Weather in Oulu

Seasons and Weather in Oulu

Due to its location in the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Stream, Finland's climate is temperate. Summers are warm, bright and exhilarating. Winters, on one hand, are dark and cold. The daytime temperature in June–August is usually between +15 and +25°C. In June the weather is mostly sunny. It may rain though, so pack warm clothing and an umbrella. The sun remains permanently above the horizon for several weeks during midsummer; this is when you can see the midnight sun! In winter, the temperature can drop as low as –40°C. Warm, heavy winter clothes are essential.

Description of seasons in Oulu

Oulu residents receive plenty of light and darkness in varying quantities during different seasons. In March, there is equal amount of light and darkness, with light beginning to take over. The arrival of geese in April is a sign of spring's awakening. Birdwatchers flock to shores and fields with binoculars. Many residents spend their weekends repairing their summer cottages in nearby countryside or in the allotment areas in the city centre.

The boat harbour smells of paint and tar as boats are readied for the lively summer. A Finnish proverb suggests that when the lark arrives in Finland from the shores of the Mediterranean, summer is only a month away. When the swallows arrive, summer begins. Schools close at the end of May and summer holiday period starts. Oulu residents unwind after the winter. At night, it does not get dark. At midsummer the sun barely grazes the horizon.

Rotuaari, the pedestrian street in the city centre, is full of summer events and city folk. Visitors visit the harbour market. Oulu assumes a fresh, green expression: tree leaves are out and the grass starts to grow. In July, nature sets a dazzling scene for enthusiasts in search of golden cloudberries in marshes. The sought-after berries are stored for memories of summer and sunshine to be rekindled again in winter. Around the middle of August, Oulu residents return home and schools reopen. Days shorten and street lamps are lit. People gather vegetable and berry crops and venture into the nearby woodland to pick mushrooms.

As autumn advances and the starlings head south, the northern nature bursts into its beautiful fall colors. At the end of September, darkness gradually starts to overpower light. Boats are lifted onto the shore. Only the fishermen catching salmon and whitefish in the city centre still keep their boats in water. Soon the shores freeze and darkness swallows the light until the first snow arrives to brighten the land and mark the beginning of winter. The dark period lasts until Christmas. After the New Years, people begin to notice light increasing again. After the freezing days of January and February pass, people head for ski tracks, skating rinks or the sea ice to skate or do some ice fishing.