Weather Favours Kemi Snow Castle Project

The Snow Castle, an annual winter attraction in the northern city of Kemi, is being built on schedule this year, thanks to favourable weather conditions. In some years, mild temperatures have been a challenge to the project.

Very cold weather is also challenging, as temperatures below -20 degrees Celsius can be problematic for the equipment used in the construction of the structure, which is built mainly of snow and ice. However, Jouni Heikkilä, CEO of IP-Heikkilä, which is responsible for the construction, says that cold temperatures are nevertheless always better than rain.
“The snow cladding is neat and better looking. Dampness causes discolouration, among other problems,” Heikkilä says.
IP-Heikkilä, which has been involved in the project seven times, expects the construction to be completed in about half of the normal time. In addition to the good conditions this winter, the company can benefit from experiences of previous years.
The Snow Castle is scheduled to open at the end of January. It is the 15th time that the project has taken place.