Norwegian meteorologists warn of increased wildfire risk and wet weekend ahead

Norway’s Meteorological Institute has issued orange-level wildfire warnings for parts of Trøndelag, including areas around Trondheim, Ørland, and Rørvik, while forecasting a wet and overcast weekend for much of the country, Dagbladet reports.

The warnings come as dry conditions, strong winds, and minimal snow cover heighten the risk of grass and heather fires. Meteorologists urge caution, particularly with outdoor activities like grilling, as dead vegetation ignites easily. Yellow alerts for lightning and forest fires are also in place from Nordfjord to Sør-Troms.

“The dry weather persists, and we’ve upgraded the grass and heather fire risk to orange for parts of Trøndelag,” the institute stated, advising residents to follow local authorities’ instructions.

Rain and clouds dominate weekend forecast

After a mild start to Thursday, skies will thicken across Norway, with rain spreading over the weekend. Western regions, including Vestlandet, can expect showers on Saturday and intermittent downpours on Sunday. Eastern Norway may see some Friday drizzle, but heavier rain arrives by the weekend.

“Friday looks relatively calm, but Saturday and Sunday will bring widespread rain. The weekend will be quite grey and wet,” said meteorologist Anne Solveig Andersen.

Northern Norway, however, will largely avoid the wet weather, with Tromsø experiencing unusually mild conditions. The city recorded 12.6°C on Thursday—potentially its highest temperature of the year so far—and has seen six days above 10°C in April, well above the monthly average of 0.4°C.

Temperatures are gradually rising, with highs nearing 17–18°C in some areas, though meteorologists stop short of predicting the first 20°C “Nordic summer day.”

Central Norway sees best weekend conditions

Trøndelag and parts of Mid-Norway are expected to fare best over the weekend, with less precipitation and milder weather compared to other regions. Meanwhile, Finnmark’s northern areas may see some Friday rain before drying out.

Meteorologists will continue to monitor fire risks and adjust warnings as conditions evolve.