Northern Finland’s river ice disappearing at record speed – Rovaniemi set for new early melt record

The ice on the Kemijoki River in Rovaniemi is breaking up at an unprecedented early date, potentially setting a new record in the over 60-year history of the city’s annual ice-out betting contest, Yle reports.

According to Lions Club Rovaniemi, which has organised the contest since 1959, the ice marker placed on the river began moving toward the Jätkänkynttilä Bridge early on Wednesday—earlier than ever before in the contest’s recorded history. If the ice clears fully on April 10, it will mark the earliest departure on record.

“This is a record if it happens today,” said Jari Kuosmanen, the club’s ice-out contest coordinator. He noted that while the contest has run continuously since 1961 (with a one-year pause in 1960 due to dam construction), club records confirm no prior melt this early. “People here are watching closely—no one expected the ice to go this soon.”

The rapid thaw aligns with observations from Lapland’s Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY), which reports an exceptionally early spring across the region. Hydrology expert Niina Karjalainen said ice on the Simojoki River has also begun moving unusually early, though flood risks remain low as water levels are already receding.

Meanwhile, on the Torne River near the Swedish border, the local Lions Club Tornio-Pudas—running its own ice-out contest since the late 1980s—reports no movement yet. President Markku Leinonen said their marker remains in place, with bets still open until April 21. If the ice clears before then, winners will be drawn by lottery.

Lions Club Rovaniemi’s contest, the longest continuously held ice-out bet in Finland, determines the winner based on the exact time the marker passes the Jätkänkynttilä Bridge. The tradition began in 1959, with records kept meticulously since 1961.