We had not expected is to snow in late June. A British couple were perhaps a little too eager.
The snow snowing on highway 7 over Hardangervidda Saturday. The snow plow came too late for this British couple.
- They had not driven more than 400 meters before they ended up in the ditch, says Kari Varberg (50), who owns and operates Dyranut Fjellstova.
[Caption]
IN WHITE: Saturday morning it snows on Maurset in Eidfjord! This photo was taken a few miles from Vøringsfoss at Sysendammen, Saturday at 10.40.
Photo: Marit AAREKOL
She sat at the breakfast table when it started snow Saturday morning.
Shortly after, she was called upon to take care of the two British campers who had ended up in the ditch.
- They had woken up and seen that it was snowing, so they wanted to get out quickly on the fells, she says.
[Caption]
It was slippery up there
Morten Hansen in Traffic surveillance
About the same time that she had picked them up and brought them back to the lodge, the rescue vehicle came.
As long Varberg can remember, there has not been snow on the mountain lodge at the end of June.
The lodge is situated on the highest point on highway 7
- Drive Carefully
Security Operator Morten Hansen at the Traffic surveillance reported on slush and snowy roads at 800 meters on the Hardangervidda Saturday morning.
At 11 o'clock there was snow plow in place to scrape the road from Sysendammen to Haugastøl.
- It was slippery up there, but it is scraped off, and now it will be better temperature wise. I think it`s going to be alright now, says Hansen at 11:50.
He asks people still run by the conditions on the 40-meter-long stretch that is now cleared.
- People do not bring snow tiers to the lodge, when it becomes bad conditions they must await throughout the day. No need to take unnecessary risks.
Almost minus
[Caption]
Snowing: This is how it looked at Finse, 1222 meters above sea level, on Saturday at 11.20. Here the temperature was barely above freezing Saturday morning.
PHOTO: BT WEBCAM
A BT reader says that the thermometer went down to zero, while it was snowing outside the cottage.
- We have a station at Finse, where the temperature is 0.9 degrees, says Halldis Berge, duty meteorologist.
- How is the weather on the Hardangervidda?
- Saturday may get more snow, possibly sleet. This will lasts the day. In the night, it stays, and Sunday the temperature will rises, answer Berge.
Snow record last year
According Yr.no it should rain Saturday morning and expected temperature was 5 degrees Celsius. It never happened.
Last year at this time, it was record snow in the western mountains. Not since NVE measurements began in 1971 had it been registered more snow midway through June.
This year is different - a month ago NVE notified about abnormal little snow in the Norwegian mountains
