Finnish Weather

Finnish Weather: Finland is a land of climatic extremes.

Winter and Summer in Finland are poles apart. In 2010, for example, the highest temperature was 37.2ºC (99ºF), and the lowest temperature was -41.3ºC (-42ºF). Despite these extremes in Finnish Weather, summer temperatures are usually even, often reaching the mid thirties in August, and the lengthy hours of daylight mean that the beautiful Finnish lakes are perfect for swimming in from the end of June onward.

Finland is 1,157 kms in length and this means that the weather in the north of the country can be very different from that in the south. Southern Finland has the traditional seasons of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. But above the Arctic Circle there are 8 distinct seasons, each with its own distinct combination of daylight, temperature, and natural phenomena. These seasons are known as Christmas, Frosty Winter, Crusted Snow, Ice Breaking, Midnight Sun, Colourful Autumn, and First Snowfall.

Finnish Weather: Summer

Finland is famous for being the land of the Midnight Sun and Summer is reliably hot and usually fairly dry, although by August things can already begin to get chilly. In Lapland a single summer day can last over two months – in Utsjoki, which is at latitude 69°52′, the sun never sets between May 16th and July 27th. In Rovaniemi, a little further south at a latitude of 66°30′, the sun never sets between June 6th and July 7th. Even in the south at midsummer the sun still shines at 10pm and is likely to be already up when night-clubbers are leaving the clubs in the early hours of the morning. Night itself is perhaps a misnomer, instead of darkness there’s a lengthy period of dusk which fades to twilight.

The warm days with their long hours of daylight, lasting well into the evenings are ideal for swimming in the freshwater lakes, enjoying the beaches and having late night barbeques by the lake. Cabin holidays in summer are hugely popular in Finland and many Finns escape to the country whenever they can over summer to relax with their families by the shore of a cool blue lake. Its a popular vacation time in Finland and if you want to visit in summer, you’re strongly advised to book early!

Finnish Weather: Autumn

Autumn begins around the last week of August in northern Finland and about one month later in southwestern Finland. In the Autumn months of September to November, Finland’s forest landscape turns into a spectacular sea of red and gold (similar to the “Fall” season in New England, Quebec and Ontario) known as “ruska”. Autumn is the season of rain and temperatures start dropping – and may dip below the zero during the night. During the day, temperatures will range from +5C to +15C. The moderate temperatures (the daily is below 10°C) makes autumn ideal for outdoor activities such as cycling or hiking along the many woodland trails. Finns will venture out into the countryside and forests to gather wild blueberries, raspberries, lingonberries, cloudberries and mushrooms, all of which are popular parts of the Finnish diet. Days again start getting shorter and nights darker. The growing season ends in autumn as the mean daily temperature drops below 5°C (around the last week of September in northern Finland and in late October or early November in southwestern Finland).

Finnish Weather: Winter

Conversely, the Winters are cold and dark, but the cold is a dry cold. In most parts of the country the first snow falls sometime in October and stays up until the end of March. Further north, in Lapland, September can see snow already falling although winter in the far North usually begins in mid-October – and the snow often stays until late May. In the southwestern archipelago it doesn’t begin until December.

Winter is the longest season in Finland, lasting for about 200 days in Lapland and about 100 days in southwestern Finland. In Utsjoki the Polar Night lasts from November 25th to January 17th, and even in Rovaniemi there is barely more than two hours of sunlight for the entire month of January. Snow falls and stays on the ground from about two weeks after winter begins, and is deepest around mid-March, with an average of 60 to 90cm in eastern and northern Finland, and 20 to 30cm in southwestern Finland.

Its a pleasant time to visit Finland as Finnish hotels, houses and cottages are warm and well-insulated, more often than not with triple-glazing. And of course, you can always warn up in the ubiquitous Sauna! You’ll never be far from one in Finland. Outside, the air in winter tends to be dry and crisp, which means it doesn’t feel as cold as you might imagine. You’ll still need to dress warmly when you go outside though!

Finnish Weather: Spring

The months of April and May are Spring in Finland, bringing more daylight and warmer temperatures after the long hours of the winter night. Days quickly get longer and the snow starts melting in the South, Western Lakes and Lakeland regions by mid-April, while in the north, snow starts melting in May. The rule of thumb is that spring arrives later the further North you go. Temperatures across Finland (apart from Lapland) start to rise to a heated zero degrees by the end of April, bringing flowers and leaves on the trees in May. Spring in Finland is also a great time to enjoy walking through Finland’s pristine forests and farmland as they awaken from their winter slumber. This is a popular time of the year for Hiking particularly as the air is fresh, temperatures are moderate and mosquitoes are not yet swarming.

Finland: When to go?

For tourists, the most popular time to visit southern Finland and the Lakeland region is from early June to late August. Through the summer months all attractions and summer accommodation options are open for business, steamboats, ferries and cruises travel the lakes, rivers and the seas of the southern archipelago and festivals of all types are in full swing. The Finnish summer holidays are when things are busiest. These are typically from the summer high season in late June until the end of July. This is the time of long, light nights, when Finland doesn’t seem to sleep and most Finns take their summer vacations.

The tourist season in northern Finland is different. Mosquitoes can be unbearable in July, but September with its ruska (autumn/fall) colors is a beautiful time to visit. Spring (April / May) and early Autumn (September/October) are great times to visit Finland and go hiking or otherwise enjoy the Finnish outdoors.

October and February/March are also good times to visit Lapland – this is when you can view the Northern Lights (aurora borealis) and also enjoy winter activities such as skiing and dog-sledding. The Christmas holiday period is also a popular time to visit Lapland (Lapland IS after all, the ‘official’ home of Santa Claus. Helsinki is a popular destination at all times of the year – just make sure you’re dressed for the cold if you go there in Winter.

The extremes of Finnish Weather, particularly in winter, can be a little challenging for those from more moderate climates – but the main thing is just to be aware of the seasonal variations and be prepared for what it’s going to be like when you’re there.

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