Articles | Volume 25, issue 5
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-1697-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-1697-2025
Research article
 | 
13 May 2025
Research article |  | 13 May 2025

Classifying extratropical cyclones and their impact on Finland's electricity grid: insights from 92 damaging windstorms

Ilona Láng-Ritter, Terhi Kristiina Laurila, Antti Mäkelä, Hilppa Gregow, and Victoria Anne Sinclair

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Cited articles

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Short summary
We present a classification method for extratropical cyclones and windstorms and show their impacts on Finland's electricity grid by analysing the 92 most damaging windstorms (2005–2018). The south-west- and north-west-arriving windstorms cause the most damage to the power grid. The most relevant parameters for damage are the wind gust speed and extent of wind gusts. Windstorms are more frequent and damaging in autumn and winter, but weaker wind speeds in summer also cause significant damage.
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