Tohmajärvi records lowest rainfall in history with just five centimetres since January

The municipality of Tohmajärvi in North Karelia has experienced exceptionally low rainfall this year, with only 50 millimetres recorded by early May—the lowest since measurements began, Yle reports.

Precipitation at the Kemie measurement station in Tohmajärvi’s town centre was 28 millimetres below the previous record low, marking the largest deviation from average rainfall in Finland this year. Meteorologist Mika Rantanen of the Finnish Meteorological Institute describes the drought as a once-in-a-century event.

Local cattle farmer Oskari Pirhonen warns the dry conditions threaten fodder grass growth, calling the situation “very concerning.” He suggests farmers could mitigate risks by expanding meadow areas and selecting deep-rooted forage crops.

While Utsjoki’s Kevo station recorded slightly less rain (49 millimetres), Rantanen notes Tohmajärvi remains among Finland’s driest locations. The region’s weather station, operational since 1959, confirms the extreme rarity of this year’s drought.

The dry spell defies broader climate trends, as Finland’s winters have grown wetter due to climate change. Rantanen attributes the anomaly to a persistent high-pressure system that brought cold, dry weather throughout early 2024. “This year is an exception to the trend,” he says, emphasising natural variability in Finland’s climate.

April, typically the driest month, saw conditions worsen after a winter with minimal snowfall. Despite long-term projections of wetter winters, Rantanen stresses that occasional dry spells remain possible, with this year serving as an extreme example.