When to go · Helsinki
Helsinki in October
Mixed month. Wet and dark early.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Mixed
- Temperature
- 9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C) / 4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 15
- Crowds
- Low
- Finland overall
- Prices
- Low
- Finland overall
Verdict
Wet and dark early.
All twelve months in one grid — weather, crowds and prices, with gaps left as unknown.
Is another month better than October?
October is rated mixed. These months rate higher:
Weather in October
- HelsinkiHighs around 9 °C (48 °F), lows around 4 °C (39 °F), rain on about 15 daysHighs around 48 °F (9 °C), lows around 39 °F (4 °C), rain on about 15 days
- South coast, Finland · Helsinki, Turku, Porvoo, Ålandcool
Around −5 °C (23 °F) in January, 20–23 °C (68–73 °F) in July; 19 h of daylight at midsummer, 6 h in late December. The sea often freezes near shore in cold winters.Around 23 °F (−5 °C) in January, 68–73 °F (20–23 °C) in July; 19 h of daylight at midsummer, 6 h in late December. The sea often freezes near shore in cold winters.
Autumn season
Colours in September; Baltic Herring Fair in October
Watch: Dark and wet from late October.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Baltic Herring Fair
First full week of October · Market Square
Fishing boats sell herring and traditional food
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Finland overall
- Low
- Prices · Finland overall
- Low
Finland overall: Grey and wet; museums and saunas; auroras in the north on clear nights.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Helsinki, side by side.
Verdict
Oct: Mixed
May: Great (better)
Daytime high
Oct: 9 °C (48 °F)48 °F (9 °C)
May: 14 °C (57 °F)57 °F (14 °C)
Night low
Oct: 4 °C (39 °F)39 °F (4 °C)
May: 6 °C (43 °F)43 °F (6 °C)
Rain days
Oct: 15
May: 9 (better)
Crowds
Oct: Low
May: Low
Prices
Oct: Low
May: Medium
Festivals listed
Oct: 1
May: 1
October: Wet and dark early.
May: Bright and fresh; ferries and terraces start.
Helsinki: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat and gloves for mornings and evenings
- A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket