Finland Weather, climate and geography

The climate of Finland varies greatly depending on the latitude; the relatively temperate climate of the south coast is quite different from the challenging winters in Lapland. Summer is Jun-Aug, winter is Nov-Mar, but snow in Lapland can start around October and linger until May.

July temperatures average 21°C (70°F) in the capital Helsinki and 20°C (68°F) in Rovaniemi. 86. In the far south there is no midnight sun, but around 19 hours of daylight in the summer. In Lapland you can expect midnight sun for up to 2 months.

January temperatures average -7°C (20°F) in Helsinki and -15°C (5°F) in Rovaniemi. Keep in mind that the record low temperatures range from -35°C to -45°C (-31°F to -40°F) regardless of region, and recent years have seen particularly cold winters. Around midwinter the sun will not rise in Lapland, perfect for spotting the northern lights. Further south there will be about 6 hours of daylight during the winter months.

Rainfall is distributed fairly evenly throughout the year in the south, with an average of around 18 days of rainfall in Helsinki per month. The north may be drier, but also particularly plagued by gnats and mosquitoes.