The Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) forecasts that temperatures will start rising as early as Thursday in western parts of the country.

"The temperature will not rise above zero, but the weather will be milder than -10C ," says FMI Meteorologist Ville Siiskonen.

On Friday, temperatures will remain between -5C and -10C in the west. In Lapland, Friday's forecast is for -10C to -15C.

On Saturday, a warm front is expected to move into the country, possibly bringing freezing drizzle and rain, but with temperatures remaining below zero.

Next week will see a shift to milder weather, with temperatures edging up above freezing in most of the country, all the way up into southern Lapland.