Finland fired up the heat last year, as the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) confirmed 2024 was unseasonably toasty. Nationwide temperatures averaged 4 degrees Celsius, which is 1.1 degrees above the long-term norm. Talk about turning up the heat.
Northern Lapland truly stole the show, with readings 1.7 degrees above average. Many local weather stations reported their warmest annual figures on record. It seems Father Christmas might have had to swap his thermals for a tank top and shorts. Maybe not.
Southern Finland not far behind
But it wasn’t just the far north that felt the burn. Southern Finland also enjoyed balmier days than usual – a pleasant surprise for beach lovers, but perhaps less thrilling for those who prefer their saunas indoors.
In a year dominated by unusual warmth, January and April bucked the trend with colder-than-average conditions. From May onwards, mercury readings steadily stayed in the plus column, leaving residents scratching their heads over what season it really was.
As if the heat wasn’t enough, the clouds turned on the taps, making annual rainfall higher than usual in most areas. Western Finland in particular got drenched, with many spots registering drenching or even extraordinary downpours.
Global meltdown? WMO weighs in
According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), 2024 is set to claim the crown as the warmest year on record worldwide, capping a decade of sizzling temperature spikes. With Finland hopping on the global warming bandwagon, it seems the Nordic nation might be the latest hot spot on Europe’s ever-warming map. Could 2025 be even hotter?
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