Cars on the rainy Tuusula motorway in Helsinki. Photo: Roni Rekomaa / Lehtikuva
- Next Article Military truck crashes during naval exercise in Raasepori, injures conscripts
December will begin with a succession of rain and snow systems moving across Finland, with forecasters expecting wet and unsettled conditions through the week.
Meteorologists from both Foreca and the Finnish Meteorological Institute said several fronts will cross the country in quick succession. The weather pattern is expected to persist at least until Independence Day on Saturday.
From Monday, rain will spread from the west across much of the country.
South of Oulu, precipitation will fall mostly as rain. In Lapland and central Finland, conditions will vary, with a mix of sleet and snow depending on the location.
Temperatures in southern and central regions are forecast to remain between 1 and 6 degrees Celsius. In Lapland, temperatures are expected to drop well below freezing, with lows nearing minus 25 degrees Celsius in the coldest locations.
Driving conditions are expected to deteriorate significantly, especially in central Finland, North Savo, Kainuu and parts of Lapland. The Finnish Meteorological Institute issued warnings for hazardous roads at the start of the week.
Snowfall will be most intense in northern areas. Kainuu and Northern Ostrobothnia are expected to receive between 15 and 25 centimetres of snow over a three-day period. These areas had recently lost a substantial portion of their snow cover during a mild spell, with up to 12 centimetres melting in some locations.
By Tuesday, the initial front will move eastward, bringing drier weather for much of the day. However, a second rain system is forecast to arrive from the west by the evening, continuing the pattern of unsettled weather.
Forecasters expect another widespread precipitation zone to pass through on Wednesday, with most of the remaining showers concentrated in Lapland. Later in the week, the weather is expected to become slightly more stable but will remain cloudy and damp, with localised showers rather than broad fronts.
From Thursday through the weekend, including Finland’s Independence Day on Saturday, much of the country will experience grey and overcast skies. In Lapland, snowfall is likely to continue with temperatures remaining below freezing. Further south, the rain will persist and temperatures will stay above zero.
In southern and central Finland, forecasters say there is no significant snow expected in the coming days. Recent warm conditions have already melted the remaining snow cover, and new precipitation will likely fall as rain.
Night-time temperatures may dip below freezing in parts of the country, particularly inland, but daytime highs in the south and west are expected to remain above zero throughout the week.
Meteorologists said the sequence of low-pressure systems currently moving over the country is typical of Finnish winter weather. These conditions make forecasting difficult in areas near the rain-snow boundary, where slight changes in temperature can shift the form of precipitation.
HT
- Next Article Military truck crashes during naval exercise in Raasepori, injures conscripts
Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
