Country experiences exceptional chilly weather in May

The country experienced an exceptionally chilly weather in May this year, according to the Finnish Meteorological Institute.

The last time May was this chilly was in 1999 in the southern and central parts of the country, and in 1968 in the northern part of the country.

According to FMI statistics, May was 1-3 degrees Celsius colder than usual in the whole country. The month was exceptionally chilly especially in Northern Ostrobothnia and Kainuu; something which happens on average a couple of times in a century.

The highest temperature of the month was recorded 27.0 degrees Celsius in Evo, Hämeenlinna.on May 19, which was the only hot day of the month.

The month's lowest temperature, minus 13.1 degrees Celsius was recorded in Pesiö, Suomussalmi, on May 16, said the Statistics.

In Lapland, the precipitation in May was between 10 and 20 mm, which is exceptionally or unusually low. Similarly low levels are seen on average once every 10 to 30 years. The lowest amount of precipitation, 5.6 mm, was measured at an observation station in Angeli, Inari.

The usual amount of rainfall, circa 40 mm, was reached only in Northern Ostrobothnia and Kainuu. The highest amount of precipitation, 60.4 mm, was measured in Kalliojoki, Kuhmo.

In the southern part of the country, May was very dry for a long time, and forest fire warning was in effect for nearly the whole month.

However, the precipitation on the final days of the month changed the monthly statistics so that they are closer to the long-term average.

There were only 239 observed cloud-to-ground lightning strikes in Finland, which is the third smallest number in the past 60 years or so.