Country sees cold, hot, rainy weather in May

Spring included both cold and warm periods that evened out the average temperature in March, April and May close to long-term averages. Spring was very rainy, according to Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI).

The average temperature in May varied between about +10 degrees Celsius in the south and +2 degrees in Northern Lapland.

The average temperature during this month was close to long-term averages in a large part of the country. In some places in the east, it was slightly warmer than usual, while in Lapland it was slightly colder than usual.

The month’s highest temperature, 30.8 degrees Celsius, was recorded in Pötsönvaara, Ilomantsi on 19 May. This figure is very close to the May temperature record, 31.0 degrees Celsius, measured on 30 May and 31 May 1995 in Ingermaninkylä, Lapinjärvi.

A total of five hot days were recorded in May. The eastern and middle parts of Finland had two to three hot days, which is unusually high. Four hot days were measured in Kaarakkala, Vieremä, which is exceptionally high for the time of year. On average, there is one hot day in May.

The lowest temperature of the month, minus 15.1 degrees Celsius, was recorded at two different observation stations, in Näkkälä, Enontekiö on 2 May and in Kilpisjärvi on 6 May.

The rainfall in May varied between under 20 and over 120 millimetres. In a large part of Finland, the month was unusually or exceptionally rainy, which means that it rains this much in May once every 10 years or less frequently.

Especially in the southern part of the country, new rainfall records were measured at several stations. The month’s highest overall amount of precipitation, 122.8 mm, was measured in Tottijärvi, Nokia. The lowest amount of precipitation during the month was 16 mm in Kilpisjärvi, Enontekiö.