How cold is winter in Finland?
Winter is the longest season in Finland, so winter weather in Finland can be snowy and cold.
But how cold exactly? Let’s find out!
How Long is the Cold Season in Finland
Officially winter season begins in Finland when the mean temperature is below 0 °C. By this definiton winter lasts about 3 months in Southern Finland and 7 months in Northern Finland (Lapland).
How Cold is Winter in Finland
Winter temperatures in Finland are usually very tolerable. But every winter there are also those freezing days. On the coldest days the temperature can drop to -30 °C in Finland. In Lapland and in Eastern Finland temperature can drop as low as -45 °C .
What is the Coldest Month in Finland
Usually the coldest days are experienced in February. The average temperature in Finland in February is -8.5 °C.
What was the Coldest Month ever Recorded in Finland?
January 1985 was really freezing in Kuusamo, Lapland. That month the average temperature was just -29.7 °C.
What is the Coldest Temperature ever Recorded in Helsinki?
Winter’s in Helsinki are usually quite mild. But there are also many winters when temperatures have dropped below -30 °C. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Helsinki is -35.9 °C. This was recorded on Janyary 10th 1987.
What is the Coldest Temperature ever Recorded in Finland?
On January 28th, 1999, temperature dropped to -51.5 °C in Kittilä, Lapland. This is the coldest temperature ever recorded in Finland.
Weather can be Freezing for Days
Sometimes weather can be freezing for days in a row. The longest cold period ever recorded in Finland was in Sodankylä in February 1985 when temperatures were below -25 °C for 26 consecutive days.
Winter Days aren’t Always Freezing
Weather isn’t always freezing even during winter. Sometimes temperature might rise well above 0 °C in winter. Especially in Southern Finland this is quite common.
February, which is usually the coldest month, was surprisingly warm in Helsinki in 1943. On February 28th 1943 the temperature rose to 11.8 °C. This is the warmest temperature ever recorded in February in Finland.
Usually it Snows, but sometimes it Rains
Although it usually snows during winter, it sometimes rains. Every winter there are 2-5 days/month when it rains in Southern Finland. In Northern Finland this is quite rare. It only happens just once a month on average.
When Cold Season Ends in Finland?
Spring begins when mean temperature is above 0 °C. In Southern Finland spring usually arrives in April. In Northern Finland spring usually arrives about a month later.
Sources:
Finnish Meteorological Institute
