Sunny spring weather to last until Thursday
First early potatoes planted in Turku Archipelago
It is not an April Fool's joke: the warm sunny spring weather that started on Monday in Southern Finland is predicted to last for another couple of days, according to the Finnish Meteorological Institute.
On Thursday the weather will cool down, while precipitation is anticipated at the end of the week.
In Helsinki, the mercury climbed to 10 degrees Celsius on Monday, and the warm sunshine attracted a large number of people to parks and the terraces of cafés and pubs in order to uncork the summer season.
The record temperature for the day was 12.7°C, set in Pori on the west coast.
While local residents were complaining about the lousy winter, Sarah Scheck, a German exchange student, argued that there was actually no winter at all in Finland.
However, for Wong Wing Mei from HongKong and Kacy Chang from Taiwan, this winter was cold enough. They, too, were glad to welcome the arrival of spring-like conditions.
Warm and sunny weather is to be expected for Tuesday and Wednesday, and according to the weather forecasts, the mercury will stay at around 10 degrees Celsius until Thursday.
On Thursday the winds will turn, starting to blow cold air from the north towards the south. It is likely that on Friday signs of the spring can no longer be seen. When the predicted precipitation begins at the end of the week, it can come down in the form of sleet or even snow.
On Monday, early potatoes were already being planted in Rymättylä, in the Turku Archipelago. At first the potato plants must be protected from frost, which causes a lot of extra work and costs.
”Even though this winter was exceptionally mild, it was also unusually rainy, and the fields had to dry enough before planting”, said farmer Kimmo Leinonen, who was out planting potatoes together with his wife and their son.
Leinonen has been growing potatoes on these fields for close on 30 years. Last year he set his all-time record, while planting the first potatoes already on March 16th.
However, in 1987 he planted his first potatoes as late as on April 22nd.
”We normally start planting early potatoes around April 8th to 10th”, reports Leinonen.
”Now it is up to the weather to see whether or not we will enjoy the first potatoes at the school-leaving ceremonies at the end of May”, he added.
Links:
Finnish Meteorological Institute
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 1.4.2008 - TODAY |
Sunny spring weather to last until Thursday
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