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The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical understanding of experiences of crisis management among municipal leaders.

A total of 16 chief officers and three politicians from three different municipalities were interviewed concerning experiences of dealing with a severe storm. Data were analyzed by a grounded theory approach.

Data analysis generated a model. Central to the model is an evaluation sphere, which reflects tension between everyday circumstances and crisis needs, between assessments of legislation and practices as a support or hindrance, and assessments of human vulnerability versus coping resources. Manager characteristics, the societal context within which the event occurred, and crisis characteristics all influence this evaluation sphere. Particular stressors include the fact that the leaders themselves were personally affected by the storm, the difficult decisions and assessments that had to be made, the uncertainty of the situation and the timing, soon after the tsunami. Crisis management, decisions and actions can be seen as formed from the evaluation sphere and the influencing factors.

The paper has a small sample and limited representativeness. Generalizability of the model should be tested in other crisis events.

The model can be used as a tool to design exercises and as a guideline for authorities, in providing preparedness and crisis support.

The paper provides a theoretical model highlighting the complex evaluations underlying managers' decisions and actions in real‐ life situations.