Weather in Finland - Four distinctly different seasons!  

Finland is a country of contrasts, not just in a geographical sense but also in its climate. The country has four distinctly different seasons that transform the white winter wonderland to a green leafy summer in just a few months. Temperatures during the year vary considerably and -30C in winter and +30C in summer are not uncommon!

Winter
Winter in Finland lasts roughly from December to March, but the snowfall in Lapland might start as early as October and last till mid-May. The crisp winter days invite you to admire the beautiful frozen trees and lakes, whereas if you feel more energetic, there are thrilling activities such as snowmobiling, husky and reindeer safaris to try. The clear, dark nights are ideal for spotting the Northern Lights. 

Mid-winter temperatures might drop as low as -30C in Lapland, while in the Lakeland and the Western Lakes the temperatures usually hover between -5C and -20C. Southern Finland and coastal areas stay warmer and get less snow due to the warming effect of the sea. Whatever the weather is outside, Finnish holiday cabins remain as warm as toast. Triple glazing and thick insulation keep them dry, warm and cosy, even when the snow is tumbling down. Almost all cabins have full central heating, additional under floor heating, a wood burning fireplace and of course a sauna for added warmth! 

The air in winter tends to be dry and crisp with little wind, which makes it feel far more pleasant than you might imagine. However, you will certainly need to wrap up warm when going outside. The snow cover is deepest in the middle of March when the snow thickness varies from 60-90cm of snow in Lapland and 20-30cm of snow in the South. The ice covering frozen lakes is at its thickest in early April at about 50-65cm, although the ice may be up to 1 metre thick in Lapland. 

Winters in Finland are at their darkest in the end of December, when Lapland gets about 4 hours of daylight, while the Southern region gets about 6 hours of daylight. White snow reflects the available daylight very efficiently and all ski resorts, villages and towns are well lit so you will certainly not have to endure complete darkness by any means!

Spring
Spring months April and May bring Finland much welcomed light and warmer temperatures. Days are quickly starting to get longer and the snow starts melting in the South, Western Lakes and Lakeland mid-April, while in the northern Lapland the snow might well not start melting before May. The further North you will go, the later the spring arrives. 

Temperatures in the whole country apart from Lapland will start to rise in the end of April to about zero degrees and you will start to see flowers and leaves in trees again in May. The spring is a wonderful time to roam the beautiful natural environment and enjoy seeing the pristine forests and fields waking from their winter slumber. Hiking particularly is a popular activity at this time of year as the air is fresh and temperatures are moderate.

Summer
Summer in Finland roughly lasts from June to August. The summer is the season of the Midnight Sun and nights are bright. In Lapland, for two months from June to July, the sun never sets! Even elsewhere in the country the sun only disappears below the horizon for a few hours. 

Summers in Finland are generally warm and in fact, the average temperatures are higher than those in the UK. Temperatures tend to stay around +15C-+25C, but temperatures of +30C are not unheard of. It also rains less in Finland than in the UK. 

The warm days and bright 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 to relax with loved ones by the shore of a cool blue lake. If you want to visit Finland in summer, you are strongly advised to book early!  

Autumn
Autumn months September to November see Finland's forest landscape turn into a splendid and unforgettable array of red and gold known as "ruska". This is the season when it rains the most and when the nature starts preparing for a new snowfall in the forthcoming winter. 

Temperatures start dropping and might start dipping below the zero during the nights. In daytime, temperatures hover around +5C to +15C. The moderate temperatures of autumn make this season ideal for cycling or hiking along the many woodland trails, while it is also popular to pick newly appeared wild blueberries, raspberries, lingonberries, cloudberries and mushrooms, that all make a large part of a Finnish diet. Days again start getting shorter and nights darker. 

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