Outbound routes from the metropolitan area were badly congested at 5 pm, with traffic on Ring Road I backed up from the Tuusulanväylä interchange to the Lahdenväylä motorway. The snarl is a familiar sight every Midsummer in Helsinki, as city dwellers exit urban areas in droves.
Roads to the Finnish archipelago in the southwest corner of the country are also at a standstill, especially road number 180 from Parainen and Nauvo. Cars are waiting in line for a spot on the ferry that transports people to the islands, and the expected waiting times is one to two hours.
Traffic conditions are expected to return to normal in most areas at around 7 pm.
Traffic volumes over the Midsummer weekend are often fifty percent greater than that of other summer weekends.
Midsummer has started out peacefully with regards to maritime traffic. In a sign of the times, the Finnish Coast Guard is actively reporting on the situation at sea on social media like Facebook and Twitter, in addition to the traditional channels.