Warm air from central Europe is pushing temperatures across much of Finland this weekend, with parts of the south expected to approach 30°C despite an unsettled forecast that includes showers and local thunderstorms.
Saturday began with scattered rain moving away from southern and central Finland after overnight showers crossed the country. Sunshine is expected to develop across many southern and central areas during the afternoon, allowing temperatures to climb well above seasonal averages.
According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute, temperatures could exceed the official heatwave threshold of 25.1°C in parts of south-west Finland on Saturday. The warmest conditions are expected on Sunday and Monday, when heat is forecast to spread across much of southern Finland and extend as far north as North Ostrobothnia.
Southern Finland is expected to record afternoon highs of between 22°C and 27°C on Saturday, while central areas should reach between 19°C and 24°C. Northern Finland is forecast to see temperatures between 16°C and 21°C, although cooler conditions are expected in northern Lapland and in areas affected by rain.
The warm spell follows an intense period of heat across parts of central Europe. Temperatures have already exceeded 30°C in southern Sweden, with similar values forecast north of Stockholm during the weekend.
The weather will remain unstable despite the higher temperatures.
The Finnish Meteorological Institute said another area of scattered rain is expected to move into western Finland overnight before crossing the country on Sunday. Local thunderstorms are possible in southern Finland, although duty meteorologist Laura Tuomola said severe weather is not expected from the system.
Further low-pressure systems are forecast to affect Finland early next week. While thunderstorms remain possible, forecasters said confidence in their timing and location remains low.
The highest temperatures on Sunday will depend on where sunshine develops between the showers. Forecasts indicate that parts of southern and western Finland could reach between 27°C and 30°C if skies remain clear for long enough, while eastern Finland is expected to remain cooler with highs of between 18°C and 23°C. Northern Finland should see temperatures mostly between 15°C and 20°C.
Monday is expected to bring another warm day across southern and central Finland, with temperatures above 20°C possible as far north as Lapland before cooler conditions return later in the week.
Current forecasts suggest the heat will ease during the second half of next week, with daytime temperatures settling closer to 20°C across much of the country.
The warm weather arrives after a relatively quiet start to Finland’s thunderstorm season.
The Finnish Meteorological Institute said fewer than 8,000 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes have been detected so far this year. That is about one-third of the long-term average recorded between 2002 and 2025.
Last year’s early summer produced even fewer lightning strikes, while more than 70,000 had been recorded by the same point in 2024.
Forecasters said the combination of warm, humid air and passing low-pressure systems could increase thunderstorm activity over the coming days, although rainfall is expected to remain scattered rather than widespread.
HT