Weather, seasons and when to go
Finland reaches from the southern coast to the Arctic, so the right month depends on where you go and what you want to see. Weather, daylight, prices and packing by season.
-
When does it start snowing in Finland?
The Finnish Meteorological Institute says the first snow falls in September in northern Finland and in October in the rest of the country.
-
What is the weather like in Lapland in summer?
Lapland summers are short and light.
-
What is the weather like in Helsinki in summer?
Helsinki summers are mild and bright.
-
What is the hottest temperature ever recorded in Finland?
Finland's heat record is 37.2 °C, measured at Joensuu airport in Liperi, eastern Finland, on 29 July 2010.
-
What is the coldest temperature ever recorded in Finland?
Finland's official cold record is -51.5 °C.
-
Where and when can you see the midnight sun in Finland?
You can see the real midnight sun, when the sun stays above the horizon all night, north of the Arctic Circle in Lapland.
-
How many hours of daylight are there in Helsinki in winter?
About six hours on the shortest day.
-
What is polar night (kaamos) in Finland?
Polar night, kaamos in Finnish, is the period in the far north when the sun stays below the horizon all day.
-
Can you see the northern lights in Finland in summer?
Not in practice.
-
Can you see the northern lights in Helsinki?
Yes, but rarely.
-
Where in Finland are you most likely to see the northern lights?
Northern Lapland gives the best odds.