The winter storm that hit the southern and central parts of the country overnight has brought heavy snowfall, bumps and dangerous driving conditions.
Meteorologist Hannu Valta The Finnish Meteorological Institute told the daily Evening paper expect 30-40 centimeters of fresh snow, in some places up to half a meter accumulation of still higher depreciation and amortization.
Power pointed out that snow plows on the road are unlikely to keep the pace of snowfall.
Meanwhile, Evening News reports that emergency services urge the public to stay home if possible.
Director of the Turku Regional Rescue Department Mika Viljanen told Ilta-Sanomat that whenever possible, the public should only stay out of the way completely on Tuesday morning. The Helsinki Emergency Service has made a similar appeal.
Snow plows are concentrated on main roads. Secondary roads are likely to be driven. Ferry traffic in the coastal areas and the archipelago is also likely to stop.
Emergency services are also ready for power outages. Heavy snow is likely to cut down trees and cut power lines in some areas.
Although the blizzard affects the central and southern regions, Finnish Lapland is forecast to have almost record cold temperatures: the thermometer drops to -35 ° C in Rovaniemi and -40 ° C or more in some areas, says Oulu Kaleva. Lowest temperatures are forecast for Wednesday evening or early Thursday.
Coronavirus option
Helsinki every day Helsingin sanomat newspaper reports that the Department of Health and Welfare, THL, is uncertain about how to deal with the emergence of new variants of the Covid-19 virus.
So far, 49 people in Finland have been diagnosed with coronavirus infection caused by new, faster-spreading virus alternatives. On Monday, THL reported 29 new cases in addition to the previous 20 cases.
Almost all of these infections have been reported from tourists who came to Finland from abroad or from people who were in close contact.
The majority of cases are a variant that was first detected in the UK, and only two cases were of the South African type.
The sources of the three cases of infection are unknown.
"These cannot be said to be tourism-related contacts. That’s not very surprising, as it’s not always possible to figure out all the contacts. However, this may be due to some form of indirect tourism contact," Mika SalminenTHL’s Director of Health Security told Helsingin Sanomat.
What approach THL can take to these new transformations, Salminen said, so far there is no precise information on what is worth doing and what is not.
More difficult times for Lapland tourism
Farmers’ Union daily Future of the countryside examines the growing difficulties of the Finnish Lapland tourism industry as a result of the ongoing pandemic.
The magazine writes that it now appears that the disappearance of foreign tourists could reduce the annual incomes of many businesses in the region by as much as 90 percent.
Although there have been more domestic tourists this winter than in previous years, the growth has not been enough to compensate for the losses of visitors from abroad.
The accommodation and program services industry has suffered particularly badly, but the situation also indirectly affects retail and support services such as laundries and the transport sector.
After years of record growth, many companies had built a financial buffer that has helped them survive. However, the long boom also meant big investments, and it looks like the tourism industry has now hit the wall.
According to the Rural Future, foreign tour operators are planning and booking holiday packages next winter in Lapland.
Regional tourism groups are now urging the government to outline the conditions under which international tourism trade can take place in the long term.
Squirrels to save?
The City of Helsinki has decided to drive operators from Malmi Small Airport in the northern part of the city to make room for a large housing project.
Courts have fired opposition to the plan, but it’s not impossible that some small rodents might turn things around.
Flying squirrels are an endangered species and their habitats are protected by law. Local Helsinki daily Helsinki News reported that the group called "Friends of the Malmi Airport Association" say they have found evidence of flying squirrels in the forests around the airport – sightings, nests and faeces – suggesting a larger, wider population than previously thought.
Previous studies of the city in the area did not detect significant concentrations of flying squirrels.
A report on this latest study has now been submitted to the Uusimaa Center for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, the City of Helsinki and the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation.
Source: The Nordic Page