Helsinki weather in January
Temperature, sea and sunshine in January: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in January
Poor
Best time to visit: June – August
What is the weather like in Helsinki in January?
In January, Helsinki is freezing cold: daytime highs average −2 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−6 °C). The sea averages 2.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 1 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 12 days, totalling 51 mm. Snow falls on about 9 days. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Helsinki.
January compared
How the weather changes from December to February. Tap a month to open it.
| DecemberDec | JanuaryJan | FebruaryFeb | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 12 | 14 | 18 |
| Day | 0° | −2° | −3° |
| Night | −3° | −6° | −7° |
| Sea | 4° | 2° | 1° |
| Sun | 1 h | 1 h | 2 h |
| Rain days | 13 | 12 | 10 |
More details for January
- Daylight
- 6 h 37 min09:10 – 15:47
- UV index
- 0 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or more
- Wind
- 20 km/haverage daily peak
- Cloud cover
- 85 %on average
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Snow days
- 9 days1 cm or more of fresh snow
- Time zone
- UTC+2Europe/Helsinki
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %0 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %0 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %45 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in January
- Warm jacket
- Hat, scarf & gloves
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Helsinki in January: quick answers
Is Helsinki hot in January?
No. In January, Helsinki is freezing cold: daytime highs average −2 °C and nights drop to about −6 °C.
Can you swim in Helsinki in January?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in January the sea averages just 2.1 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.
Does it rain much in Helsinki in January?
Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 51 mm in total.
Helsinki month by month
The whole year in HelsinkiAll destinations: FinlandWhere to go in January
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)