Skip to main content

 Climates to travel
 World climate guide
 
 
 Home
 Africa
 N.America
 S.America
 Antarctica
 Asia
 Caribbean
 Europe
 M.East
 Oceania
 All the countries
 Home
 Africa
 N.America
 S.America
 Antarctica
 Asia
 Caribbean
 Europe
 M.East
 Oceania
 All the countries

Climate - Finland


Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine

Flag - Finland

Map - Finland

You are here: Home --> Europe --> Finland



Index


  • Introduction
  • Lapland - Rovaniemi
  • Center-south - Oulu, Helsinki

Introduction



The climate of Finland, a Northern European country, is of the continental type, cold and with a long winter in the north and the interior, and relatively milder (ie of Baltic type) along the western and southern coasts.
However, even in the south there are a few months with sub-freezing temperatures and normally snow-covered ground. Summer is generally mild and moderately rainy.
Compared to the Scandinavian countries, Finland has a colder climate because of the proximity to Russia.

Across the country, precipitation is not very abundant, and it ranges from 400 millimeters (15.5 inches) per year in the extreme north-east, to 650 mm (25.5 in) in the east and south, to 700 mm (27.5 in) in the south-western tip (see Turku); however, it is quite frequent and well distributed throughout the year.
The rainiest periods are summer and autumn. In the center-south, August is generally a bit rainier than July. The least rainy (and snowy) period is the one that runs from February to April. In winter, light snow often falls, which may not even be counted in the statistics (if it does not reach a minimum amount of equivalent rain).

Finland is not a very sunny country. In winter the sun is rarely seen, also because the days are very short, while in summer it shines for a good number of hours, also because the days are very long. On average, there are around 1,550 hours of sunshine per year in Lapland, 1,800 in the south, and up to 1,900 on the west coast, where there are around 10 hours of sunshine per day in June and July.

Finland is largely a flat country. However, in the north, there are hills, and in the extreme north-west, on the border with Norway, even a mountain, Halti, 1,324 meters (4,344 feet) high.

Rovaniemi

Winter is long and very cold in much of Finland. It lasts more than four months even in Helsinki, which lies in the far south. Here, the temperature remains almost constantly around or below freezing (0 °C or 32 °F) from mid-November to late March.
As you head north and east, winter gets even colder and longer. The numerous lakes that are located in Finland are frozen, and even the sea can sometimes freeze (more often in the Gulf of Bothnia, but sometimes, even in the port of Helsinki and in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland), and it is necessary to resort to icebreakers to allow maritime traffic to continue.
The average temperature in January and February is around -13 °C (8.5 °F) in the north, in Lapland, around -8.5 °C (16.5 °F) in Kuopio, in the central inland areas, around -4.5 °C (24 °F) in Helsinki, on the south coast, while it is only around -1.5 °C (29.5 °F) in the mildest areas of the southwest (see the Åland islands).
Anyway, during winter, weather conditions can vary a lot: when Finland is affected by cold air masses from neighbouring Russia, the temperature drops below -20 °C (-4 °F), on the contrary, when it is reached by mild winds from the Atlantic Ocean, the temperature remains around the freezing point. On colder periods, the temperature can fall to as low as -50 °C (-58 °F) in the far north (Lapland). In January 1987, the temperature reached -36 °C (-33 °F) even in the "southern" city of Helsinki.
The thaw usually occurs in late March in the south and during the month of April in the center-north. In autumn, snow normally begins to fall in October in Lapland, and in November in the south.

Summer in Finland is mild or pleasantly warm, although it can sometimes get cold at night. The rains are quite frequent. Average temperatures range from 14/15 °C (57/59 °F) in the north to 18 °C (64.5 °F) in the south and in Helsinki.
However, there can sometimes be short, hot periods. The highest records are around 31/32 °C (88/90 °F) in Lapland and 33/34 °C (91/93 °F) in the center-south.

Lapland



In Lapland, the northernmost part of Finland, the climate is cold for most of the year, with a short and intense summer. Here, the winter (which in Nordic countries is the season when the temperature remains below freezing) lasts seven months, from October to April. The days are very short from November to January, and in December, you almost never see the sun, also because of the cloud cover.
Summer is mild, with some warm days, while at night, it can get cold. July is the warmest month. In summer, the days are very long: in June and July, there's the midnight sun, while in August, even though the days begin to shorten, it never gets completely dark. The temperature steadily exceeds freezing only in the three summer months, from June to August. In this season, the vegetation grows rapidly, to take advantage of the short period of mild temperatures, while mosquitoes literally invade the landscape.

Rovaniemi

Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland, is practically located at the polar circle, in the southern part of the region. The coldest record is -47.5 °C (-53.5 °F) and was set in January 1999. During summer, occasionally there are periods when the temperature can reach 28/30 °C (82/86 °F), but in other periods, it can drop below 5 °C (41 °F) at night. Here are the average temperatures.
Rovaniemi - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January-17-7-12.211910
February-17-7-12.111910.2
March-13-1-793019.4
April-65-0.4224031.2
May1126.4345343.4
June71712.1456353.8
July102115.4506959.7
August81812.8466455.1
September4127.7395345.8
October-240.7283933.3
November-8-2-4.9182923.2
December-13-5-9.282315.4
Year-3.85.50.8525.241.833.5

In Rovaniemi, precipitation amounts to 555 mm (21.5 in) per year. The wettest season is summer.
Rovaniemi - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January401.610
February301.29
March301.28
April301.28
May451.89
June602.410
July75310
August602.49
September552.29
October451.810
November451.812
December401.611
Year55521.9113

The sun in Rovaniemi does not set at all from around June 7 to July 6. On the contrary, in winter, there is no period when the sun never rises (around December 22, the sun is slightly above the horizon for about 2 hours and a quarter). However, given the briefness of the days and the frequency of cloud cover, in winter the sun is almost never seen, while in June and July, it shines roughly 37% of the time. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.
Rovaniemi - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January0.515
February255
March4.5130
April7205
May7.5235
June9270
July8.5260
August6180
September3.5110
October260
November0.520
December05
Year4.21550

Center-south



In the center-south, winter is less cold than in Lapland; however, it remains freezing, with averages well below 0 °C (32 °F). The Gulf of Bothnia, especially in the northern part, is not able to temper the climate by much because in winter it is often frozen. Summer is mild or pleasantly warm, and a little warmer than in the north, especially at night.

Oulu

In Oulu, on the coast of the northern part of the Gulf of Bothnia, 170 km (105 mi) south of Rovaniemi, the average February temperature is -8.7 °C (16.3 °F). Here, the temperature dropped to -37.5 °C (-35.5 °F) in January 1987. Here are the average temperatures.
Oulu - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January-12-5-8.4102316.8
February-12-5-8.7102316.4
March-90-4.4173224.1
April-361.7274335.1
May3138385546.5
June91813.4486456.2
July122116.7547062.1
August101914.6506658.3
September6139.5425649.1
October063.1334237.6
November-40-1.9243328.6
December-9-3-5.7162721.7
Year-0.67.13.2530.944.838

In Oulu, 520 mm (20.5 in) of rain or snow fall per year. As usual, precipitation is well distributed throughout the year, at least as regards to the frequency, while July and August are the months when the rains are more abundant. Here is the average precipitation.
Oulu - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January301.29
February301.28
March2517
April2516
May401.68
June5028
July75310
August652.610
September451.88
October50210
November401.610
December401.69
Year52020.5104

In Oulu, the sea temperature from January to April is near the freezing point (remember that the sea freezes at about -2 °C or 28.5 °F). In summer, the sea remains cold.
Oulu - Sea temperature
MonthCelsius (°C)Fahrenheit (°F)
January133
February031
March-131
April032
May236
June744
July1254
August1456
September1253
October847
November541
December337
Year5.241.3

Further south, in Kuopio (in the interior), the climate is similar to that of Oulu, while in Vaasa (on the coast), it is slightly milder.
Further south, in Tampere, located in the inland southern area, the average temperature ranges from -6 °C (21 °F) in February to 17 °C (62.5 °F) in July.

Helsinki

The capital, Helsinki, is located in the southernmost part of the country. However, the temperature remains around or below freezing for a few months every year. Here are the average temperatures.
Helsinki - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January-6-1-3.8213025.2
February-7-2-4.3192924.3
March-42-1243630.2
April094.5334740.1
May61510.4425950.6
June101914.9516758.8
July142218577264.4
August122116.7547062
September81612476053.5
October396.2384843.2
November041.8313935.3
December-41-1.3253429.6
Year2.89.76.23749.443

In Helsinki, precipitation amounts to 675 mm (26.5 in) per year. Here is the average precipitation.
Helsinki - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January602.412
February451.89
March351.48
April351.47
May351.47
June602.49
July552.27
August803.110
September552.29
October75310
November75312
December652.612
Year67526.6111

The sun in Helsinki is rarely seen from November to January, while from May to August, it shines about half the time (compared to the length of the day).
Helsinki - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January140
February2.575
March4130
April6.5195
May9275
June9265
July9.5290
August7220
September5145
October2.585
November135
December125
Year4.91780

The sea in Helsinki is a little less cold than in the Gulf of Bothnia, but as mentioned, it can sometimes freeze here as well. In summer, the sea remains cold; however, it reaches 17 °C (63 °F) in August.
Helsinki - Sea temperature
MonthCelsius (°C)Fahrenheit (°F)
January236
February134
March134
April236
May541
June948
July1559
August1763
September1457
October1050
November745
December337
Year7.245

Helsinki

In Turku, on the coast exposed to the south-west, the climate is similar to that of Helsinki.

Back to top

When to go and what to pack in Finland

© Copyright Climatestotravel.com. 

Back to Europe

All the countries


Share this page:
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Whatsapp Email

 See also (cities or regions):

 Aland
 Hanko
 Helsinki
 Ivalo
 Joensuu
 Kajaani
 Kemi
 Kilpisjärvi
 Kuopio
 Others (expand)
 Kuusamo
 Lahti
 Muonio
 Nuorgam
 Oulu
 Pello
 Rovaniemi
 Sodankylä
 Tampere
 Tornio
 Turku
 Vaasa

 Nearby countries:

 Estonia
 European Russia
 Norway
 Sweden

 Continents:
 Africa
 North America
 South America
 Antarctica
 Asia
 Caribbean
 Europe
 Middle East
 Oceania

 Search in the website:


Home About Contact Us Link Policy
Home
About
Contact Us
Link
Policy