Still unusually warm in April

According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute, the average temperature this April varied from approximately +5 degrees in the southernmost parts of Finland to zero degrees in Eastern and Northern Lapland. In comparison to the long-term mean, April was unusually warm throughout the country, with a deviation of approximately one degree in southern and central regions and 2...3 degrees in Lapland. In Western and Northern Lapland, April was, in some cases, exceptionally warm – April temperatures this high occur on average only once every ten years.

Thermal spring progressed all the way to Northern Lapland in April, beginning almost a month earlier than usually. The thermal growth period began in southern parts of Finland and Southern Ostrobothnia around the 8th day of the month, which is 2-3 weeks earlier than usually. The highest temperature of the month, 17.1 ºC, was measured in Kauhava on the 12th, and the lowest temperature, -15.5 ºC, in Kittilä on the same day.

Unusually heavy rain in eastern regions and Southern Ostrobothnia

Monthly rainfall climbed to over 50 millimetres in parts of Southern and Central Finland. Southern Ostrobothnia and eastern regions experienced unusually heavy rain. In Åland and parts of Lapland, rainfall remained under 20 millimetres. The greatest amount of rain in a 24-hour period, 29.2 mm, was recorded in Kurikka on the 13th of the month. At the end of the month, a strong low moved across the country to the northeast, causing heavy rain especially in Southern and Eastern Finland. Most of the rain fell as snow higher in the north, and in many parts of Kainuu, over 20 cm of fresh snow fell in 24 hours, which is exceptional at this time of the year. The most snow, 91 cm, was measured in Paljakka, Puolanka on the 30th.

The strongest winds blew on the 8th, with storm-force gusts widely recorded on land. On the 23rd, storm-force gusts were measured in southern and western regions.

Further information:

Weather statistics from the Climate Service Centre, tel. +358 600 1 0601 (€4.01/min + local charges)Weather forecasts from the meteorologist on duty 24 h/day tel. +358 600 1 0600 (€4.01/min + local charges)

April statistics: http://ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/huhtikuu