Cold snap expected to begin in Finland this week

Quite a sharp contrast with mid-November 2010

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After an unexpectedly long spell of rather mild conditions for the time of year, causing drivers to postpone changing their tyres and clothing stores to lament the lack of buyers for their winter assortments, it now seems as though a change is in the air.
      The first frosts of this autumn are expected to occur in all parts of Finland early this week.
      In Lapland, temperatures were predicted to get colder already on Sunday, and on Tuesday morning, frosts will be possible in the entire country.
      In Lapland, the roads can be slippery already today, as the temperatures are varying in the north of the country from 0°C to -3°C.
     
At the same time, the temperatures recorded in Central Finland are varying from +2°C to +6°C, and in southern parts between +5°C and +8°C.
      In these areas the roads could become slippery on Tuesday at the earliest, when the temperatures are predicted to drop below zero, but there are no certainties even in this department.
      According to the duty meteorologist from the Finnish Meteorological Institute, the weather is expected to remain dry through the beginning of the week, which is why the roads will not necessarily be frozen, even as the mercury drops.
      Besides, the immediate forecasts are very uncertain.
      The first frosts will not be likely to last long, says the duty meteorologist.
     
On Monday morning, the meteorologists revised their prognosis to suggest that Northern Finland will be getting a covering of snow by midweek, with white stuff forecast for Lapland, Northern Ostrobothnia, and possibly some central districts of the country on Wednesday.
      Lapland already has some snow on the ground, but only in places and in small quantities, as for instance the Levi ski resort found to its cost when last weekend's FIS world Cup races had to be cancelled through lack of the necessary raw materials.
      As the links from 2010 indicate, by mid-November last year things had progressed a good deal further towards winter conditions across the country.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  October temperatures clearly above normal (2.11.2011)
  Levi World Cup slalom races cancelled owing to warm weather and lack of snow (3.11.2011)

See also:
  Meteorological Institute predicts that weather is going to get even colder (26.11.2010)
  Cold descending on Finland (25.11.2010)
  First snow attracts people take out their cross-country skis (19.11.2010)

Links:
  Finnish Meteorological Institute

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