October was exceptionally warm in many parts of Finland
According to the statistics of the Finnish Meteorological Institute, the average temperature in October was exceptionally high in the southern and central parts of the country. At the sea and coastal observation stations in the Gulf of Finland and at individual inland observation stations in the south, the temperatures were even record high for October. In the northern part of the country, October was unusually warm, and even exceptionally warm in some places.
Average temperatures for the month varied between approximately +2 degrees in Enontekiö and +10 degrees on the southern coast and in the Southwest Archipelago. October was between 2 to 4 degrees warmer than the average for the 1991–2020 normal period in nearly the entire country. The average temperature in October was 5.9 degrees for the entire country. The last time the average temperature for the entire country in October was higher was in 2000, when the average temperature for the month was 6.4 degrees.
The highest temperature of the month, 18.2 degrees, was recorded on 1 October at the Kärkkä observation station in Salo and the Yltöinen observation station in Kaarina. The lowest temperature of the month, -16.7 degrees, was recorded on 13 October at the Tulppio observation station in Savukoski.
According to preliminary information, precipitation was highest at the Mujejärvi observation station in Nurmes, where it reached 97.4 millimetres. The lowest precipitation, 8.7 millimetres, was recorded at the Raja-Jooseppi observation station in Inari. Precipitation in October was largely at normal levels or slightly lower than usual. Across the central part of the country, in the area extending from Satakunta to North Karelia, precipitation was slightly higher than usual in many places. The highest 24-hour rainfall, 53.8 millimetres, was recorded at the Utö observation station in Pargas on 11 October.
First snow fell in the north in mid-October
The first snow was recorded on 10 October in Kainuu and in Kaarakkala, Vieremä. The first snow fell in Kainuu about a week earlier than usual. In mid-October, the first snow also fell in parts of central and northern Lapland. There, the first snow fell at the typical time. In Enontekiö, the first snow fell a few weeks later than average. The greatest snow depth, 19 centimetres, was recorded in Paljakka, Puolanka on 10 October.
However, at the end of October, the entire country was completely free of snow. On average, by the end of October, the first snow has fallen in most of the northern part of the country, and a permanent snow cover has usually fallen in parts of central and northern Lapland.
The number of sunshine hours was between 80 and 105 hours in the coastal areas of the country, and 40 to 80 hours in the rest of the country. The amount of sunshine was the same as the usual amount for October in most parts of the country.
Further information:
Weather statistics from the Climate Service, tel. +358 600 1 0601 (€ 4.06/min + local network fee)
