Check the wind in good time!

Mean wind is the 10-minute average of wind speed. A gust is an instantaneous wind of 5–10 seconds, which according to the Finnish Meteorological Institute is usually about 1.5 times and at most about 2 times the mean wind. On land, wind warnings are based on gusts, at sea on the mean wind.

In land areas in the winter season 1.11.–30.4., a yellow warning is issued for gusts of 20 m/s, orange for 25 m/s and red for 30 m/s. In the summer season 1.5.–31.10. the limits are 15, 20 and 25 m/s. At sea, a gale warning is issued for a mean wind of 14–20 m/s, a storm warning for 21–32 m/s and a hurricane warning for at least 33 m/s.

The law sets no single m/s limit. According to Traficom, the manufacturer has stated a maximum recommended wind speed for every commercial drone, and it must be followed. Note that wind is usually stronger at altitude, a payload can reduce the drone's wind tolerance, and when returning against the wind the ground speed drops and the battery drains faster.

The Finnish Meteorological Institute's Download observations service lets you download weather observations into a spreadsheet without programming, and the open data interface provides machine-readable data. The open data is under the CC BY 4.0 licence, meaning it may also be used commercially when the Finnish Meteorological Institute is credited as the source. The Finnish Meteorological Institute's observation station network includes about 400 stations of different types; the station list is available at ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/havaintoasemat.

The wind limit marked on the machine by the manufacturer decides. Under the EN 280 standard, the limit for a mobile elevating work platform designed for outdoor use is typically 12,5 m/s, and the limit for a platform intended only for indoor use is 0 m/s. At a height of 20 metres the wind can be up to 50 % stronger than on the ground, so also check the wind at working height. Large boards and fabrics in the basket act as a sail.

There is no common figure: the limit is crane-specific and can be found in the manufacturer's operating instructions and load diagram. According to the Centre for Occupational Safety's guide Nosta turvallisesti (2024), wind and rain are taken into account when planning a lift, and the limit values are checked from the crane's instructions. A large, light load may restrict lifting in wind that is well below the crane's limit.

Temporary tents over 50 m² are subject to standard SFS-EN 13782:2015, which covers the design, erection and maintenance of tents. The maximum permitted wind for a tent comes from the manufacturer's or structural plan's documents. Record the limit in the event's safety plan and decide in advance who monitors the wind and at what wind speed the tent is evacuated.

In 2025 wind power produced 22.1 TWh, or 26.1% of Finland's electricity generation (Finnish Energy). Capacity on 30.6.2026 totalled 9,535 MW with 2,013 turbines (Suomen Uusiutuvat). According to Fingrid, the highest wind power output in winter 2025–2026 was 6,998 MW as a quarter-hour average.

A rescue plan for a public event must be drawn up when at least 200 people are expected to be present at the same time, when open flames, fireworks or other pyrotechnic products or special effects are used, when the evacuation arrangements differ from the usual, or when the nature of the event causes particular personal safety risks (Government Decree 407/2011, section 3). The plan is submitted for information to the rescue authority of your own area at least 14 days before the start of the event (Rescue Act 379/2011, section 16). A plan submitted later is acceptable only if the rescue authority accepts it for a special reason.

According to section 16 of the Rescue Act, the plan must include an account and assessment of the hazards and risks of the event, and the safety arrangements and instructions defined on that basis. The Act does not name wind separately, so weather risks belong in the plan when they are real hazards of the event, such as at an outdoor event with tents, stages or inflatable equipment. According to the rescue services' guide, the plan also records the name and contact details of the person responsible for the event's safety.

According to the rescue sector's guidance, when loose weights are used, each corner must have at least: for a 2 × 2 m tent 15 kg, for a 4 × 4 m tent 62 kg, for a 5 × 5 m tent 96 kg and for a 6 × 6 m tent 139 kg per leg. The weights apply to tarpaulin-roofed tents in wind of up to 15 m/s. The tent is fastened to ground anchors or weights with lines whose tensile strength is at least 1 000 kg. If the manufacturer has given other instructions, they are followed. According to Tukes, counterweights do not necessarily prevent the tent from sliding sideways, so sideways movement is prevented with stakes or additional weights.

There is no single general figure. The limit comes from the structure manufacturer's or structural designer's documents, and the rescue authority requires that the wind and weight limits of stage structures are known and observed. For large or exceptional structures an erection certificate is drawn up. Grandstands are built in accordance with the Ministry of the Environment's usage safety decree 1007/2017. Tents over 50 m² have their own standard, SFS-EN 13782:2015, and aluminium and steel trusses (trusses) SFS-EN 17115:2018.

According to Tukes, use of a bouncy castle is always interrupted when the wind limit is exceeded, and weather conditions are monitored throughout use. The limit comes from the equipment manufacturer's instructions; in Finland there is no single m/s figure set by the authorities. The castle must have at least six anchor points, each of which must withstand a force of 160 kg, and the supervisor must be able to intervene, for example in strong gusts of wind. The equipment is covered by standard SFS-EN 14960-1:2019. Serious accidents and near misses are reported to Tukes.

There is no single statutory limit. The starting point is the boat's design category: a category D boat is designed for winds of up to Beaufort 4 (about 5.5–7.9 m/s) and a significant wave height of 0.3 metres, and a category C boat for winds of up to Beaufort 6 (up to 13.8 m/s) and waves of 2 metres (Recreational Craft Directive 2013/53/EU). In the summer season, 1 May–31 Oct, the Finnish Meteorological Institute issues a notice to boaters for sea areas already at a mean wind of 11–13 m/s.

The law sets no m/s limit, but according to Tapio's occupational safety guide (2024), tree felling should be avoided in strong and especially gusty wind, because controlled felling becomes harder. When the Finnish Meteorological Institute has issued a gust warning, work at hazardous sites, such as trees at the edge of an open area, is best postponed. The safety distance in felling is two tree lengths.

No. A yellow wind warning for land areas is issued only for gusts of 20 m/s in the winter season 1.11.–30.4. and 15 m/s in the summer season, whereas the wind limit of a personnel lift intended for outdoor use is typically 12.5 m/s. In addition, the wind is stronger at working height than on the ground. Therefore always compare the forecast gusts with the machine's own wind limit and measure the wind on site.