Record-high temperatures reported in Utsjoki, Finland as heat wave continues

In northern Lapland, Finland, the sun is shining brightly with record-high temperatures being recorded in Utsjoki. On Wednesday afternoon, temperatures reached 29.7 degrees Celsius, following Tuesday’s peak of 30.1 degrees. “It has been warm across the country, but the north is seeing the hottest conditions, and this weather pattern is expected to continue,” says Iiris Idoko, a meteorologist at the Finnish Meteorological Institute.

The heat has sparked mixed reactions, even among tourists in Lapland. Ismo Keränen from Oulu traveled north to fish for arctic char but found the weather too hot for his liking. “This isn’t the best weather for fishing char; it feels like you’re going to fry, but despite the extreme heat, I was able to catch some,” Keränen remarked. Swiss tourist Robin Müller, who escaped the Central European heat only to find similar conditions in Finland, said, “It’s not too hot, but we expected it to be cooler.”

Northern Lapland is currently experiencing a rare heat wave, classified as an event that occurs less than once every ten years. Typical temperatures in the region are often below 20 degrees Celsius. Despite the heatwave, nighttime temperatures have remained cool, with Nuorgam recording a low of 11.2 degrees last night.

Utsjoki has seen an unusually high number of heat days this July, with seven recorded at the Nuorgam measurement station and nine at Kevolla, exceeding the average by five to six days. This warm weather is expected to persist through the week, though some rain may arrive, and cooler temperatures are forecast for the following week.