With up to 10cm of snow possible in some areas and many cars already using summer tyres, traffic conditions could become hazardous.
Winter is poised to make a comeback in parts of Finland this weekend, with sleet and snow accompanied by strong, gusty winds. Motorists who have already switched to summer tyres should stay off the roads if possible, especially in some central and eastern regions.
Rain and sleet are due to arrive on the Ostrobothnian coast on Friday evening, spreading into southern, central and eastern areas on Saturday. That is expected to turn to snow on Sunday morning, even in Uusimaa on the south coast, which includes the Helsinki region.
“It’s possible that the ground will remain white for a while there,” FMI meteorologist Ari-Juhani Punkka told Ilta-Sanomat.
The Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) predicts overnight lows from +3 to -10 degrees Celsius, or even colder in the far north. Saturday’s highs will range between -1 in the north and +8 in the south. In Eastern and Central Finland, temperatures will hover just above zero.
Up to 10cm of snow, health provider appeals to relatives
Most affected will be Central and Eastern Finland. Especially in Eastern Finland, it is not advisable to drive on summer tyres on Sunday, as there may be up to 10 centimetres of snow on the ground in the morning.
The Päijät-Häme wellbeing services county, Päijät-Sote, warned on Friday that road conditions may cause delays in homecare visits over the weekend, especially on Sunday morning. The health and social services provider says that most of its vehicles already have summer tyres.
Some have been switched back to winter tyres at the last minute, while all tyre changes scheduled through the beginning of next week have been cancelled.
Päijät-Sote appealed to family members to pitch in to help if possible.
“If relatives are able to visit for home care on Sunday morning, that would be a great help in the situation,” homecare services director Piritta Mattila told Yle.
There is a traffic advisory for poor road conditions on Saturday through much of southern and central Finland, with an amber warning of very hazardous conditions in Central Ostrobothnia, Central Finland, North Savo and North Karelia, and on Sunday in the eastern regions of South and North Karelia as well as South Savo.
Meanwhile a forest fire warning remains in effect through most of the country until at least Sunday.
Gusty north wind may cause damage
On Sunday, the wind will start to blow from the north and may be strong enough to cause damage, warns Punkka.
The FMI has issued a wind warning for almost all of southern Finland from Saturday night to Sunday evening. Wind gusts may reach 20 metres per second.
On Sunday, the temperature in the south will be around +5, but will feel considerably colder due to the brisk north wind.
The north wind is set to keep blowing into next week, but Punkka promises more spring-like conditions with temperatures of 10 degrees or more by midweek, ahead of Thursday’s May Day Eve festivities.
