Country experiences colder January than usual

The country experienced mild weather in the first half of January while the latter half fairly cold, according to Finnish Meteorological Institute.

The average temperature for the month was 1 to 3 degrees Celsius colder than usual. The amount of snow was exceptionally high in the south, whilst Lapland had less snow than normal.

Although January was 1 to 3 degrees colder than usual in most parts of the country, it is not rare for January to be this cold. This occurs approximately every three or four years.

The previous colder January was in 2016. Compared to the usual temperatures, Southern Lapland was the coldest and Åland the mildest, where the month's average temperature was normal.

January's highest temperature of 6.2°C was recorded in Bogskär, Kökar, on the first day of the month. The lowest temperature of minus 38.7°C was recorded in Tähtelä, Sodankylä, on January 27.

At the end of the month, the level of snow was roughly half a meter throughout the country, a bit less on the western coast. Considering the time of the year, the level was exceptionally high in some southern areas.

Such levels occur roughly once in 10 years. On the other hand, there was less snow than average in the north.

The most significant weather event occurred right at the start of the year. On the 2nd of January, the Aapeli storm broke the record for highest average wind speed in Finnish sea areas. The new record is 32.5 metres per

second. The waves at sea were high and storm-force gusts were measured even inland. It snowed 20cm inland and crown snow-load caused damages.