The self-employed truck driver Niclas Nordström became stranded for 20 hours due to snow on Sweden’s E22 motorway, experiencing the worst weather conditions of his 30-year career.
Since the 1990s, Nordström has been operating his own road freight business. On Wednesday, he expected that the blocked traffic on the E22 would have been cleared, but he quickly realized his error along with around 1,000 other drivers when he was stuck near Linderöd around 1:45 PM.
“The reason for the traffic jam happened much earlier, so I assumed the police had already redirected the vehicles,” the 58-year-old recounted. “I didn’t think it through properly. With a bit more quick decision-making, this could have been avoided. The queues wouldn’t have been so long.”
As a blizzard swept through the region, approximately 1,000 vehicles were trapped on the E22 between Hörby and Kristianstad. The Armed Forces were called in to assist with evacuating drivers and providing food and water to those stranded.
Although Nordström’s truck is designed with just a day cab—lacking a bed—he managed to sleep while seated at the wheel, a better situation than many in passenger cars. However, he had no food or medicine on board, relying on assistance from others during the ordeal.
“I met various people, including a couple from Holland who were very kind. I mentioned I was extremely hungry, and they invited me in for coffee and a sandwich,” he shared. Throughout the night, he monitored the Swedish Transport Administration’s website for updates on when the road would reopen.
“The reopening time kept getting extended. First it was 8 PM, then midnight, then 2 AM, and eventually 2 PM the following day,” he explained.
Ultimately, around 10 AM, the Dutch couple received assistance from a local farmer who cleared a three-meter path in the snow, allowing them to exit the motorway. They drove against traffic—without any oncoming vehicles—until they reached a navigable road.
“We both made it out through the opening. Although we drove against traffic, it wasn’t hazardous since there were no other vehicles. If we hadn’t taken that initiative, we might still be stuck,” Nordström emphasized. He noted that, in his experience driving in southern Skåne and Blekinge, he had never encountered such severe weather conditions before, remarking, “This is the worst I’ve ever seen in 30 years. Such intense snowfall hasn’t hit Skåne since 1979.”
