Finland records first heat wave day of the year

Finland crossed the heatwave threshold for the first time this year on Tuesday, as temperatures reached 25.1 degrees Celsius at the Koivuniemi measurement station in Virolahti, southeastern Finland, according to national broadcaster Yle.

The reading was recorded at 11:50 in the morning. Yle meteorologist Aleksi Lohtander said the heat is expected to remain a localised phenomenon for now.

“In Virolahti and the Lappeenranta area, the temperature will likely climb a bit further, but higher heat readings are not expected more widely today,” Lohtander said.

By early afternoon, the threshold was also crossed at the Anjala and Utti measurement points in Kouvola.

Lohtander said warm conditions may extend to the North Karelia and Kainuu regions on Wednesday, but temperatures are forecast to cool slightly in eastern Finland by Thursday.

“We are talking about a drop of a couple of degrees, but the heatwave threshold will likely not be reached elsewhere for the time being,” he said.

In Finland, a heatwave day is defined as a day on which the temperature reaches or exceeds 25 degrees Celsius.