A severe snowstorm has brought traffic to a complete standstill on major Swedish highways E6 and E22 in southern Skåne. The E22 between Lund and Gårdstånga remained fully closed throughout Thursday evening as both trucks and passenger vehicles became trapped in deep snow.
The massive traffic chaos began when two passenger cars collided on the highway. While emergency services worked at the accident scene, a truck attempting to overtake other vehicles became stuck in the snow, creating an impassable blockage.
Police officials from the Southern Region confirmed they are struggling to assess the full situation due to conflicting reports from the scene. Rescue operations face extreme challenges as even snowplows and recovery vehicles have become trapped in the growing queue of stranded vehicles.
In a particularly concerning development, an ambulance transporting a patient also became stuck in the traffic jam, raising serious questions about emergency response capabilities during severe winter weather. Meteorological authorities issued multiple weather warnings across southern Sweden, though Gothenburg and Västra Götaland largely avoided the worst conditions.
Northern parts of Kalmar County received orange-level warnings about potential snow chaos, but Skåne bore the brunt of Thursday's storm. Authorities currently cannot estimate when normal traffic flow might resume.
This incident recalls a similar major snowstorm that affected the same E22 highway previously, when approximately 1,000 vehicles became trapped for hours. People remained in their cars for extended periods before rescue teams could reach them.
Transport Administration officials emphasize they want to avoid repeating the complete highway shutdown experience. They plan to deploy available resources proactively to support road operations during future disruptions.
Sweden's highway infrastructure faces recurring challenges during heavy winter conditions, particularly in southern regions where populations are dense and economic activity depends on reliable transportation. The situation highlights ongoing debates about winter road maintenance budgets and emergency preparedness planning.
International readers should understand that while Nordic countries typically handle winter conditions effectively, extreme weather events can still overwhelm even well-prepared systems. The concentration of this chaos around major economic corridors like E6 and E22 demonstrates how critical these routes are to regional commerce and daily life.
Travelers in Sweden during winter months should monitor weather alerts closely and consider adjusting plans when severe warnings are issued. The rapid deterioration of conditions on these highways shows how quickly situations can become dangerous even on modern European roadways.