Finland is set to see a rise in temperatures for May Day, with forecasts pointing to warm and settled conditions across much of the country as a weather front moves in from the west.
The Finnish Meteorological Institute said warmer air will spread across the country on May Day Eve, bringing a shift after a period of cooler spring weather. Temperatures in western Finland are expected to reach around 15°C or slightly higher during the day, while eastern regions and Lapland will remain cooler.
Meteorologist Laura Tuomola said the change will become more visible during the day.
“On May Day Eve, temperatures in the west will generally rise to around 15 degrees or slightly above,” she said in a statement.
Conditions along the west coast are expected to remain mostly sunny, while cloud cover will be heavier in other areas. Light rain may occur in parts of eastern Finland.
Overnight into May Day, skies will begin to clear from the west. Temperatures are expected to stay above zero across most of the country.
May Day itself is forecast to bring dry weather and sunshine in many regions. Temperatures in southern and western Finland may reach close to 20°C, which would place this year among the warmer May Day periods on record.
Across southern and central Finland, daytime temperatures are expected to range between 15°C and 20°C. In northern regions, temperatures are forecast to stay between 10°C and 15°C.
The Meteorological Institute said May Day weather in Finland varies widely from year to year. Historical data shows average daytime temperatures of 10°C to 15°C in southern and central areas, and 5°C to 10°C in the north.
Records show that the warmest May Day occurred in 1998, when temperatures reached 24.5°C in Seinäjoki on May Day Eve and 23.5°C at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport on May Day itself. The coldest readings were recorded in 1981 in Salla, where temperatures fell below -23°C.
Last year’s May Day was colder than average, with temperatures in southern and central Finland reaching only between 6°C and 10°C on May Day Eve.
HT
