Strong winds and dropping temperatures signal early snowfall in Scandinavia

Strong winds are expected in the coming days, with temperatures dropping towards the 4-degree mark. Typically, this is the threshold that signals the snow-capped mountains within about two days.

Having snow-covered peaks in early September is unusual; it typically requires waiting until October. Last year, the mountains were blanketed in snow on September 12, marking the earliest occurrence in 24 years, since 2000.

The national road authority tracks the first and last days of icy conditions when vehicles have been out salting or clearing snow. Since 2000, the average first day of ice has been October 9, with the last occurring on April 25. While calculating averages based on calendar dates is interesting, these figures only tell part of the story.

In the last 24 years, the earliest recorded icy day was September 13 last year. Conversely, the latest onset of icy conditions occurred in 2001 on November 4—nearly a two-month difference.

The last icy day varies significantly. For instance, in 2011, the last icy day was March 29, while in 2013 it was as late as May 23, highlighting a nearly two-month variation as well.

Since the turn of the century, winters have not been as long when counting the days that the road authority has salted or cleared snow. The winter of 2010–2011 saw salting and snow clearance between October 18 and April 29, totaling 157 days, making it the shortest winter recorded. In contrast, the longest was the previous winter, 2009–2010, with snow management from September 22 to May 12, lasting 227 days.

The latest recorded snow clearance day was May 23, 2013, marking the latest date for snow removal activities since 2000.