Abstract
This research report examines Helsinki’s weather conditions in November and December, focusing particularly on observations from late 2025, which suggest that sunshine has been statistically almost non-existent. The aim of the report is to answer the question: is Helsinki’s “dark and wet” start to winter extreme on a global scale, or are there cities in the world where weather conditions are even more challenging for human physiology and psychology? The analysis is performed by breaking down weather phenomena into components: lack of light (insolation), hydrometeorological stress (precipitation amounts and form), and aeolian stress (wind energy).
The comparative data consists of global weather statistics and observation series covering the North Atlantic, the Arctic Ocean coast, the Aleutians in Alaska, Chilean Patagonia, and the East Coast of North America. The analysis shows that although Helsinki represents exceptional “static darkness” (low luminosity combined with low windiness), other comparison points – especially Tórshavn (Faroe Islands), Bergen (Norway), St. John’s (Canada), and Adak (Alaska) – significantly exceed Helsinki’s values in terms of dynamic weather violence, absolute cloudiness, and precipitation amounts. The report concludes that the misery experienced in Helsinki is based on the monotony of weather phenomena, whereas the challenges of the reference cities are based on the volatility and intensity of weather phenomena.
1. Introduction and Methodological Framework
1.1 Setting the Research Question
Helsinki’s location at the 60th northern latitude places it in a zone where the sun angle at the time of the winter solstice is low (approx. 6 degrees), and the day length contracts to under six hours. The user’s observation of the darkness of December 2025 is empirically justified: statistics show that in November-December, the sky in Helsinki is covered by clouds 69–75% of the time, and in certain conditions, the sun does not show itself for weeks. This creates an experience of “extremity”.
However, from a scientific perspective, “extremity” is a relative concept. Human-experienced “weather misery” is not a single variable, but a sum of several stress factors:
- Thermal stress: The combined effect of cold and wind (wind chill).
- Visual deprivation: Lack of sunlight, which affects the circadian rhythm and Vitamin D levels.
- Hydrological load: Constant humidity, rain, or sleet, which makes moving and outdoor activities difficult.
In this report, we compare Helsinki to cities that have been identified in global weather statistics as exceptional precisely regarding these variables. We do not compare Helsinki to uninhabited research stations (like Antarctica), but specifically to inhabited centers where weather conditions define everyday life.
1.2 Comparison Targets
The following comparison cities have been selected for the analysis based on the weather types they represent:
- Murmansk, Russia (68°N): Absolute darkness (polar night).
- Tórshavn, Faroe Islands (62°N): Center of North Atlantic cyclones, cloudiness, and wind.
- Bergen, Norway (60°N): Europe’s rainiest city, orographic rain.
- St. John’s, Newfoundland (47°N): North America’s stormiest, foggiest, and rainiest city.
- Adak, Alaska (51°N): Constant cloudiness and wind of the Aleutian low-pressure systems.
- Punta Arenas, Chile (53°S): Wind conditions of the Southern Hemisphere (“Roaring Forties”).
- Prince Rupert, Canada (54°N): Rain intensity of the Pacific coast.
2. Helsinki’s Climatological Profile: The Realities of November-December
Before comparison, it is necessary to define Helsinki’s “baseline” precisely based on the available data.
2.1 Lack of Light and Cloudiness
Helsinki’s November is statistically a cloudy month. Weather data shows that the sky is “cloudy or mostly cloudy” about 69% of the time throughout the month. In December, the situation does not improve significantly; although the day length shortens towards the winter solstice, cloudiness remains high.
As a special note, December 2025 appears exceptionally dark in the data. Reports indicate that at the beginning of December, the sun showed itself in Helsinki for only 20 minutes over several weeks before a brief clearing. This “static greyness” is typical in a situation where the still-unfrozen water mass of the Gulf of Finland (approx. +3°C in December) feeds moisture into the atmosphere, and colder air flowing from the continent condenses it into a low-hanging stratus cloud raft. This phenomenon, which can be called the “Baltic Sea Cauldron,” prevents sunlight from reaching the ground more effectively than mere astronomical shortening of the day would suggest.
2.2 Precipitation Amount and Form
Helsinki’s precipitation amounts in November-December are not massive in volume on a global scale, but their frequency and form are vexing. In November, the probability of a rainy day is about 31%, and the rain often comes as drizzle or sleet. In December, the precipitation amount is on average about 58 mm, and there are about 22 rainy days.
Significant is the variation in the form of precipitation. In December, the temperature fluctuates on both sides of zero (average high -1°C, low -7°C, but often on the plus side). This means that snow does not necessarily stay on the ground but turns into slush, which increases the feeling of “wetness” without the total hydrological amount being large. Forecasts and observations for December 2025 suggest that the weather type can change rapidly from snowfall to rain, keeping the ground surface constantly wet and dark (snow does not reflect light).
2.3 Wind Conditions
Helsinki is not a storm city. The average wind speed in November-December is about 11 miles per hour (approx. 5 m/s, 17-18 km/h). Although gusts can occur on the coast, the urban structure and geography protect Helsinki from the worst Atlantic storms. As will be shown later, this lack of wind is a double-edged sword: it reduces the bite of the frost, but at the same time, it prevents cloud masses from breaking up, maintaining a “grey dome”.
3. Factor 1: Lack of Solar Energy and Lightlessness
The user’s main concern relates to darkness. Is Helsinki the darkest place in the world? The analysis shows that it is not, but it belongs to a special category of “meteorological darkness”.
3.1 Murmansk and the Polar Night: Absolute Darkness
If potential presence of sunlight is used as a metric, Murmansk (Russia) and other cities located north of the Arctic Circle (like Tromsø, Norway) are by definition more extreme. In Murmansk (68°58′N), the polar night begins on December 2nd and lasts until January 11th.
During this time, the sun does not rise above the horizon at all. The number of sunshine hours in December is exactly 0 hours. This is a statistical extreme that Helsinki cannot reach, as in Helsinki the sun rises above the horizon for about 5–6 hours even in December.
The darkness experienced in Murmansk is not only visual but has profound physiological effects. “Polar syndrome” is a documented condition involving serotonin production disturbances, sleep difficulties, anxiety, and slowed metabolism. Darkness lasting over 24 hours is biologically more alien to humans than Helsinki’s short day. Although it is cloudy in Helsinki, diffuse light (diffuse radiation) is still an order of magnitude stronger than Murmansk’s midday twilight (civil twilight).
3.2 Tórshavn: When the Sun Rises, but Is Not Seen
Between Helsinki and Murmansk, however, falls an interesting category: cities where there is an astronomical day, but meteorological darkness is so intense that the sun is practically not seen. In this category, Tórshavn (Faroe Islands) is a global extreme phenomenon.
Tórshavn is located at latitude 62°N, slightly further north than Helsinki. In December, the day length is about 5 hours 18 minutes. A significant difference arises, however, from cloudiness. Tórshavn is located directly on the highway of North Atlantic low pressures. This means constant, dense cloud cover that prevents direct solar radiation almost completely.
The statistics are crushing:
- In Tórshavn, there is on average 0 – 1 hours of sunshine during the entire month of December in some statistics, or on average a few minutes per day.
- Although the sun is above the horizon, the probability of seeing it is vanishingly small (5% of daylight time is sunny, 95% cloudy/dim).
- On an annual level, Tórshavn is one of the cities receiving the least sun in the world (approx. 840 hours/year). Helsinki receives on average approx. 1800–1900 hours of sun per year, thanks to bright spring and summer months.
The comparison is clear: In Helsinki, December can be dark (like in 2025), but in Tórshavn it is a statistical norm. Tórshavn’s darkness is “active darkness,” enhanced by fog, rain, and storms, whereas Helsinki’s darkness is often “passive greyness”.
3.3 Adak and the Aleutian Fog Curtain
Another significant benchmark is found in the Aleutians of Alaska. Adak (former military base, current settlement) lives in an almost eternal cloud. In December, cloudiness is about 75%, but more significant is the so-called “sunny day” probability, which in November has been calculated at 1 percent.
Adak’s location (51°N) means that there is astronomically more light there than in Helsinki, but the meeting of the Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean creates a climate where a “clear day” is a statistical oddity. The quality of light in Adak’s December is comparable to Helsinki’s gloomiest days, but this state continues throughout the year without Helsinki’s spring relief.
3.4 Chongqing: Darkness of Pollution and Fog
Chongqing in China offers a different perspective on darkness. Although it is located much further south (29°N), it is known as the “Fog City”. Due to the combined effect of topography and air pollution, the city receives only approx. 950–1200 hours of sun per year, which is less than in London or Helsinki on an annual level. In December, there is on average only approx. 1.7 hours of sunshine per day. Although the day is longer, the light intensity is weak due to the thick atmospheric layer.
Table 1: Comparison of Light Conditions in December
| City | Latitude | Astronomical Status | Avg. Sun Hours (Dec/month) | Quality of Cloudiness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murmansk | 68°N | Polar Night (0h) | 0 h | Absolute darkness |
| Tórshavn | 62°N | Day (approx. 5h) | < 10 h | Dense cyclonic cloud cover |
| Adak | 51°N | Day (approx. 7-8h) | Minimal | Marine stratus/fog |
| Helsinki | 60°N | Day (approx. 6h) | approx. 20-30 h | Variable, occasionally 0 h |
| St. John’s | 47°N | Day (approx. 8.5h) | approx. 62 h | Variable storm cloudiness |
Conclusion on luminosity: Helsinki is dark, but Murmansk is darker (because the sun doesn’t rise), and Tórshavn is “cloud-darker” (because clouds are more permanent and thicker). Helsinki’s “sunlessness” of December 2025 is a normal state of affairs in Tórshavn.
4. Factor 2: Hydrometeorological Stress – Anatomy of Wetness
The user states that Helsinki is “wet”. This experience is often subjective and related to high humidity (approx. 90-100% in Nov-Dec) as well as low evaporation. However, measured objectively by precipitation amount, Helsinki is far from the world’s “wettest” cities.
4.1 Bergen: Europe’s Rain City
Bergen, Norway, serves as an excellent benchmark for “wetness”. The city’s location west of the mountains forces moist air masses arriving from the Atlantic to rise, condense, and rain down (orographic rain).
- Precipitation: In Bergen, it rains on average 280–290 mm in December. For comparison, it rains on average approx. 58 mm in Helsinki in December. Bergen thus receives nearly five times the amount of water in one month compared to Helsinki.
- Frequency: In Bergen, there are on average 22 rainy days in December, and the probability of rain on any given day is about 68–71%. Helsinki’s corresponding rainy day probability is about 31%.
For a human, this means that outdoor activities in Bergen without complete protective clothing are impossible for most of the month. Helsinki’s “wetness” is often slush on the ground; Bergen’s wetness is intense water coming from the sky.
4.2 Prince Rupert: The Pacific Wall of Rain
Prince Rupert, located in British Columbia, Canada, is another hydrological extreme. It is one of the wettest inhabited places in North America.
- Precipitation: On average 344 mm in December. This is a huge amount of water, over 10 mm for every day of the month.
- Intensity: Rains are often long-lasting and heavy Pacific frontal rains. Combined with a short day (54°N) and cool temperatures (+1°C – +6°C), Prince Rupert represents “wet darkness” in its purest form.
4.3 St. John’s: Sleet, Ice, and Water
St. John’s (Newfoundland) brings a violent element to wetness. The city is known for rapid fluctuations of rain, snow, and freezing rain.
- Precipitation: In December approx. 164 mm of liquid rain and additionally approx. 60 cm of snow.
- Moving Average: The 31-day moving precipitation amount in December almost never drops below 50 mm.
- St. John’s is Canada’s foggiest (124 days a year) and rainiest city. Helsinki’s wetness is static; St. John’s wetness is chaotic, where streets can turn into skating rinks or slush rivers within hours.
4.4 Tórshavn and Constant Drizzle
In Tórshavn, it rains approx. 158–171 mm in November-December. There are 25–26 rainy days in the month. This means that a dry day is an exception. In Helsinki, it is possible to experience dry, cloudy frost days; in Tórshavn, the air is constantly saturated with moisture and salt spray.
Table 2: Comparison of Precipitation Amounts (December)
| City | Precipitation (mm) | Rainy Days (qty) | Nature of Rain | Difference to Helsinki (Volume) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prince Rupert | ~344 mm | 22 | Heavy rain / Cold | ~6.0x |
| Bergen | ~290 mm | 22-24 | Continuous rain | ~5.0x |
| St. John’s | ~164 mm | 21 | Rain / Ice / Snow | ~2.8x |
| Tórshavn | ~171 mm | 26 | Storm rain / Drizzle | ~2.9x |
| Helsinki | ~58 mm | 10-15 | Drizzle / Sleet / Snow | (Benchmark) |
Conclusion on wetness: Helsinki is humid, but not “wet” in the hydrological sense of the word compared to ocean coastal cities. In Bergen and Prince Rupert, water is a dominant element in a way that is not experienced in Helsinki.
5. Factor 3: Aeolian Stress – The Rage of Wind
The user states correctly that in Helsinki it is “dark, wet, but not very stormy”. This is a key observation. Wind is the most significant factor that turns cold and humidity from tolerable to dangerous.
5.1 Helsinki’s Wind Conditions
Helsinki’s average wind speed in November-December is about 5 m/s (11 mph). This is “light wind”. Although autumn storms occur, they are often isolated events, not a constant state. Helsinki’s urban structure and archipelago also dampen the effect of wind at street level.
5.2 Wind Tunnels of the Southern Hemisphere: Punta Arenas and Rio Gallegos
If we look for wind extremes, we must look to the Southern Hemisphere. Punta Arenas (Chile) and Rio Gallegos (Argentina) are located in a zone protected by no land border in the west.
- Punta Arenas: In November (which is spring/summer there, but the windiest time), the average wind is approx. 29 km/h (17.9 mph). This is an average. Gusts regularly exceed 100 km/h.
- Ropes have been installed along streets in the city so that pedestrians can hold on to them during the strongest winds. Such infrastructure is unknown in Helsinki.
- In Rio Gallegos, the wind speed is similar. The wind is so constant that trees grow sideways. Even if the temperature were +10°C, the wind chill makes being outside a physical struggle.
5.3 North Atlantic Storms: St. John’s and Tórshavn
In the Northern Hemisphere, winter storms are most violent in the North Atlantic.
- St. John’s: Canada’s windiest city. December average wind is approx. 30 km/h (18.6 mph), but storm gusts (over 90 km/h) are measured regularly. In 2025 and earlier, gusts up to 150 km/h have been measured. Wind combined with snowfall creates “blizzard” conditions that shut down the entire city.
- Tórshavn: December average wind is approx. 45 km/h (27.8 mph). This is almost triple compared to Helsinki’s average. In Tórshavn, a “calm day” is a rarity. Wind tears umbrellas and makes rain horizontal, putting the waterproofness of clothes to a real test.
5.4 Wellington: The World’s Windiest Capital
Wellington, New Zealand, is often mentioned as the world’s windiest capital (average wind 29 km/h). The Cook Strait acts as a wind tunnel. Although temperatures are not as low as in Helsinki, the stress caused by wind is year-round.
Table 3: Comparison of Wind Conditions
| City | Avg. Wind Speed (Dec/equiv.) | Storminess | Human Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tórshavn | ~45 km/h | Very high | Constant storm preparedness |
| St. John’s | ~30 km/h | High (cyclones) | Disruption of transport connections |
| Punta Arenas | ~29 km/h | Constant west wind | Physical movement obstacle (ropes) |
| Helsinki | ~17 km/h | Low/Moderate | Occasional gusts |
Conclusion on wind: Helsinki is exceptionally calm compared to other high-latitude coastal cities. This is a significant comfort factor. -1°C in Tórshavn’s wind corresponds physiologically to -15°C frost in calm weather.
6. Synthesis: Indices of Human Misery – Where Is It Worst to Be?
The original question was: “Are there statistically cities plagued by even more extreme weather conditions from a human perspective?” The answer depends on how we define “misery”. We can divide weather misery into two types:
6.1 Type A: Static Misery (Helsinki Model)
This is characterized by monotony.
- Features: Low luminosity, low wind speed, constant high humidity, small temperature variation around zero.
- Psychological impact: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), fatigue, apathy. The weather is not dangerous, but it is dull and “heavy”.
- Benchmarks: Moscow (November), Lima (winter fog), Chongqing.
6.2 Type B: Dynamic Misery (Atlantic Model)
This is characterized by violence.
- Features: Extreme wind, heavy rain, rapid fluctuations from snowstorm to rain, horizontal rain.
- Psychological/Physical impact: Acute stress, fear, physical discomfort outside, infrastructure damage.
- Benchmarks: Tórshavn, St. John’s, Adak, Aleutians.
6.3 Adak, Alaska – Statistical Hell?
If we combine all factors, Adak (Alaska) rises statistically as one of the most challenging places for humans.
- Sun: Hardly ever (1% probability).
- Rain: Constant (over 200 days a year, in Nov-Dec almost every day).
- Wind: Constant strong wind (Aleutian low pressures).
- Location: Isolated island. Adak combines Helsinki’s darkness, Bergen’s rain, and St. John’s wind without any of the cultural amenities of these cities.
6.4 St. John’s – Canada’s “Weather Capital”
St. John’s wins the “misery index” with its volatility. It can rain 150 mm of water and 60 cm of snow in December. It is a city where weather is an active enemy. In Helsinki, weather is rather an unpleasant background factor.
6.5 Tórshavn – Dark Storm
Tórshavn is perhaps the closest equivalent to Helsinki, but “on steroids”. It is just as dark (or darker due to clouds), but it rains three times more and blows three times harder there. If a Helsinkian experiences November as heavy, Tórshavn’s November would be a shock to them due to the physicality of the weather.
7. Conclusions
The answer to the user’s question is unambiguous: Yes, there are cities experiencing statistically significantly more extreme weather conditions than Helsinki.
- In lack of light: Murmansk is more extreme (sun does not rise). Tórshavn and Adak are more extreme due to darkness caused by cloudiness.
- In wetness: Bergen and Prince Rupert are in a class of their own, receiving many times more water than Helsinki.
- In storminess: St. John’s, Tórshavn, and Punta Arenas are significantly more dangerous and stressful in their wind conditions.
The “extremity” of Helsinki’s weather is in its stagnation. The special feature of Helsinki’s November-December is “quiet darkness”. It is not dynamic like in the Atlantic, nor absolutely cold like in Siberia (e.g., Yakutsk -40°C). It is a state of low energy: no light, no strong wind, no heavy rain – only steady, damp greyness. This can be psychologically heavy, but physiologically it is one of the world’s “gentlest” extreme conditions compared to the dynamic weather violence offered by Adak, Tórshavn, or St. John’s.
In the light of statistics, the darkness of December 2025 in Helsinki is exceptional for Helsinki, but it represents a normal winter in the Faroe Islands or the Aleutians. There are places in the world where weather not only depresses but also physically prevents movement and soaks one to the bone – things from which a Helsinkian is mostly protected.
