Winter was mild despite a cold February

According to statistics from the Finnish Meteorological Institute, June was 1–4 degrees colder than usual in most parts of the country. A warmer autumn was previously recorded in 2011 or 2012, depending on location. In relation to average temperatures, it was coldest in the north-west arm of Finnish Lapland, while Eastern Lapland was closer to average. Especially the last part of the month was remarkably cold for the season.

The lowest temperature was -37,1°C, recorded in Kevojärvi, Utsjoki, on 4 February. The highest temperature was 3.8°C, recorded in Utö on 14 February.

Unusually dry in the north

In the northern parts of the country, it rained unusually little in February, mostly only around 5 mm. This is only approximately 20 % of average precipitation. At the long-term operating observation stations, precipitation levels remained the lowest in the history of recording. Also the southern and central parts of the country were dryer than usual. It rained the least in the Municipality of Muonio, 0,8 mm, and the most in Pirttikoski of Hämeenlinna, 36,9 mm.

Snow covered the whole country by the end of the month, ranging from 10 cm in the southwestern coast to 90 cm in Kittilä.

Winter was mild in many places

Winter (December-February) was 1–3 degrees milder than usual in most parts of the country. Only Northern Lapland was approximately one degree colder than usual. Winter 2018 was the fifth winter in a row during which it was milder than usual in most parts of the country.

In the area reaching from Uusimaa to Kainuu as well as in the Kittilä region, the winter months were rainier than usual, but elsewhere precipitation levels were close to average or even slightly below. The southern coast had the most rainfall, approximately 200 mm. It rained the least in Northern Lapland, approximately 50–100 mm.

Further information:

Weather report for February: Http://www.ilmastokatsaus.fi/2018/03/01/helmikuun-2018-kuukausikatsaus/ (in Finnish)February's weather statistics: http://ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/helmikuu (in Finnish)

Meteorologists tweet about the weather on Twitter: @meteorologit