Cooler, wetter weather to take over Finland by weekend

Finland is heading into a cool and rainy end to the week, with temperatures unlikely to return to summer levels, Yle reports. By the weekend, temperatures will be around 15 degrees Celsius or lower across the country.

Wednesday will be one of the last summery days, with temperatures near 20 degrees in southern and western Finland. Similar temperatures are expected in the east, where some showers are possible. In the north, cloudier and more unsettled conditions will keep temperatures around 15 degrees.

Thursday will be more unsettled. The sun may appear in southern and central Finland, but periods of heavier rain are possible. Thunderstorms may affect western and eastern parts of the country, while conditions in the north will change little from Wednesday.

On Friday, winds will turn northerly. Rain will become more widespread and the weather will be unsettled across almost the entire country. Temperatures will fall to around 15 degrees in the south and below 10 degrees in northernmost Lapland.

More cold air will arrive from the north on Saturday. Temperatures will generally drop below 10 degrees throughout Lapland and remain around 15 degrees in the south. Continuous showers are expected across Finland.

Northerly winds will lower temperatures further in the south on Sunday. Yle meteorologist Aleksi Lohtander said the weather would already have an autumnal feel.

Lohtander did not rule out light snowfall in fell areas. However, this would not yet count as the official first snow, because snow depth is not measured on the fells.