Road weather conditions for drivers

In the winter season, the road weather service describes driving conditions over the next 24 hours for each province. Road weather conditions are given for the main road network. The conditions on smaller roads and city streets may be quite different. Early warnings on very bad road conditions are also issued as much as three days in advance.

Traffic weather warnings are drawn up from early October to late April. If necessary, road weather warnings can also be issued during summer, as in fact has been done in most years.

Road weather data are updated, depending on the weather, at least four times a day: at 5:00, 9:30, 12:00, 15:00 and 18:30.

Road weather conditions are divided into three categories:

  1. normal
  2. bad
  3. very bad (winter) conditions.

Very bad conditions mean, for instance, that freezing rain is expected to make roads slippery before there is time to prevent this, or that there will be such heavy snowfall that roads cannot be cleared quickly enough. Since the risk of accidents in very bad conditions is great, one should consider carefully whether to drive at all.

In bad conditions, the probability of accidents is greater than normally and driving speeds should be reduced. Typical problems include snowfall or slippery road surfaces.

Even normal winter conditions do not mean the same as normal summer conditions. During normal winter conditions, drivers may still encounter worse road conditions locally or off the main roads.

 

Photo: Eija Vallinheimo

Photo: Eija Vallinheimo

 

Factors increasing accidents:

  • Low pressure passing by or over Southern Finland accompanied by heavy snowfall.
  • There is light snowfall and the temperature is well below the freezing point. If the temperature is about -7° C or colder, roads cannot be salted. Even light snowfall makes roads slippery then, and whirling snow impairs visibility.
  • Public holidays, even if the weather is not particularly bad.

Check the road weather in winter. See main roads (Finnish Transport Agency) and read more about the road weather model and early warnings.