Winter arrives in northern Europe by Laura Gilchrist
After summer prolonged its stay in some northern European countries, including the UK, the new month has seen winter arrive with a vengeance thanks to a vigorous low pressure system.
In Sweden heavy snow disrupted life in parts of the country on Wednesday, including in the capital Stockholm where public transport was partly shut down during the evening. Buses were suspended due to the icy road surfaces, and cars with summer tyres were unable to move. Road traffic accidents brought roads to a standstill, and railway services were disrupted in central parts of the country and in neighbouring Finland.
Strong winds were thought to be responsible for the sinking of a freighter in the Baltic Sea, between the Swedish islands of Oland and Gotland. Swedish emergency services managed to rescue 13 of the 14 crewmembers, but called off the search for the final crewman on Thursday.
High winds also disrupted public transport in the Danish city of Copenhagen. A ferry from Oslo in Norway had to abort its attempt to dock after brushing too close to a pier, but no-one was injured and the ferry was able to successfully dock nine hours later.
The weather caused problems in other countries around the Baltic Sea, including Germany and Poland. Along Germany’s northern coast trees were uprooted and roofs damaged by strong winds, and in Poland seawater washed onto low-lying streets in the coastal city of Gdansk. The cold, strong northerly wind following behind the low pressure system meant many parts of Poland and neighbouring countries also saw snow falling on Thursday.
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