Finland is facing severe winter weather conditions as a snowstorm blankets the south and west, with record low temperatures reported across Lapland. The Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) has warned residents to prepare for hazardous driving conditions and disruptions to infrastructure as the country experiences its harshest weather of the season.
A fast-moving snowstorm slammed western Finland on Sunday evening, moving eastward overnight. By early Monday morning, up to 12 centimeters of snow had fallen across southern and central regions, with continued snowfall expected to last throughout the day. Hannu Valta, an FMI meteorologist, cautioned, "The snow will be heavy at times, making driving conditions extremely poor." Authorities have issued warnings for treacherous road conditions, particularly across southern and central Finland, with several accidents reported due to cars skidding off icy roads.
Pertti Törni, a traffic operator from Traficom, advised, "If you must drive, do so cautiously. It’s safer to stay off the roads." Compounding the issues, public transport saw minor disruptions over the weekend. The Helsinki Regional Transport Authority (HSL) noted cancellations and delays but maintained overall service adequacy. Spokesperson Saana Lehtinen stated, "We’ve had a few cancellations, but overall, services are running as planned."
Heavy, wet snow has also put pressure on the electricity infrastructure, especially affecting regions like Pirkanmaa and Häme. Elenia, electricity provider, warned of potential power outages as heavy snow accumulates on trees and damages power lines. Repairs are complicated by difficult terrain and limited daylight.
Meanwhile, Lapland has witnessed extraordinarily low temperatures, with Savukoski recording a chilling -35.6 degrees Celsius on Sunday, breaking the previous low of -34.4 degrees set just one day before. The cold has also impacted tourists, such as Andrei Cristian from Romania, who reconsidered his plans at Rovaniemi Airport: "I thought about having a cigarette, but not anymore," he said, even though he was bundled up in thermal clothing.
Throughout the week, there’s potential for brief warming trends, with temperatures expected to rise to around 5 degrees Celsius by Thursday. Still, Valta warned, these milder temperatures may not be enough to melt away the recent snowfall, indicating the likelihood of seeing snow-covered scenes during Christmas. "We may still see a white Christmas in most of Finland," he added.
Despite the anticipated warming, colder weather is expected to return later this week. Jari Tuovinen from the FMI remarked, "Temperatures are changing very quickly now. Today [Monday] it is already milder, but tomorrow [Tuesday] the wind will turn eastwardly again and the freezing cold will intensify." This erratic weather pattern has left residents on high alert.
With the authorities closely monitoring the winter storm, residents and tourists alike are advised to remain vigilant as they navigate treacherous conditions, whether on roadways or icy pedestrian paths.
