One month’s worth of rain set to batter parts of Sweden in less than 24 hours

Swedish weather agency SMHI has issued an orange alert for downpours in large parts of Småland, including the cities of Kalmar and Växjö, starting at midnight.

“Properties can be damaged by flooding. Take steps to protect your property, or move items that are at risk of being damaged by water,” the agency writes. “Clear gutters, storm drains and other waterways so that the water can flow away unimpeded.”

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SMHI warns that travel times may increase due to poor visibility and the risk of hydroplaning, and urges drivers not to attempt to drive on a flooded road.

A total of 40-80 millimetres of rain is expected to fall between midnight and 6pm on Wednesday, or even more in some areas. Normally, Kalmar gets just over 60 millimetres of rain over the whole month of July and Växjö just over 80.

There’s also a yellow warning of heavy rain in the surrounding area, from Karlskrona and north to around Jönköping, where a total of 30-60 millimetres of rain may fall.

Rain is also expected to batter other parts of southern Sweden on Tuesday and Wednesday, although not enough to warrant an official warning.