Things you did not know about snow
There is a saying in Finnish that goes “the years are not brothers”. This means, seasons vary. Last winter snow came very late to Finnish Lapland. It was almost Christmas before the ground was covered with a layer of white powdery snow. This year winter arrived already in October and Lappish people are facing a record amount of whiteness. For sure, years are not brothers.
Perhaps you did not know but Finnish people have a special relationship with winters and snow. We already wrote earlier about snow and how it affects Finnish everyday life but let’s dig deeper. We need to dig deep indeed, as the amount of snow is almost double compared to “normal” winters.
The deepest snow coverage in whole Finland was recorded in Kilpisjärvi, Lapland during April 1997. It was 190cm. Finnish people are used to do the snow work from their yards before leaving to work, but for example this winter there is so much snow that it is almost impossible to move it aside. Central Lapland has already 120cm of snow and here are a few interesting aspects how it is changing Finnish daily life.
A thick snow coverage in the ground also means heavy weights for homes and other buildings. 1 square meter of snow equals more than 200 kilograms. This could mean tons of snow on one roof, literally! There is a serious threat for larger buildings to have structural damage if the snow is not manually dropped from the roof. Not only buildings become dangerous, but roads as well; a ploughed sidewall of snow makes the visibility poorly for drivers and many accidents are being avoided by making the sides of the road lower during the winter. And yes, this is also done manually.
Lappish animals are coping with varying winters but for some species thick snow coverage makes living hard. Reindeer can dig its way to the food, lichen and moss but if the temperatures vary, snow becomes layered with icy crusts on the way to the bottom. This means no food for the reindeer. Naturally, moving becomes harder for any short-legged species. Some animals have evolved to have special paws to make it easier to stay atop of snow, for example hares.
A snow grouse during winter
As snow becomes dangerous in certain situations, it can also make a perfect cover and mean surviving for some. Certain animals and birds change their fur for winter and become almost invisible to spot. Take a snow grouse, for example. It is brown during summers and beautifully white during winters. What’s even more, these birds dive into soft snow to make a nest for nights, especially during cold nights. A thick layer of snow becomes a great insulation to keep the cold away. Igloos, they really work!
Snow is also fun. For sure, if you come to Finnish Lapland, you need to try Finnish traditional sports, cross-country skiing. Snowshoes, downhill skiing, ice skating, all this is of course an option, as long as you dress accordingly. A rule-of-thumb is that when there is snow, it is cold. Exception to this are long and beautiful spring days, when Finnish people go out and about in their t‑shirt, even if there is snow on the ground. It is not untypical that you can still find snow from the nature during June.
All there is to say is let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! We love long winters and hopefully we can experience the best parts of it with you.