Thunderstorms in Finland are set to dominate the start of the week, bringing heavy rain, lightning, and the risk of local flooding before calmer and warmer weather arrives later in the week.
Large parts of the country are expected to experience unsettled weather on Monday and Tuesday as a low-pressure system moves across Finland. Forecasters say the most intense thunderstorms will first develop in the eastern regions before spreading north, while a high-pressure system is expected to bring drier and more stable conditions from Wednesday onward.
The beginning of the week will remain wet across much of Finland as unstable weather continues to move through the country.
According to Foreca, eastern Finland and Kainuu are likely to see the strongest thunderstorms on Monday. By Tuesday, the storm activity is expected to shift further north, affecting northern parts of the country.
The storms could bring heavy downpours, frequent lightning, and strong wind gusts in some areas. While not every location will experience severe weather, changing conditions mean people should be prepared for sudden rain and possible travel disruptions.
Meteorologist Kristian Roine said conditions are expected to improve from Wednesday as a high-pressure system gradually moves in from the southwest. Once that system becomes established, rainfall should decrease, skies will begin to clear, and sunshine will become more common across Finland.
This latest round of storms follows one of the wettest periods many parts of Finland have experienced this summer.
Several locations have already received far more rain than they normally would during July. One of the clearest examples is Nokia, where rainfall reached 181.3 millimetres by 26 July. That is roughly two and a half times the usual amount for the month.
With more rain expected early this week, the monthly total in Nokia could approach 200 millimetres, highlighting just how unusually wet the month has become.
The persistent rainfall has already created problems in some communities. Earlier this month, a powerful downpour swept across Helsinki, flooding streets within a short period after drainage systems struggled to cope with the sudden volume of water.
The repeated storms also illustrate how a series of moderate weather systems can create significant impacts when the ground is already saturated. Even relatively short bursts of rain can increase the risk of flooding when there is little capacity left for water to drain away.
The unsettled weather will also keep temperatures below what many people would normally expect in late July.
Across much of Finland, daytime temperatures are expected to remain close to 20 C during the first half of the week. Thick cloud cover and regular rainfall will prevent temperatures from rising much higher.
Although these temperatures are comfortable for many, they are slightly lower than the warm conditions often associated with the end of July.
The weather pattern is expected to change noticeably from Wednesday.
As the high-pressure system strengthens, rainfall should become more isolated, with only a few afternoon showers developing in some areas. At the same time, sunshine is forecast to become much more widespread.
The improving weather will also allow temperatures to climb steadily.
Highs are expected to reach around 20 C on Wednesday before rising to approximately 25 C on Thursday. By Friday, many parts of Finland could experience temperatures above 25 C, marking a return to proper summer warmth after several cooler days.
The warmer conditions are expected to be felt across much of the country, providing a welcome break after an extended spell of cloudy and rainy weather.
Although July has often felt cool and wet, Finland has still experienced several genuinely hot days this month.
The country has already recorded 11 days with temperatures exceeding 25 C during July. The highest number of hot days has been observed at Turku Artukainen and Lepaa in Hattula, where temperatures reached at least 25 C on seven separate occasions.
During the past weekend, eastern Finland recorded the warmest conditions. Tohmajarvi reached 22.5 C on Saturday before climbing to 23 C on Sunday afternoon.
These figures show that while rainfall has dominated much of the month, periods of summer heat have still appeared between weather systems.
Overall, Foreca says Finland’s average temperature for July has remained close to the long-term seasonal average. The combination of frequent rainfall, cooler spells, and occasional bursts of summer heat has created a month that has been unusually wet without being exceptionally cold.
