"We are planning for a soft start from 2:00 p.m. (1300 GMT) for departures only," an Avinor spokesperson said.

The airport will handle arrivals again from 1440 GMT as Avinor continues to monitor the weather, the spokesperson said.

Wet and heavy snow combined with intense wind and rain had created challenging conditions earlier in the day, leading to the closure.

Travellers should comply with information from their airlines and monitor information screens relating to their departures, Avinor said in a statement on the airport website.

The Norwegian Meteorological Institute has issued a yellow warning - indicating a moderately dangerous situation - for strong wind gusts until 1500 GMT and for snowfall until 1600 GMT.

(Reporting by Nora Buli; editing by Jason Neely and Bernadette Baum)