Waters in lakes in Southern and Central Finland warmer than average for early August
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The rainy weather of late July has slightly cooled the waters in Finnish lakes, which had been warmed by a heat wave earlier in the month.
Nevertheless, those swimming in lakes in Southern and Central Finland can still enjoy water that is 1-2 degrees above the normal level for this time of the year. In the north, the situation is the opposite, with waters 1-2 degrees cooler than the seasonal average.
According to a national water survey by the Finnish Environment Institute, surface temperatures at the end of July varied from 13 degrees Celsius in Lake Inari in Finnish Lapland, to 21 degrees in Tuusulanjärvi near Helsinki.
Lake water temperatures usually peak at the end of July, but this year the high warm water mark came early in the month.
Water temperatures were at their highest near July 10th, when the average temperatures of the lakes of Southern and Central Finland were about 22-23 degrees. In some small bodies of water, the temperature reached levels as high as 25 degrees.
Temperatures exceeded 20 degrees in many northern lakes as well.
Water levels in Finnish lakes are slightly rising in almost all parts of the country. In small lakes in the rainiest areas of Southern and Central Finland, the rise has been nearly half a metre since early July.
Ground water levels are lower than average, especially along the west coast. In many areas, ground water was sharply depleted by the hot spell in early July, but the rains of the later part of the month have replenished wells in some areas.
Helsingin Sanomat
