SMHI’s website redesigned for a better user experience
On March 4th, SMHI launched its website with a fresh design and a new technical platform. The updated version features a modernised appearance and simplified navigation. The site's extensive content has been refined to help visitors both find what they need and discover new information.
– The purpose of smhi.se is to present knowledge, services, and information on weather, water, and climate based on scientific principles. Now, we have a modern tool to continue developing smhi.se as a key hub for accessible and valuable content, says Eva-Lena Jonsson, Head of Communications at SMHI.
SMHI’s website attracts a significant number of visitors—226 million in 2024 alone. This marked a 15 percent increase compared to the previous year. A large share of visitors—nearly 70 percent—access smhi.se via mobile devices.
– We have adapted the site to user behaviours and expectations. For example, the high volume of mobile traffic has influenced how we structure the pages to make it easier to find, understand, and use the content, says Eva-Lena Jonsson.
Landing pages with a focus on one thing at a time make it easier to navigate, click, or scroll through the content. Example from the swedish version of "Working at SMHI."
Easier to navigate
In the new design, various landing pages take on a more prominent role. They aim to put content into context and guide users through the website’s extensive and in-depth information.
– In rebuilding the site, we have carefully prioritized content to avoid cluttered pages, and the new design helps focus on one thing at a time. This makes pages easier to navigate and simplifies clicking or scrolling through the content. The navigation is now more intuitive, says Henrik Perfect, Web Communicator at SMHI.
Redesigned Weather Service
The weather service on the website’s homepage also has a new look. It displays the visitor’s most recently searched locations and provides a direct link to the ten-day weather forecast, which has also been updated.
– The new weather service on the homepage is designed as a direct path to the ten-day forecast, where we present the latest weather predictions in more detail, says Erik Björn, Product Owner at SMHI.
The new format of the weather service significantly reduces the amount of data that needs to be loaded, which makes the SMHI homepage display faster.
Search or select one of your most recently searched locations to view a ten-day weather forecast. An example from the swedish version of the weather service.
– A great deal of effort has gone into implementing the new design and technology. Keeping the website engaging, useful, and easy to use is an ongoing task, and we look forward to continuing its development, concludes Eva-Lena Jonsson.