Articles | Volume 26, issue 9
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-26-4621-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-26-4621-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
29 Sep 2026
Research article |
| 29 Sep 2026
| 29 Sep 2026
Characteristics of extreme snowfall–wind-gust events in Finland (1960–2024): frequency, duration, and intensity
Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, 00101, Finland
Terhi K. Laurila
Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, 00101, Finland
Ari Aaltonen
Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, 00101, Finland
Kirsti Jylhä
Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, 00101, Finland
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We use a kilometer-scale regional climate model to investigate the occurrence and intensity of sea-effect snowfall in the Baltic Sea region during 1998–2018. Sea-effect snowbands occur most frequently from November to February and when low-level winds have an easterly component near the eastern coast of Sweden and the southern coast of Finland. Over the southern Baltic Sea, snowbands tend to occur under northerly low-level winds and are most common from December to March.
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A natural hazard is a naturally occurring extreme event with a negative effect on people, society, or the environment; major events in the study area include wind storms, extreme waves, high and low sea level, ice ridging, heavy precipitation, sea-effect snowfall, river floods, heat waves, ice seasons, and drought. In the future, an increase in sea level, extreme precipitation, heat waves, and phytoplankton blooms is expected, and a decrease in cold spells and severe ice winters is anticipated.
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Possible future changes in atmospheric conditions favourable for thunderstorms in Fennoscandia are investigated using HCLIM climate model data at 3 km spatial resolution. The frequency of thunderstorm- and severe-thunderstorm-favourable days is projected to increase across Fennoscandia under medium- and high-emission scenarios. The findings improve understanding of future thunderstorm hazards and support climate adaptation in Fennoscandia, where such information is currently limited.
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We use a kilometer-scale regional climate model to investigate the occurrence and intensity of sea-effect snowfall in the Baltic Sea region during 1998–2018. Sea-effect snowbands occur most frequently from November to February and when low-level winds have an easterly component near the eastern coast of Sweden and the southern coast of Finland. Over the southern Baltic Sea, snowbands tend to occur under northerly low-level winds and are most common from December to March.
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Ilona Láng-Ritter, Terhi Kristiina Laurila, Antti Mäkelä, Hilppa Gregow, and Victoria Anne Sinclair
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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.
Anna Rutgersson, Erik Kjellström, Jari Haapala, Martin Stendel, Irina Danilovich, Martin Drews, Kirsti Jylhä, Pentti Kujala, Xiaoli Guo Larsén, Kirsten Halsnæs, Ilari Lehtonen, Anna Luomaranta, Erik Nilsson, Taru Olsson, Jani Särkkä, Laura Tuomi, and Norbert Wasmund
Earth Syst. Dynam., 13, 251–301, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-13-251-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-13-251-2022, 2022
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A natural hazard is a naturally occurring extreme event with a negative effect on people, society, or the environment; major events in the study area include wind storms, extreme waves, high and low sea level, ice ridging, heavy precipitation, sea-effect snowfall, river floods, heat waves, ice seasons, and drought. In the future, an increase in sea level, extreme precipitation, heat waves, and phytoplankton blooms is expected, and a decrease in cold spells and severe ice winters is anticipated.
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Weather Clim. Dynam., 2, 1111–1130, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-1111-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-1111-2021, 2021
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We create a climatology of mid-latitude cyclones and windstorms in northern Europe and investigate how sensitive the minimum pressure and maximum gust of windstorms are to four precursors. Windstorms are more common in the cold season than the warm season, whereas the number of mid-latitude cyclones has no annual cycle. The low-level temperature gradient has the strongest impact of all considered precursors on the intensity of windstorms in terms of both the minimum pressure and maximum gust.
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Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-2021-314, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-2021-314, 2021
Revised manuscript not accepted
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Using sea level and precipitation observations, we analysed the meteorological characteristics of days when heavy precipitation and high sea level occur simultaneously in Finland. We found that around 5 % of all heavy precipitation and high sea level events on the Finnish coast are so called compound events when they both occur simultaneously, and these events were associated with close passages of mid-latitude cyclones. Our results act as a basis for compound flooding research in Finland.
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Short summary
Strong winds coinciding with heavy snowfall can damage infrastructure, disrupt daily life and threaten safety. We examined how often these events occur in Finland and how long-lasting and severe they are, using reanalysis data. Such events were most common in coastal and eastern areas and usually short, while long and intense cases were rare. These events can challenge energy supply and essential services, highlighting the need to consider combined weather hazards in societal risk planning.
Strong winds coinciding with heavy snowfall can damage infrastructure, disrupt daily life and...
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