When to go · Saariselkä
Saariselkä in December
Great month. Inside Saariselkä's best window: Dec–Mar (snow, auroras), Sep (fell colours, no snow).
Key facts
- Verdict
- Great
- Temperature
- −7°C (19°F)19°F (−7°C) / −16°C (3°F)3°F (−16°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 9
- Crowds
- High
- Finland overall
- Prices
- High
- Finland overall
Verdict
Inside Saariselkä's best window: Dec–Mar (snow, auroras), Sep (fell colours, no snow).
Is another month better than December?
No other month rates higher than December for Saariselkä in this guide.
Weather in December
- SaariselkäHighs around -7 °C (19 °F), lows around -16 °C (3 °F), rain on about 9 daysHighs around 19 °F (-7 °C), lows around 3 °F (-16 °C), rain on about 9 days
- Lapland, Finland · Rovaniemi, Levi, Ylläs, Saariselkä, Inari, Kilpisjärvicool
Snow from November to April; −15 to −30 °C (5 to −22 °F) in January. Polar night (kaamos) in the north from early December to early January; midnight sun in Utsjoki about 17 May – 27 July. Autumn colours (ruska) in early September.Snow from November to April; 5 to −22 °F (−15 to −30 °C) in January. Polar night (kaamos) in the north from early December to early January; midnight sun in Utsjoki about 17 May – 27 July. Autumn colours (ruska) in early September.
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.
Christmas big impact
24–26 Dec · Finland
Christmas Eve is the main day; most things closed; Lapland at peak.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Finland overall
- High
- Prices · Finland overall
- High
Finland overall: Rovaniemi's Christmas peak, polar night in the north; Helsinki Christmas market; closures 24–26 Dec.
High-price month: see what to book ahead.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Saariselkä, side by side.
Verdict
Dec: Great
Jan: Great
Daytime high
Dec: -7 °C (19 °F)19 °F (-7 °C)
Jan: -9 °C (16 °F)16 °F (-9 °C)
Night low
Dec: -16 °C (3 °F)3 °F (-16 °C)
Jan: -19 °C (−2 °F)−2 °F (-19 °C)
Rain days
Dec: 9
Jan: 9
Crowds
Dec: High
Jan: Medium
Prices
Dec: High
Jan: Medium
Festivals listed
Dec: 1
Jan: 0
December: Inside Saariselkä's best window: Dec–Mar (snow, auroras), Sep (fell colours, no snow).
January: Inside Saariselkä's best window: Dec–Mar (snow, auroras), Sep (fell colours, no snow).
Saariselkä: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat and gloves for mornings and evenings
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket