Northern Arganorhan nations are to experience record low temperatures this week as a massive blizzard moves from the arctic - southwards. The Arganorhan Weather Organization predicts temperatures as low as -32 Celsius as far south as Marieholm before the storm moves on to mainland Arganorh by the end of the week.
The Svenlaandic Prime Minister Anna-Lena Grönberg declared a National Weather Emergency this morning as weather experts reported an oncoming blizzard that will drop temperatures to dangerous lows. Prime Minister Arvid Nystrom of Nordenlaand and Prime Minister Eeva Hämäläinen of Fennlaand soon followed her lead after recommendations from their interior ministers.
"Svenlaand will pay for hotels and hostels to house the homeless until the storm passes" claimed Prime Minister Grönberg in a press conference declaring the emergency "Further, all citizens are urged to remain indoors, with non-essential businesses ordered to close their operations for the safety of their workers."
Several citizens in Marieholm were seen headed for the train station to get some of the last trains home before the national rail service, NJS, ordered all trains to return to their stations. Some were carrying groceries, anticipating being stuck at home for days.
"I just want to make sure I am prepared" says Kevin Stenström, a 38 year old assistant doctor with his 12 year old daughter in hand "Hopefully this storm is not too troublesome."
Svenlaand's Interior Minister, Ulf Lindroth (SLP), gave advice to Svenlaand's citizens.
"All citizens are advised to remain indoors" said Lindroth in a Connectid post online. "If you have to go outside wear multiple layers, have face coverings over your mouth and nose to shield from the frost, and keep radiators and heaters on as much as you can."
In Fennlaand, where the snow has already begun to fall, the government has similar warnings for its citizens.
"Please remain indoors. Ensure that your heaters are on, windows are properly sealed to keep out the cold, and that water remains flowing in your pipes to keep them from freezing." said Prime Minister Hämäläinen in a public statement. "Take care of all essential business now, while roads are still safe and clear."
Hämäläinen promised that her government's interior ministry is working on keeping public services running.
Fennlandic Interior Minister Akseli Peltonen made a statement to parliament this evening in Tulinn, claiming the Interior Ministry had plans to upkeep roads in major public lanes, and had committed to ensuring that busses between major cities remain running.
"The Interior Ministry is partnered with the Regional Authorities to ensure that roadways are cleared of snow and ice so emergency vehicles and services can get where they need to be, and citizens who need aid can be reached easily and safely" Peltonen told parliament this week. "We are also working with local authorities to ensure that homeless shelters have enough beds to hold additional residents who need to shelter from the cold, and local City Guards are working to ensure traffic and public safety is managed in a proper way."
So far, Nordenlaand has taken similar measures, with Prime Minister Arvid Nystrom's government led by the Green Socialists passing an emergency funding package which would extend funding to municipalities and regional governments to allow them to keep their services up and running, with the Prime Minister also pledging that the government will keep life running as normal as possible, while also advising citizens to remain indoors and warm.
"Municipal guards are working to keep our cities and villages safe" said Nystrom in a press conference. "streets in major cities will be cleared, medical and emergency staff will be fitted with proper vehicles to transverse the icy conditions, and it is our hope that major railways will be able to be kept open, though this situation will be monitored. I have also authorized municipal guards to release stockpiles of emergency food stuffs and distribute boxes of goods to each household in their municipality should the storm go on for longer than two weeks, though it is our understanding this is an unlikely scenario - nevertheless we are prepared."
While the northern nations prepare for this blizzard, other nations to the south are preparing as well. Midlandic Prime Minister Jannik Schiele has announced his government will convene with the Midlandic Council of Emergency Services to see what needs to be done to prevent largescale disruptions from the storm, while nations such as those in Davintharia, Avanor, and Boevia have begin mobilizing their own municipal and city guards in order to pepare for the wintery conditions.
The Arganorhan Weather Service has released a statement that, while there may be up to 1.8 meters of snow in the north, nations in mainland Arganorh will not have such extreme conditions. Additionally, the AWS has announced they expect the storm to dissipate by the middle of next week.