Country sees record warm temperature in January

The record of mild temperature in January was broken in the south of Lapland in terms of both average temperatures and all-time highs, according to the Finnish Meteorological Institute.

“At some observation stations, the previous records were exceeded by as much as over two degrees (Celsius),” said Meteorologist Pauli Jokinen.

A Met Office press release said about 60 per cent of Finland witnessed the mildest temperature in January 2020.

In the record-breaking areas, this January was generally 7–8 degrees Celsius milder than usual.

The reference period consists of the average from 1981 to 2010.

“In many areas, the average temperature of January was equivalent to typical conditions in late March and early April,” Jokinen mentioned.

In most parts of Lapland, January was 2–5 degrees milder than average, although this cannot be considered exceptional.

The average temperature of the whole country in January reached the second place in the recorded history. The warmest January was recorded in 1925, when the mild weather reached all the way to Lapland.

Comparable data for the whole country starts from the beginning of the 20th century.

In addition to average temperature records, location-specific warm temperature records were also broken in January.

Records were broken on two separate days: on 15bJanuary in the southern parts and on 21January in the central parts of Finland. The highest temperature in January, 9.2°C, was recorded on 21 January in three locations: Jomala, Turku, and Kruunupyy.

The month's lowest temperature, minus 38.8°C, was recorded at Kevojärvi in Utsjoki on both 27 and 28 January.