Helsinki Snow Depth Still Abnormally High

Apr 4, 2011; 12:22 PM ET

MANY YEARS HAVE NO SNOW COVER BY APRIL 1

The AccuWeather.com historical data for Helsinki, Finland, begins with the year 1994. Thus, this is the 18th April 1 that we have data to cover. Of these, eight years had April start without measurable snow cover. A further three of these years had measurable snow cover on April 1, but not on April 2–it had melted.

The highest April 1 snow depth for any previous year (since 1994) was registered last year, when it was 14 inches (36 cm). Right behind, April 1, 1996, had 13 inches (34 cm).

This year, snow depth on the first of the month was far beyond what was observed heretofore, at least since 1994. On that day, the snow depth was 28 inches, or 71 cm. Essentially, it was twice that of April 1, 2010.

Sampling of snow depths, in inches, for Finland, Russia, as of April 4, 2011.

The greatest snow depth this winter was reached in February: it was 32 inches (81 cm) on the 8th and 9th. Snow depth then held between 28 and 30 inches (71 and 76 cm) through the whole month of March.

Incidentally, the site of observation is actually Vantaa, Helsinki’s main airport. Its location is about 10 miles (16 km) away from the dockside of Helsinki, on the Gulf of Finland.

Unfortunately, I do not have seasonal snowfall averages for Helsinki. My inclination is that normal seasonal snowfall would range between 40 and 60 inches (1 to 1.5 meters) across the area. This year, our tally (maybe not complete) shows 77 inches (204 cm).

The winter itself was unusually cold. Average temperature for December through February was 7.7 degrees F (4.3 degrees C) below normal.