This evening December 10th Helsinki Airport has closed due to weather conditions. Typically Helsinki is generally good at handling winter conditions. The majority of Finnair’s late evening arrivals diverted to TLL and ARN.
https://www.finavia.fi/en/newsroom/2021 ... -few-hours
Moderators: richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
Re: HEL Airport closes due to Snow/Ice
Isn't ice and snow a daily occurrence in Finland?
Re: HEL Airport closes due to Snow/Ice
Freezing rain. It has been around -1 Celcius the whole evening while also raining. I took a walk 30 minutes ago and every single surface lateral and vertical is covered in ice. The conditions are just the right for the most treacherous ice build up.
Re: HEL Airport closes due to Snow/Ice
TWA772LR wrote:Isn't ice and snow a daily occurrence in Finland?
It is in northern Finland and Lapland. Helsinki is in the south and has a comparatively temperate climate, not unlike Scottish central belt cities of similar latitude like Glasgow or Edinburgh.
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- MareBorealis
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Re: HEL Airport closes due to Snow/Ice
JannEejit wrote:TWA772LR wrote:Isn't ice and snow a daily occurrence in Finland?
It is in northern Finland and Lapland. Helsinki is in the south and has a comparatively temperate climate, not unlike Scottish central belt cities of similar latitude like Glasgow or Edinburgh.
Heavy snowfalls and very low temperatures are not unknown in Helsinki and usually HEL deals them just fine. Freezing rain in this scale is something else, much harder to fight, luckily it's a rather rare weather condition in Helsinki.
Re: HEL Airport closes due to Snow/Ice
JannEejit wrote:TWA772LR wrote:Isn't ice and snow a daily occurrence in Finland?
It is in northern Finland and Lapland. Helsinki is in the south and has a comparatively temperate climate, not unlike Scottish central belt cities of similar latitude like Glasgow or Edinburgh.
Well i live in TLL, we had 10 days between - 10 and - 20 Celsius , with some area up to - 30 in Estonia. The problem is the upper layer of air is warm now on the plus side so it is raining. On the ground the cold air will last longer also thanks to snow so the rain freezes. Iot can be impossible to drive or even walk outside. In a if the temperature raises everything will be ok.
Re: HEL Airport closes due to Snow/Ice
For comparison, greetings from Anchorage (PANC).
While PANC airport can indeed handle just about anything that winter throws at them, the one exception is... FREEZING RAIN.
Most airlines' deice charts and tables won't let them fly in freezing rain conditions, anyway.
So. HEL has my sympathies!
While PANC airport can indeed handle just about anything that winter throws at them, the one exception is... FREEZING RAIN.
Most airlines' deice charts and tables won't let them fly in freezing rain conditions, anyway.
So. HEL has my sympathies!
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- MareBorealis
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Re: HEL Airport closes due to Snow/Ice
AA737-823 wrote:For comparison, greetings from Anchorage (PANC).
While PANC airport can indeed handle just about anything that winter throws at them, the one exception is... FREEZING RAIN.
Most airlines' deice charts and tables won't let them fly in freezing rain conditions, anyway.
So. HEL has my sympathies!
Thanks Anchorage, HEL wishes happy holidays
Yeah also airlines avoid freezing rain conditions, good point!-
- Skywatcher
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Re: HEL Airport closes due to Snow/Ice
As a fellow northern person (YUL) I can feel your pain. Freezing rain is for sure, by far the worst winter event. It screws up the best of winter (skiing, skating etc.) along with travel conditions of course.
Usually freezing rain is followed by a thaw however so hang in there.
Usually freezing rain is followed by a thaw however so hang in there.
Re: HEL Airport closes due to Snow/Ice
JannEejit wrote:TWA772LR wrote:Isn't ice and snow a daily occurrence in Finland?
It is in northern Finland and Lapland. Helsinki is in the south and has a comparatively temperate climate, not unlike Scottish central belt cities of similar latitude like Glasgow or Edinburgh.
Nonsense....GLA & EDI never gets to such low temperatures as HEL can experiece. Nor anywhere near as much snow.
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- davidjohnson6
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Re: HEL Airport closes due to Snow/Ice
Helsinki is at a latitude comparable to Shetland, offshore islands well to the north of the Scottish mainland.
Copenhagen (a lot further south) is at a latitude comparable to Edinburgh or Glasgow
Copenhagen (a lot further south) is at a latitude comparable to Edinburgh or Glasgow
Re: HEL Airport closes due to Snow/Ice
Last nights AY1963 A350 to Dubai nearly veered off the runway due to slippery conditions. Had to be towed out, but was eventually able to depart 5 hours late.
Tail camera picture from onboard:
Tail camera picture from onboard:
Re: HEL Airport closes due to Snow/Ice
Well, looks like it has finally happened: HEL has frozen over... 
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- MareBorealis
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Re: HEL Airport closes due to Snow/Ice
Boten wrote:Last nights AY1963 A350 to Dubai nearly veered off the runway due to slippery conditions. Had to be towed out, but was eventually able to depart 5 hours late.
The real drama: a local paper reported there were F1 fans onboard, travelling to Abu Dhabi to witness Kimi Raikkonen's last race. They were afraid they'd miss the time trials but happy end after all.
Re: HEL Airport closes due to Snow/Ice
penguins wrote:Well, looks like it has finally happened: HEL has frozen over...
Thank you, I was really hoping I'd find this in the thread somewhere!
Re: HEL Airport closes due to Snow/Ice
penguins wrote:Well, looks like it has finally happened: HEL has frozen over...
I came here to say this!
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- AntonioMartin
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Re: HEL Airport closes due to Snow/Ice
The irony...Hel airport closed due to snow.......I guess it can snow in hel....... 
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- aemoreira1981
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Re: HEL Airport closes due to Snow/Ice
AA737-823 wrote:For comparison, greetings from Anchorage (PANC).
While PANC airport can indeed handle just about anything that winter throws at them, the one exception is... FREEZING RAIN.
Most airlines' deice charts and tables won't let them fly in freezing rain conditions, anyway.
So. HEL has my sympathies!
Freezing rain is pretty much the worst weather to fight in terms of precipitation. When was the last time HEL closed before this?
Re: HEL Airport closes due to Snow/Ice
davidjohnson6 wrote:Helsinki is at a latitude comparable to Shetland, offshore islands well to the north of the Scottish mainland.
Copenhagen (a lot further south) is at a latitude comparable to Edinburgh or Glasgow
I did say "comparatively similar" not identical. This was told to me by a local climatologist in Helsinki whilst I was working there several years ago. And who was I to doubt her ?
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- MareBorealis
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Re: HEL Airport closes due to Snow/Ice
aemoreira1981 wrote:AA737-823 wrote:For comparison, greetings from Anchorage (PANC).
While PANC airport can indeed handle just about anything that winter throws at them, the one exception is... FREEZING RAIN.
Most airlines' deice charts and tables won't let them fly in freezing rain conditions, anyway.
So. HEL has my sympathies!
Freezing rain is pretty much the worst weather to fight in terms of precipitation. When was the last time HEL closed before this?
The last time was 2003, according to the local paper.
Re: HEL Airport closes due to Snow/Ice
TheZ wrote:penguins wrote:Well, looks like it has finally happened: HEL has frozen over...
Thank you, I was really hoping I'd find this in the thread somewhere!
It was mentioned twice in the first few replies.
But it looks like those posts have been removed.
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