Photo gallery: Once upon a Finnish snowstorm — in late April
Yle meteorologist Matti Huutonen says there will be little snow left on the ground by May.
This photo of Turku's central street Yliopistonkatu looked like it was straight from a winter season postcard. Image: Isabel Nordberg / Yle
Yle News
Finland was hit by a storm that covered nearly the entire country in snow on Monday night and Tuesday.
Even for a Nordic country, that's late in the year.
Yle meteorologist Matti Huutonen noted that these sorts of winter weather events generally occur at this time of year only a few times each century.
The snow caused havoc for trains, planes and automobiles, as trams in Helsinki came to a standstill and Turku's bus services saw severe disruptions.
Turku's winter wonderland
The blizzard hit the Turku area quite hard. The city's downtown area looked downright picturesque as commuters struggled to get where they were going.
Turku's Market Square on Tuesday morning. Image: Isabel Nordberg / Yle
Some cyclists weren't that bothered. Image: Isabel Nordberg / Yle
Sara Söderlund was waiting for a taxi at Turku's market square after failing to find a cab at the harbour. Image: Johanna Manu / Yle
Traffic chaos ensued
Traffic came to a complete standstill on this motorway north of Turku on Tuesday morning.
This bus slid into a ditch in the Hirvensalo district on Tuesday. Turku's regional public transport authority suspended nearly all services that morning. Image: Kalle Mäkelä / Yle
The storm prompted dozens of accidents in the capital area on Tuesday, while trucks and buses fond themselves stuck on ramps and at intersections, causing traffic problems for other drivers, as well. Image: Petteri Sopanen / Yle
Some people followed Fintraffic's guidance to not venture out on the roads. This photo shows how quiet it was in the Viikki district. Image: Petteri Sopanen / Yle
The storm brought Helsinki's tram network to a standstill on Tuesday. This photo shows the city's new high-speed line 15 trams lined up and waiting for improved conditions. Image: Petteri Sopanen / Yle
The storm caused delays and cancellations at Helsinki Airport, with some departures and arrivals nearly two hours behind schedule. Finnair alone cancelled around 40 flights. Image: Tuija Halmari
Areas in southern and south-western Finland were hit hardest by the storm, but the snow only had minor effects on traffic in Tampere. Image: Jani Aarnio / Yle
However, slippery conditions on road 65 in Pirkanmaa led to this accident. Image: Juha Kokkala / Yle
Maria Ikola brushing snow from her car in Helsinki's Alppiharju district. Image: Olli-Pekka Kursi / Yle
According to the forecast, the fresh snow is set to melt away soon, with Yle meteorologist Huutonen anticipating that there will be little snow on the ground by May.
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A total of 17 people lost their lives in Finland between 2013 and 2022 as a result of a dog attack or dog bite, according to figures provided by Statistics Finland.
