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Here is the first information to cultivate you, about the canoeing weather at the Helsinki City sea coast. And as you see midsummer is absolute the best time here in Finland. While it is light around the clock during summer season, you can paddle day and night, if you like.
Online WEATHER FORECASTS in Finland can be found here.
Very little RAIN is to be expected in early summer, on the contrary much sunshine around the clock is likely. There is a paradox that measured in pouring rain, Finland is one of the most dry countries in Europe, but calculated in the area covered by sweet water lakes, Finland has more waterways than any other country.
WIND SPEED is moderate, here measured as the ten minute average at midday at Katajaluoto island, just ideal for sailing and kayaking or canoeing. Very high wind is unlikely, and mostly we can expect it during the thunderstorms - not so unlikely.
WIND DIRECTION is rather constant of-shore at sea, SW wind in May and June and again in September, with high probability. Until mid July, closer to the shore and between the island zone or archipelago - reaching some 5 km from the mainland, variations in wind direction is different, but also it has a regular pattern. In mornings, after the colder night and before sun rise high, wind is outwards to the warmer sea. In the evening the wind changes the direction - becomes unsteady - and finally blow towards the shore, before it finally dry up and becomes fully calm before the sunset or after 21 p.m.
AIR TEMPERATURE is on steady increase until the mid July, and because the sun shines most of the day and night too, air temperature during the night is rather warm and pleasant. Only around the midnight there is some chilly temperature.
WATER TEMPERATURE changes fast, just along the air temperature, due to the long warm days and shallow waters. Off-shore water temperature is the function of average air temperature at the sea. While the lakes are rather shallow and there is much sunshine, water temperature is much higher, reaching some 20 to 25 C in end of June, and lasting warm until September.
Plenty of SUNNY DAYS, calculated as days of partial or total sunshine per month, will make the camping kayaker happy and nut-brown in the early months of the canoeing season, with a very small risk of RAINFALL. For example on average in May, 28 sunny days are to be expected with only 7 days of some rainfall; five days are mixed and you can experience both rain and sun during same days.
Table: Canoeing and sailing weather at sea in and outside Helsinki City, measured as the monthly long-time average.
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Month
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Rain per Month, in mm
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Wind speed off-shore , m/s
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Wind direction and probability of direction, Off-shore
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Sunny days in Helsinki City, Per month
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Air temp. in the City of Helsinki, Celsius deg.
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Sea water temperatur e Off-shore, Celsius d.
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May
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37
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5.7
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SW 34%
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28
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9.3
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7
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June
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47
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5.1
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SW 37%
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24
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14.5
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14
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July
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62
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5.2
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SW 19%
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25
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17.8
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17
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August
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66
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5.5
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S 27%
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18
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16.5
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18
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Sept.
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66
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6.6
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W 33%
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20
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11.5
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14
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At the seaside, there are no dangerous streams or currents in a tidal system, while the Baltic Sea is a nearly closed water system with only minor salt content. The forest is rich with wildlife and fish you still find enough; for foreigners hunting or fishing is possible, if you have a licence. Duck hunting starts 20 August and that day you should avoid paddling when the 300 000 shotguns start shooting. Fishing is the most popular hobby in Finland with one million free-time fisherman or women. If you watch the birds, the bird life is most active at the sea shore in end of May when the millions of birds migrate from southern Europe or Africa to the North and Russian Siberia along the Finnish coastline.
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