Jari storm expected to cause significant traffic accidents and power outages across Finland

The Jari storm, currently sweeping through the region, is expected to lead to hundreds of traffic accidents and damage control efforts between Wednesday and Thursday. Widespread power outages may also occur during the night and into Thursday.

Meteorologists have predicted that the storm could result in significant disruptions, particularly in Uusimaa, where heavy traffic could potentially lead to over a hundred traffic incidents. Following Uusimaa, the regions most likely to see accidents are Pirkanmaa and parts of southwestern Finland.

The areas forecasted to experience the highest levels of damage control include Central Finland, Pirkanmaa, and North Savonia, where activities will likely involve clearing fallen trees and similar tasks. This new damage prediction tool provides detailed insights not only on wind speeds but also on the likely impacts of gusts.

Wind speeds are climbing steadily across southern and central regions of the country, with gusts reaching up to 20 meters per second expected in southern areas during late afternoon and evening hours. Central Finland could see gusts as high as 25 meters per second overnight.

On a national scale, the Jari storm is anticipated to inflict more damage compared to the Lyly storm earlier this month because it covers a broader area. While local effects from Jari may appear less severe than those from Lyly in the hardest-hit locations, the overall impact is projected to be considerable.

Such winter storms occur in Finland every few years, and with Lyly preceding Jari, this autumn has been notably eventful. The strongest winds are projected for Thursday night, gradually moving northward as the day progresses.