Finland sees warmer weather than usual in 2022

Last year was warmer than usual, according to the figures of the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) released on Monday.

The average temperature for the whole country was 3.8 degrees Celsius, which is 0.9 degrees higher than the long-term average for 1991‒2020. The last time a warmer year was experienced was in 2020 and 2015.

Most of the months were warmer than usual. Temperatures were below the long-term averages in most parts of the country only in April, September, and December. August was record warm in some parts of the country.

The highest temperature of the year was 32.9 degrees Celsius, which was recorded at Pori Airport on 28 June.

The lowest temperature of the year, minus 35.7 degrees, was recorded at Enontekiö Airport on 8 January 2022.

In most parts of the country, annual precipitation was close to normal or slightly below.

According to preliminary data, the location with the greatest amount of precipitation last year was Mujejärvi in Nurmes, which got 834.3 millimetres. Total precipitation was lowest in Kevo, Utsjoki, which got 400.6 millimetres. The greatest amount of precipitation recorded in a single day was 90.9 millimetres in Pelmaa, Seinäjoki on 5 August.

The deepest recorded snow, 132 centimetres, was recorded in Kenttärova in Kittilä on 11 April.

In February, there was record-breaking precipitation in some places in southern and central regions of Finland.

A new record for the highest precipitation level in February, 142.7 millimetres, was measured at the Sjundby observation station in Siuntio. The previous record was 131.6 millimetres in 2016, measured at the Anjala observation station in Kouvola.

Average temperatures in December varied between near zero in the south-west archipelago to about minus 13 degrees in Utsjoki.

The average temperature of the month was mainly 1‒2 degrees colder than usual in the western part of the country and Lapland, while in the area extending from North Karelia to Koillismaa, the average temperature was one degree below the long-term average.

The lowest temperature of the month, minus 34.2 degrees, was recorded in Kevojärvi in Utsjoki on 13 December. The highest temperature of the month, +7.0 degrees, was recorded in the village of Kumlinge on the last day of the year, 31 December.