The weather in Finland is milder than you might expect, given how far north the country is. There's a noticeable contrast between summer and winter, with bitterly cold winters when temperatures drop to -4°F (-20°C) in many areas, particularly in northern Lapland. Summer, by contrast, can be surprisingly warm, as temperatures can rise to 68°F (20°C) or more. Temperatures as high as 86°F (30°C) are possible in the south and east of the country.
Finland's capital, Helsinki, has a temperate climate. Temperatures range from an average of 63°F (17°C) in July, the warmest month, to 23°F (-5°C) in February, the coldest. Snow usually covers the ground in southern Finland from December to March, and in northern Finland from October to April.
In the far north of Finland, there are more than 70 days in summer during which the sun never completely sets. In winter, the sun stays below the horizon for just over 50 days at Finland’s northernmost point. Even in Helsinki, the shortest winter days offer fewer than six hours of daylight – a reality that expats may find difficult to adjust to. Still, a major bonus of these difficult conditions is that the winter night sky, especially in northern Finland, is often lit up by the magical dancing light of the aurora borealis.