TTStoryTime! #6: 8 seasons in Lapland

August is finally here, which means... we are one month closer to winter!

From now on, summer can be counted only in days. Autumn is like a thin border between an ice cream cone and hot tea season in Lapland.

Many places in the world have four seasons and this has become a standard mindset. How about in Lapland?

The ancients felt that four seasons were not enough to describe a full year in their land. Therefore, four extended seasons were born.

In most Finnish books and stories, the order of the basic seasons is winter - spring - summer - fall. So the year always begins with the coldest month, which is naturally present after the polar night season.

Let's find out what are these eights!

1. Frosty Winter (Pakkastalvi)

The year starts with “frosty winter” - from January to February. The days are short in southern Lapland but still non-existent in the North. As Christmas and New Year festivities have come to an end, also with its darkness and frost, not many activities are organized at this time of the year. 

Snow comes the heaviest this time of the year, which blankets the land and turns pines into fantastic snow creatures. Temperatures plunge to their most extreme, as I experienced -39.5°C in Kilpisjärvi (with northern lights dancing outside). It could make a short trip to the supermarket an Arctic adventure! I personally feel February is the coldest month of the year, as various sources confirm. 

In these months, exchange students from all over the world will travel to Finland to start their “spring” semester. I can imagine how hard it is to drag the luggage in a snowstorm with eyelashes freezing together :(. Luckily, the worst time does not last long, it will usually go away after a week. It will be brighter every day after that.

2. Snowdrift Spring (Hankikanto)

The wonderland season that everyone is crazy about!

March and the beginning of April arrive bringing us the “snow crust” season. The first sun rays slowly wake up all creatures which are still in hibernation.

The days are getting longer with a pink-orange sunset and the sun is starting to warm the skin comfortably. It’s finally ideal for outdoor winter activities such as reindeer rides, ice fishing, snowmobile across the frozen river, or downhill skiing… Although Lapland skiing season starts already in October, many locals are looking forward to snow drifts that can carry the skier’s weight quite easily. 

Husky ride with Timetravels

As the sky is often clear, the chance to see sparkling stars and the Northern Lights also increases. So many Lapland trips are organized in February-March to guarantee snow abundance with brighter days.

Timetravels team in Saariselkä - End of March 2022

3. Bye-bye Ice! (Jäidenlähtö)

The literal translation of Jäidenlähtö is the departure of ice.

No doubt, it’s the biggest transformation season in Lapland, occurring from the mid-end of April to May.

Imagine Lapland taking off its white blanket and ready for the summer. All the sunlight's warm temperature finally penetrates the heavy snow, breaking the ice and sending it down to rivers. All the high piles of snow and giant icebergs got swallowed in the awakened rivers and lakes, bursting from their winter slumber.

There are no more icy roads and no more snowmobile excursions across serene frozen rivers. This is the first glance of summer, and a great time to enjoy the first ice cream cone of the season.

Also, did you know that most of the reindeer calves are born in May? ;)

4. Nightless Night (Yötön yö)

Interestingly, the Finns call June “Kesäkuu”, which means “summer month”. 

That’s brutally true, as summer is no longer coming, it’s already here!

Although it sounds like a myth, the sun will not go down this whole month in Lapland, which forms its own season as “nightless night”. 

The more North you go, the more nightless nights you will experience. The greatest example could be Utsjoki, as the sun shines continuously from mid-May to mid-July.

​​Mosquitoes are also a huge topic for everyday chats because they are roaming all over the place. The strongest army season usually starts around Midsummer and ends in August. Therefore, if you want to experience a nightless night without huge swollen itches, end of May or the first weeks of June sounds like a good plan. This is also an ideal time to visit Lapland since there are not many tourists around.

And yes, we could not miss mentioning the Midsummer holiday, also known as Juhannus in Finnish. Around this time, tons of concerts, night marathons, kayak racing, hiking, fishing festivals,... are held to mark the “ripest” point of the summer. 

After Midsummer, the days are getting shorter. :(
So enjoy the precious summer as much as you can!

5. Harvest time (Sadonkorjuunaika)

Harvest time begins when the willowherb blooms around July-August.

But why call it harvest time? And what to harvest?

Golden Chanterelle mushrooms: Queen of Finnish forests

This is the time when many kinds of berries and mushrooms are growing and families start heading out to forests. It’s not uncommon to see a family of 4-5 members “harvest” a few hundred kilograms of berries and fully pack 3-4 freezers in their homes.

6. Colourful Autumn Leaves (Ruska)

Not a while later, September pays a visit, bringing a new outfit to Lapland. 

They said Ruska happens when summer has truly left the land.

The ‘colorful autumn’ reminds us that soon the ground will be covered by ice and snow again. Before the dark winter, mother nature gives us one more chance to experience the most beautiful scenery of the year, so get your camera and head outside for the stunning colors.

Don’t forget to look up. Time to catch some magnificent auroras sweeping across the sky!

7. Black Snow (Mustalumi)

Well, we all knew about white snow, but how about black snow? What does it mean?

The first snow usually starts falling in Lapland in the middle of October. Due to relatively warm weather, the snow coming and melting creates dark strips on the ground. At this point, the night comes faster, and darkness soon covers, so don’t forget to take vitamin D and try to stay positive during this time!

8. Christmas Polar Night (Joulukaamos)

The black snow season is followed by the real white snow, but Finns have a more important event to name the season.

Yes, it's Christmas!

In Finnish, December is known as “Joulukuu” (Christmas month), representing a celebration of rebirth and letting go of the old in this period of constant darkness.

In Rovaniemi, the sun only appears weakly for 2 hours during Christmas, but if you go even more North, take Kilpisjärvi as an example, the sun will be “traveling away” for the whole month.

Before Christmas, 21/12 has the longest night of the year. After this point, the days start getting longer.

Lapland season reaches the highest peak, and most tours are sold out by early November. So if you would like to spend Christmas in Lapland, make sure to plan accordingly!

Then the New Year comes, and the cycle of 8 seasons starts again.

Ending

I feel there were valid reasons for the Northerns to divide the year into eight distinct seasons.

By predicting the weather and taking appropriate action based on the weather signs, their way of life creates their state of mind: a mindset that reflects the natural flow. In particular, nature is always in a state of change, thriving in the present while on the way to the next. This is also true of humans, as we are constantly moving forward and preparing for tomorrow.

Which season in Lapland do you like the most?

Looking for Lapland itinerary ideas? We have some here that you could check out!

Wanna know what Lapland is like in the summer? Have a look at our colleague's experience in Lappish summer here:

Timetravelers No.16 - Lapland in summer