Finland sees coldest January in 8 years

Finland experienced colder temperature in January than usual in the whole country this year, according to Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI).

The month started very cold but ended mild and the lowest temperature minus 44.3 degrees Celsius was measured on January 5 in Enontekiö, which is the coldest weather recorded reading in Finland since January 1999, said FMI in a press release on Tuesday.

The average temperature in January varied from about minus 3 degrees Celsius in the southwest archipelago to minus 17 degrees Celsius in Eastern Lapland.

The temperature deviation from the long-term average was mainly between 3°C and 6°C. On average, such a cold January occurs every 5 to 10 years. The previous colder January was in 2016.

The year began in freezing temperatures, and during the first week of January it was occasionally even exceptionally cold.

The highest temperature in January, 5.7 degrees Celsius, was measured at Kemi I lighthouse, on January 9, as well as at Hammarland Märket, on January 22.

The last week of January saw very mild temperatures, compared to the seasonal average.

In January, precipitation levels were close to or slightly below normal levels. The precipitation was mainly 20‒60 millimetres.

According to preliminary data, the highest amount of precipitation in January was 71.8 mm, recorded in Huhtilampi, Joensuu.

The lowest precipitation, according to preliminary data, was 13.2 mm, recorded in Laitala, Toholampi.

At the end of the month, there was snow in mainland Finland from about 15 centimetres in Southwest Finland to 96 centimetres in Kilpisjärvi.

In Åland and the southwest archipelago, there was a few centimetres of snow. In many places, the snow depth was approximately 10 centimetres higher than usual.