How much damage could Storm Otto cause in Denmark?
Storm Otto, forecast to hit northwestern parts of Denmark on Friday afternoon before moving across the country, could result in fallen trees and damaged roofs as well as transport disruptions.
Storm Otto is now expected to bring hurricane force winds to North Jutland from 3pm on Friday, before sweeping across Denmark, arriving in Zealand in the evening.
Denmark meteorological agency DMI has issued a Category 2 warning of “dangerous weather” from 3pm to 11pm for North Jutland and Northwest Jutland.
This means that “weather developments may affect your surroundings and disrupt traffic and supply”.
In other parts of the country, there is a Category 1 warning of gale force winds, applying for the remainder of Jutland and from northernmost Zealand to Bornholm.
Emergency services have recommended removing loose objects around the house, such as garden furniture, building materials and trampolines.
Some rail companies have suspended their services.
READ ALSO: Storm Otto to hit parts of Denmark with ‘hurricane’ strength
“This appears likely to be mainly a north and northwestern Jutland matter,” broadcaster DR’s meteorologist Anders Brandt said.
The storm will culminate “between 5pm and 8pm” in North Jutland, he also said.
“We’ll get three to four hours with storm so it will be a relatively short-lived storm. It’s a low-pressure system that will pass by quite quickly,” Brandt told DR.
Wind strengths of those forecast on Friday can cause damage including toppled trees and tiles ripped from roofs, the meteorologist said.
This is most likely in the areas of Jutland where winds will be strongest, he noted.
In a tweet on Friday morning, Danish met office DMI demonstrated the location of what it called the “area with the strongest wind” within the Otto storm system.
The area was expected to reach the northwestern coast of Jutland on Friday afternoon, DMI said.
Nu ligger #Otto lige vest for Sydnorge. Området med den kraftigste vind, ligger syd for lavtrykket, og forventes fortsat at ramme den nordvestligste del af landet ud på eftermiddagen.
Følg med på https://t.co/rFjglVG0m8 #stormdk pic.twitter.com/MAd38a5KvB
— DMI (@dmidk) February 17, 2023
Trains and ferries cancelled
Almost all train services in North Jutland were cancelled ahead of the expected storm.
Local operator Nordjyske Jernbaner said it was stopping all services heading north from Aalborg, DR reported.
The company also said it would stop services south of the Limfjord, while the Hirtshals and and Skagen lines will also be suspended.
The cancellations were scheduled to take effect from 2pm with services resuming again on Saturday. Replacement buses will operate a reduced timetable.
National operator DSB said on Thursday that it will run fewer trains between Aalborg and Aarhus between 2pm and 11pm. All of the faster Lyntog services between the two cities are cancelled.
Ferry cancellations are also affecting travel between Norway and northern Denmark. Around 5,000 passengers scheduled to travel to and from Hirtshals on Friday will be delayed until tomorrow, ferry operator Color Line told DR. Information on the ferry changes and cancellations can be found on Color Line's website.
Storm precautions are not limited to Jutland.
Residents of the Bellahøj towers in Copenhagen suburb Bronshøj were evacuated on Friday due to storm warnings, the buildings’ administrator KAB told local media sn.
Heavy wind gusts put three of the residential towers at risk due to a construction error that renders them poorly able to withstand average sustained winds of over 11-12 metres per second.
A rehousing process for residents in the buildings is already under process due to the issue.
Comments
See Also
Storm Otto is now expected to bring hurricane force winds to North Jutland from 3pm on Friday, before sweeping across Denmark, arriving in Zealand in the evening.
Denmark meteorological agency DMI has issued a Category 2 warning of “dangerous weather” from 3pm to 11pm for North Jutland and Northwest Jutland.
This means that “weather developments may affect your surroundings and disrupt traffic and supply”.
In other parts of the country, there is a Category 1 warning of gale force winds, applying for the remainder of Jutland and from northernmost Zealand to Bornholm.
Emergency services have recommended removing loose objects around the house, such as garden furniture, building materials and trampolines.
Some rail companies have suspended their services.
READ ALSO: Storm Otto to hit parts of Denmark with ‘hurricane’ strength
“This appears likely to be mainly a north and northwestern Jutland matter,” broadcaster DR’s meteorologist Anders Brandt said.
The storm will culminate “between 5pm and 8pm” in North Jutland, he also said.
“We’ll get three to four hours with storm so it will be a relatively short-lived storm. It’s a low-pressure system that will pass by quite quickly,” Brandt told DR.
Wind strengths of those forecast on Friday can cause damage including toppled trees and tiles ripped from roofs, the meteorologist said.
This is most likely in the areas of Jutland where winds will be strongest, he noted.
In a tweet on Friday morning, Danish met office DMI demonstrated the location of what it called the “area with the strongest wind” within the Otto storm system.
The area was expected to reach the northwestern coast of Jutland on Friday afternoon, DMI said.
Nu ligger #Otto lige vest for Sydnorge. Området med den kraftigste vind, ligger syd for lavtrykket, og forventes fortsat at ramme den nordvestligste del af landet ud på eftermiddagen.
— DMI (@dmidk) February 17, 2023
Følg med på https://t.co/rFjglVG0m8 #stormdk pic.twitter.com/MAd38a5KvB
Trains and ferries cancelled
Almost all train services in North Jutland were cancelled ahead of the expected storm.
Local operator Nordjyske Jernbaner said it was stopping all services heading north from Aalborg, DR reported.
The company also said it would stop services south of the Limfjord, while the Hirtshals and and Skagen lines will also be suspended.
The cancellations were scheduled to take effect from 2pm with services resuming again on Saturday. Replacement buses will operate a reduced timetable.
National operator DSB said on Thursday that it will run fewer trains between Aalborg and Aarhus between 2pm and 11pm. All of the faster Lyntog services between the two cities are cancelled.
Ferry cancellations are also affecting travel between Norway and northern Denmark. Around 5,000 passengers scheduled to travel to and from Hirtshals on Friday will be delayed until tomorrow, ferry operator Color Line told DR. Information on the ferry changes and cancellations can be found on Color Line's website.
Storm precautions are not limited to Jutland.
Residents of the Bellahøj towers in Copenhagen suburb Bronshøj were evacuated on Friday due to storm warnings, the buildings’ administrator KAB told local media sn.
Heavy wind gusts put three of the residential towers at risk due to a construction error that renders them poorly able to withstand average sustained winds of over 11-12 metres per second.
A rehousing process for residents in the buildings is already under process due to the issue.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.