Santa Claus's homeland, Lapland, had a hotter-than-usual summer.

In July and August, Finland experienced a record heat wave, with temperatures reaching 30 degrees Celsius. Even so, the number of days with temperatures exceeding 25 degrees Celsius was below average this summer.

According to data from the Finnish Meteorological Institute , the average temperature in August ranged between 12 and 17 degrees Celsius at most observation stations. In Lapland, the month saw higher-than-usual temperatures, while in other regions, averages were within or below normal. The maximum temperature of the month, 31.1 degrees Celsius, was recorded at Rovaniemi railway station on August 1st, and the minimum, -3.6 degrees Celsius, was recorded at Tulppio station in Savukoski on August 31st.

The number of days with temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius was lower than usual: eight days in August, one less than the historical average. In the south and west of the country, there were between one and two fewer days, while in Lapland there were between two and four more days than expected, with exceptional records in some places.

August brought less precipitation than usual in the eastern regions of the country, while the west coast and parts of Lapland saw higher-than-usual rainfall, reaching exceptional levels in Northern Lapland. The highest monthly rainfall was recorded at the tourist resort of Saariselkä, with 142.6 mm, and the lowest at Kestilä, Siikalatva, with 27.8 mm. The highest daily rainfall, 43.9 mm, occurred in Lampela, Lieksa, on August 10.

The number of thunderstorms remained within average, with approximately 24,600 lightning strikes observed, compared with the historical average of 24,300. Hours of sunshine were also within or above normal, ranging from 180 to 270 hours across the country.

The summer of 2025 (June to August) was generally warmer than usual in Lapland, with average temperatures 0.8 to 1.2 degrees Celsius above the historical average. In the rest of Finland, the difference from the average was smaller, between 0 and 1 degree Celsius. The average temperature for the country was 14.9 degrees Celsius.

Although the national average wasn't extraordinary, some central and northern regions recorded a record number of days with temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius. In Sodankylä, for example, the Tähtelä station recorded 25 days with temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius, breaking the previous record of 24 days, set in 2014. In Ylitornio, the Lake Meltosjärvi station recorded 26 days, setting a new record for Lapland.

A heat wave between July 11th and August 1st brought temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius every day, making it the longest heatwave since records began in Finland. International studies indicate that this event was approximately two degrees warmer due to climate change and at least ten times more likely to occur due to human-caused global warming.

The Finnish summer was marked by significant weather variations: June began with normal or below-average temperatures, July began cold and rainy due to low-pressure systems, while August alternated between warmer and colder days. In the south of the country, the number of summer days—days with a maximum temperature of at least 20 degrees—was below normal.

Summer thunderstorm activity was below average, with about 75,000 lightning strikes recorded between June and August, compared to an average of 113,000. Lightning strikes were most frequent in Lapland, while May and June saw very low electrical activity.

Overall, the summer of 2025 in Finland was marked by local extremes, historic heat waves, and erratic precipitation patterns, reflecting global climate change trends that have been affecting traditional weather regimes.