2014 was Finland's second warmest year on record

According to the statistics of the Finnish Meteorological Institute, the year was in regional terms the warmest ever in many areas throughout the region stretching from Satakunta to the western part of North Ostrobothnia and North Savo. Elsewhere the year was unusually or even exceptionally warm. Overall, 2014 was around 1.6 °C warmer than the long-term average for the period 1981-2010.

In terms of individual months, only January and June were colder than normal on the countrywide scale. The most significant periods of warmth were February and March, the hot weather in July and at the start of August, and the first half of December.

The year's highest temperature, 32.8 °C, was recorded in Pori railway station on August 4, and the lowest temperature, -40.7 °C, was recorded at Kevojärvi Lake in Utsjoki on January 20. In some parts of the country 50 days of hot summer weather (temperatures exceeding 25 °C) were recorded between May and August, which is 14 days more than average.

Quantities of rainfall did not deviate significantly from the long-term average in most parts of the country. The highest rainfall was around Kainuu, where the yearly total was in most places over 650 mm.

Over the whole year there were only eight days on which stormy sea weather was recorded, in contrast to the average of 20. Such a small number of stormy days has not been seen since 1994.

The total number of observed lightning strikes over the whole year was approximately 200,000, with the long-term average being around 140,000. The largest number of lightning strikes came during the Helena storm on July 31 (21,000 lightning strikes).

Winter tried to arrive in force at Christmas

According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute's statistics, the average temperature in December was higher than average across the whole country with the exception of the most northern part of Lapland, where it was close to the long-term average. The most temperate area with regards to the average was central Finland, with a deviation as high as four degrees along the coast of the Bay of Bothnia.

The first half of the month was unusually mild, with the highest temperature, +8.6°C, being recorded in Kristiinankaupunki on December 4. Around Christmas a cold stretch of weather arrived, during which the temperature in the South fell to around -20 °C, and in the North to less than -30 °C. The month's lowest temperature, -36.4 °C, was recorded in Inari on December 29. In the end, the cold spell remained short, as the weather rapidly became mild again at the end of the month, with a temperature rise over a 24 hour period of 20 °C in many places, and in some places nearly 30 °C.

In most parts of the country rainfall was higher then normal, being in the range of 40-80 millimetres. Unusually high rainfall was recorded in certain areas on both the western coastline and also in the area stretching from Kainuu north into Lapland.

At the end of the month there was snow throughout almost the whole country. The depth of the snow ranged from less than 10cm in western and southern parts to around 50cm in Kainuu and Central Lapland. Compared to the long-term average, the quantity of snow was higher than average only in Eastern and Northern Lapland, and even there only by a small amount.

Further information:

For weather statistics, call the climate service on: +358 (0)600 1 0601 (€4.01/min + local call charge)Weather statistics for December: http://ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/joulukuu (in Finnish)Annual statistics: http://ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/vuositilastot (in Finnish)

The Finnish Meteorological Institute's Meteorologists on Twitter: http://twitter.com/meteorologit (in Finnish)The Finnish Meteorological Institute's science news coverage on Twitter: http://twitter.com/IlmaTiede (in Finnish)