Residents of Helsinki woke up to a white blanket of snow covering almost the entire city on Thursday morning.
The Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) measuring station at Kumpula recorded two centimetres of snow at 8am, meaning that the 'first snow' has officially arrived in the capital. The FMI declares the first snowfall when there is at least one centimetre on the ground at 8 am (or at 9 am if it occurs during daylight savings time, when ends in late October).
In Finland, the 'first snow' (or ensilumi in Finnish) is the first measurable snowfall of the season and traditionally marks the beginning of winter for that particular region.
The snow cover will not remain for long, as it is expected to melt during the day as temperatures rise above zero. However, Yle meteorologist Elias Paakkanen noted that the forecast suggests there will be more snowfall overnight and into Friday morning.
"There will be rain, sleet, and snow; driving conditions will sometimes be poor and sometimes better. We are heading towards more wintry weather, even though there will be milder periods as well," Paakkanen said.
The FMI has issued a warning of hazardous driving conditions across southern and central parts of the country for Thursday and Friday.
"It’s a good idea to allow more time than usual for commuting for the rest of the week. There will be snowfall as well as sleet or freezing rain. Road conditions may change rapidly, and it’s important to take into account, for example, reduced visibility and the risk of slippery roads,” Traficom's duty manager Tuuli Salonen said.
Salonen also advised drivers to keep a sufficient safety distance from the car in front and to reduce speed in accordance with the conditions – and winter tyres are now required.
