No Bad Weather, Only Bad Clothing

“Där finns ingen dålig väder, bara dålig kläder.”

“There is no bad weather, only bad clothing.”

It’s one of the most popular Swedish sayings, and I finally learned the true meaning tonight.

I threw on one of my warmest fleeces and walked across town to our friends’ apartment a little after 8 to catch some March Madness hoops action.

I wouldn’t exactly say it was warm outside, but we’ve had much colder nights over the past few months.

Amanda and I ran the paved loop around Falköping earlier this afternoon and couldn’t stop talking about how much the weather had improved during the two weeks I was back home in California. Virtually all of the snow had melted and sidewalks and roads were dry. It really looked and felt like spring was right around the corner.

I left our friends’ place a little before midnight and walked out into a legitimate snowstorm. I couldn’t believe how much snow had fallen in only three hours.





I love fleece jackets. A quality light fleece can rival a thick down, in my opinion. As warm as they are, though, fleeces are not waterproof. Tonight’s blizzard was a wet reminder.



Swedes say there’s always one short yet big storm right before spring actually arrives, and I hope this is it. If the long-range forecast is even close to accurate, it looks like things could finally warm up significantly next week.

Winter's Almost Here

If there’s one thing about weather native Swedes learn at an early age, it’s how quickly fall can become winter.

I took this picture on Amanda’s mom’s farm last Thursday, Oct. 14.



Here’s the exact same part of the yard last night — one week later — when we received our first notable snowfall.



We had a dusting one night last weekend and I thought this early afternoon video I shot would be the extent of Thursday’s snow.



I was wrong, and it definitely won’t be the last time I underestimate the Swedish weather. As I finished doing the dishes around 9 p.m., I saw this out the window.



The snow gradually intensified and was still coming down at midnight. By morning, we had a nice blanket of about five centimeters (two inches). Not much, but pretty impressive for mid-October and only 228 meters (750 feet) above sea level.







Most of it had melted by midday today, and temperatures are expected to rise the next few nights while this precipitation hovers over the country.



But I know the snow and cold temperatures will soon return, and maybe even surpass the record-setting winter in Sweden last winter. Polish scientists are predicting Europe’s coldest winter in 1,000 years. I’m juiced, even if 99.99 percent of the people here dread the thought.