June was cold and rainy

According to Finnish Meteorological Institute statistics, in most parts of the country June was 1-2 degrees colder than usual. June can be described as unusually cold mainly in the region stretching from Pirkanmaa to Southern Lapland, where a colder June was previously experienced in 2004 or 1993. The monthly mean temperature was close to the long-term average in Northern Lapland and North Karelia.

The month's lowest temperature, -3.5 °C, was recorded in Saana fell on June 13. The month's highest temperature and, at the same time, the only hot day was recorded on June 29, when the temperature rose to 25,4 degrees in Varkaus and Mikkeli. This is the second latest time for the first hot day of the summer in the past 50 or so years. The latest time was on July 6 in 1987. 

Exceptionally high precipitation levels in places

Monthly rainfall was higher than usual in many places. The precipitation levels were exceptionally high mainly in Northern Ostrobothnia, Kainuu and Southern Lapland. Usual or lower than usual precipitation levels were recorded mainly in eastern Finland and north-western Lapland. As usual, there were great local differences in June's rainfall.

The month's heaviest rainfall was 173 mm recorded in Pyhäjärvi, and the heaviest precipitation for one day that was recorded in the statistics was 58,6 mm in Vaasa on June 24.

Very few thunderstorms

Notably few thunderstorms occurred in May-June, due to the prevailing cold type of weather. There were 350 recorded cloud-to-ground lightning strikes in May, which is the lowest number in the 2000s. The long-term average for May is 8,500 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes, which means that the number of lightning strikes was just 4% of the average.

The number of lightning strikes in June, 3,700, is the third lowest number in the long-term statistics (the lowest is the June 2007 with 2,200 lightning strikes). On average, there are around 35,500 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes in June. This year in May-June the most lightning was seen on June 29: 560 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes.

Further information

Weather statistics from the Climate Service Centre, tel. 0600 1 0601 (€4,01/min + local charges)Weather forecasts from the meteorologist on duty 24 h/day tel. 0600 1 0600 (€4,01/min + local charges)