from 1 December to 31 March when winter road conditions prevail – that is, snow, ice, slush or frost on the road surface. The minimum tread depth is then three millimetres. Studded tyres are permitted from 1 October to 15 April, and outside this period only if winter conditions prevail or are expected.
There is therefore no legal requirement yet in early October. However, anyone who encounters slush on summer tyres must expect significantly poorer grip and longer braking distances. General advice on driving in the country can be found on our page Traffic in Sweden.
What this means for travellers
Anyone travelling by car or motorhome to Dalarna, northern Värmland or the Härjedalen mountains during the autumn holidays should check their choice of tyres and their schedule, and look up the latest warnings from SMHI and the traffic situation from Trafikverket before setting off. The large cities in the south and the coastal regions are not covered by the warning; rain is expected there.
Things will not calm down immediately afterwards: according to TT, SMHI is forecasting another large-scale low with rain in many parts of the country for Saturday. In parts of Norrland, the precipitation may then again fall as snow or sleet.