What does a yellow warning mean?
SMHI warns at three levels – yellow, orange and red – depending on how serious the effects of the weather are expected to be. How to read the warnings on Fintväder.
Three levels by how serious it gets
SMHI’s weather warnings have three levels: yellow, orange and red. Yellow is the lowest and red the highest. The level depends on the effects the weather is expected to have where you are – for example on traffic, power or buildings – not only on how hard it blows or rains.
The same amount of rain can therefore mean a yellow warning in one place and no warning in another, depending on how vulnerable the area is. SMHI has warned this way since October 2021.
Messages are something else
SMHI also issues messages, for example about the risk of water shortage. They often last a long time and are not shown as warnings on Fintväder.
How Fintväder shows warnings
When SMHI has a yellow, orange or red warning for the place, it is shown at the top of the place page. The text is SMHI’s own, verbatim, with time and source; on English pages it is SMHI’s own English version. Under “Full warning” you find the area, the period and all of SMHI’s descriptions.
The warning does not change Fintväder’s own forecasts. Always follow SMHI’s warning and the authorities’ advice.