Norway to revamp alert system to ensure tourists are aware of dangerous weather
Not enough tourists are notified of potentially treacherous conditions or dangerous weather, and a new system is being worked on, the Directorate for Social Security and Preparedness has said.
A lot of dangerous weather warnings fail to reach the tourists who come to Norway in their droves for activity holidays or to take in the stunning scenery, according to the Directorate for Social Security and Preparedness (DSB).
The Norwegian Meteorological Institute uses three colours for its weather warnings. The first is yellow, which means challenging weather. Then there is orange, meaning a serious situation. And finally, there is the red warning, which warns of extreme weather.
However, in the event of a yellow warning, there is a limit to how municipalities can contact people in the area.
“It is largely based on people having to follow along (with the situation) themselves,” the emergency manager at Vestland County, Håvard Stensvand, told public broadcaster NRK.
This means it is up to tourists and visitors to keep themselves informed of adverse weather situations, as they may only be forewarned of the most extreme conditions.
“With the current arrangements, our experience so far indicates that it is unfortunately not possible to reach everyone with this type of information,” the acting director of the DSB told NRK.
By the end of the year, the directorate hopes to implement a new system using different technology that will send all phones connected to the nearby mobile network a message warning of the weather.
Some local authorities had raised concerns that the current system meant that alerts were only sent to the phone registered to residents in the area.
The new system should then ensure those visiting the area will also be warned about potentially dangerous conditions.
Where to check for weather warnings
The most popular service for checking the weather in Norway is “Yr” The service is run by the Meteorological Institute and NRK.
You can either head to the website or download the app on IOS or Android to use the service.
You will receive warnings of adverse weather conditions there. On the website, you can check specifically to see whether there are any weather warnings across Norway. You can also get an overview of weather warnings and report any adverse conditions yourself on varsom.no.
If you are in area with a lot of tourism, it is worth also checking with the local tourist office, due to their specialised knowledge of the local area.
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A lot of dangerous weather warnings fail to reach the tourists who come to Norway in their droves for activity holidays or to take in the stunning scenery, according to the Directorate for Social Security and Preparedness (DSB).
The Norwegian Meteorological Institute uses three colours for its weather warnings. The first is yellow, which means challenging weather. Then there is orange, meaning a serious situation. And finally, there is the red warning, which warns of extreme weather.
However, in the event of a yellow warning, there is a limit to how municipalities can contact people in the area.
“It is largely based on people having to follow along (with the situation) themselves,” the emergency manager at Vestland County, Håvard Stensvand, told public broadcaster NRK.
This means it is up to tourists and visitors to keep themselves informed of adverse weather situations, as they may only be forewarned of the most extreme conditions.
“With the current arrangements, our experience so far indicates that it is unfortunately not possible to reach everyone with this type of information,” the acting director of the DSB told NRK.
By the end of the year, the directorate hopes to implement a new system using different technology that will send all phones connected to the nearby mobile network a message warning of the weather.
Some local authorities had raised concerns that the current system meant that alerts were only sent to the phone registered to residents in the area.
The new system should then ensure those visiting the area will also be warned about potentially dangerous conditions.
Where to check for weather warnings
The most popular service for checking the weather in Norway is “Yr” The service is run by the Meteorological Institute and NRK.
You can either head to the website or download the app on IOS or Android to use the service.
You will receive warnings of adverse weather conditions there. On the website, you can check specifically to see whether there are any weather warnings across Norway. You can also get an overview of weather warnings and report any adverse conditions yourself on varsom.no.
If you are in area with a lot of tourism, it is worth also checking with the local tourist office, due to their specialised knowledge of the local area.
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