Helsinki, Finland Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Helsinki
Cold is the baseline in Helsinki, not the exception. Night-time lows sit at or below freezing in 4 months of the year, and the warmest month, July, still only averages 69°F (20°C) by day. January runs to 22°F (-6°C) after dark.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: July - highs near 69°F (20°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 30°F (-1°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 88°F (31°C) high · -14°F (-26°C) low
- Wettest month: August (13 rainy days) · Sunniest: June (14.7 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid continental
- Annual swing: 21°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 6°C
- Snow: about 34 days a year
- Months with freezing average lows: 4
- Average humidity: 80%
Temperatures through the year
January bottoms out at 30°F (-1°C) in daylight, 22°F (-6°C) after dark. July is the warm end of the year, averaging 69°F (20°C) by day and 57°F (14°C) overnight. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 88°F (31°C) and bottoms at -14°F (-26°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records. Precipitation concentrates in August - 3.3 inches (83 mm) on 13 days - and thins out by April.
Rain, sun and snow
Snow falls on roughly 34 days a year, mostly November through April. Relative humidity averages 80% across the year, more humid than roughly 84% of the cities we track. Overnight lows average at or below freezing for 4 months, December through March. Sunshine averages 7.5 hours a day over the year - duller than all but 7% of the 3496 cities in our dataset, peaking in June at 14.7 hours.
How Helsinki compares
- Helsinki averages 44°F (7°C) across the year - cooler than all but 3% of the 3496 cities we track.
- Afternoons run 6°C above the following night - a flatter daily curve than all but 6% of the 3496 cities we track.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30° | 22° | 14 | 2.7 in | 1.4 h/day | 6.6 h | 45% | 86% |
| February | 31° | 23° | 12 | 2.5 in | 3.6 h/day | 9.0 h | 42% | 86% |
| March | 35° | 26° | 11 | 1.8 in | 6.6 h/day | 11.6 h | 34% | 83% |
| April | 45° | 33° | 10 | 1.8 in | 9.9 h/day | 14.5 h | 35% | 76% |
| May | 57° | 43° | 9 | 1.9 in | 13.0 h/day | 17.1 h | 28% | 70% |
| June | 66° | 53° | 10 | 2.2 in | 14.7 h/day | 18.9 h | 34% | 70% |
| July | 69° | 57° | 13 | 3.1 in | 13.3 h/day | 18.1 h | 43% | 76% |
| August | 68° | 57° | 13 | 3.3 in | 11.2 h/day | 15.6 h | 42% | 79% |
| September | 60° | 51° | 11 | 2.7 in | 8.2 h/day | 12.7 h | 38% | 81% |
| October | 48° | 40° | 13 | 3.1 in | 4.8 h/day | 9.9 h | 41% | 84% |
| November | 40° | 34° | 14 | 3.1 in | 2.0 h/day | 7.3 h | 47% | 87% |
| December | 34° | 28° | 14 | 2.6 in | 1.3 h/day | 5.9 h | 44% | 87% |
Helsinki month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Helsinki's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 1.4 h
- Daylight
- 6.6 h
- Snow
- 9 days
February
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 3.6 h
- Daylight
- 9.0 h
- Snow
- 8 days
March
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 6.6 h
- Daylight
- 11.6 h
- Snow
- 5 days
April
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 9.9 h
- Daylight
- 14.5 h
- Snow
- 2 days
May
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 13.0 h
- Daylight
- 17.1 h
June
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 14.7 h
- Daylight
- 18.9 h
July
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 13.3 h
- Daylight
- 18.1 h
August
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 11.2 h
- Daylight
- 15.6 h
September
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 8.2 h
- Daylight
- 12.7 h
October
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 4.8 h
- Daylight
- 9.9 h
November
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 2.0 h
- Daylight
- 7.3 h
- Snow
- 4 days
December
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 1.3 h
- Daylight
- 5.9 h
- Snow
- 6 days
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Helsinki
Spring (March through May)
Spring in Helsinki runs cold, with daytime highs averaging 46°F (8°C) and nights around 34°F (1°C); expect showers on roughly 30 days across the season, plus about 7 snowy days.
Summer (June through August)
Through summer, Helsinki stays on the cool side of mild: 68°F (20°C) by day, 56°F (13°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 36 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 13.1 hours of sun a day.
Fall (September through November)
Fall in Helsinki is chilly, with daytime highs averaging 49°F (10°C) and nights around 42°F (5°C); rain falls on around 38 of the 90 days, plus about 4 snowy days.
Winter (December through February)
Winter is frigid here - highs near 32°F (0°C), nights near 24°F (-4°C), and rain falls on around 40 of the 90 days, plus about 23 snowy days. Sun is scarce, averaging 2.1 hours a day. Wind sharpens cold like this considerably; pair the forecast winds with the wind speed converter to judge exposed conditions.
Climate questions, answered
How much sun does Helsinki get?
How warm is Helsinki on average?
Is Helsinki warmer or cooler than most cities?
How many rainy days does Helsinki get in a year?
Best time to visit Helsinki
The best time to visit Helsinki is generally May to September, when these are the warmest and brightest weeks of the year. Daytime temperatures in that window sit near 64°F (18°C), with rain on about 11 days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in May.
Pack for Helsinki with a heavy insulated coat, hat and gloves for winter and proper waterproofs rather than an umbrella - wet days are the norm here. July nights average 57°F (14°C), so evenings rarely match the afternoons.
Helsinki temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.