October milder and more rainy than usual

According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute, Finland's mean temperature varied in October from just under +10 degrees in the southwest archipelago and Åland to just under zero degrees in North Lapland. The weather was warmer than usual throughout the country.

Photo: Eija Vallinheimo

The deviation from the long term mean was just over a degree in the most southwest part of the country, along Ostrobothnia’s coastline, in the southeast of the country, as well as in the most northern part of Lapland, while temperatures were close to the long term mean in Kainuu, as well as in South and Central Lapland. In early October, the weather was warm, and on 7 October the month's highest temperature of 17.5 degrees was measured at Mariehamn Airport in Jormala. At mid-month the weather cooled significantly nationwide, and the month’s lowest temperature of - 16.2 degrees was measured at Sodankylä’s Lokka on 18 October. Thermal winter, the time when the daily mean temperature is under zero degrees, began in all of Lapland at the normal time in mid-October. The weather warmed again at the end of the month, and was even exceptionally warm in many places.

An exceptionally rainy month

October was unusually rainy in most of the country. The most rain fell in the south and east of the country, where a total of over 80 millimetres of precipitation fell in some locations. The west of the country and Lapland received less rain. In West Lapland less than 50 millimetres of precipitation fell in some locations. Of FMI’s observation stations, the precipitation station in Paljakka, Puolanka received the most rain with a total of 113 millimetres. The weather station at Meltosjärvi, Ylitornio received the least precipitation totalling only 32 millimetres. On 17 October, the country’s greatest daily rainfall of 28.1 millimetres was measured at Joutsjärvi in Sysmä. The first half of the month was dry in the country’s south and central regions, and rain fell predominantly during the second half of the month. Rain fell at a more even rate in Lapland.

A snow cover settled over Lapland in late October, and the first snow also fell in many locations south of Lapland. The thickest snow cover, 33 cm, was measured at Ruuvaoja in Savukoski on October 25. By the end of the month, there was snow in Koillismaa, as well as in Central and North Lapland.

Further information:

Weather statistics for October: http://ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/lokakuuWeather statistics for the autumn: http://ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/syksytilastot