Weather in the baltics

[pdx13]

We leave at the end of April, western Europe and Baltic. I expect to feel right at home; some sun, some clouds, some rain, or any combination. And mostly cool temps. Layers is the key.

[Omega1]

I think that anecdote originally is for the Swedish rain capital Gothenburg. ;)

Stockholm actually have quite nice weather from time to time but the problem is that nobody knows when.

 

Yes, you're probably right. I've heard it applied to Bergen as well!

[TLCOhio]

I like the story of the cruise passenger in Stockholm who asked a child passing by, "What time did it start raining?" To which the child replied, "How should I know, I'm only seven."

 

pdx13: We leave at the end of April' date=' western Europe and Baltic. I expect to feel right at home; some sun, some clouds, some rain, or any combination. And mostly cool temps. [b']Layers is the key.[/b]

 

Super appreciate that cute story on the seven-year-old child in Stockholm. Fun!! YES, layering is vital as things can be much cooler in the morning and evenings versus the main part of the afternoon.

 

As Keith wisely noted, this weather website can be very helpful. Below is my summary pulled from that website for the averages in three of the key cities in the Baltics. These are the weather averages/details for these three key cities in the Baltics by looking at the 7th, 15th, 23rd days of each month from http://www.wunderground.com:

 

Copenhagen: High/low averages,

May, early: 61 high/47 low °F

May, mid: 63/48 °F

May, late: 65/50 °F

 

June, early: 67/53 °F

June, mid: 68/54 °F

June, late: 69/54 °F

 

July, early: 69/55 °F

July, mid: 69/54 °F

July, late: 69/54 °F

 

August, early: 67/53 °F

August, mid: 66/52 °F

August, late: 64/51 °F

 

Sept., early: 60/49 °F

Sept., mid: 58/47 °F

Sept., late: 56/45 °F

 

St. Petersburg:

May, early: 60 high/41 low °F

May, mid: 62/44 °F

May, late: 65/46 °F

 

June, early: 68/49 °F

June, mid: 70/51 °F

June, late: 72/53 °F

 

July, early: 72/53 °F

July, mid: 71/52 °F

July, late: 70/51 °F

 

August, early: 66/48 °F

August, mid: 64/46 °F

August, late: 61/45 °F

 

Sept., early: 55/41 °F

Sept., mid: 52/38 °F

Sept., late: 48/36 °F

 

Stockholm:

May, early: 60 high/44 low °F

May, mid: 62/46 °F

May, late: 63/49 °F

 

June, early: 66/52 °F

June, mid: 68/54 °F

June, late: 70/55 °F

 

July, early: 71/56 °F

July, mid: 70/55 °F

July, late: 69/54 °F

 

August, early: 67/52 °F

August, mid: 65/50 °F

August, late: 63/48 °F

 

Sept., early: 58/44 °F

Sept., mid: 54/42 °F

Sept., late: 51/40 °F

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 138,679 views for this posting.

[susancruzs]

As everyone has said, layers! I'm leaving mid April for a TA to Copenhagen, then doing a Baltic cruise for May 1-12th. Living in NE Wisconsin, I have clothes, no need to shop for warm stuff! I will bring my "cuddle duds", lightweight thermals in case it is damp and rainy. I will not bring a heavy jacket, my Fall jacket has a zip out flannel liner, which should be fine. I refuse to bring anything heavy, winter wear is bulky, layers are better.

 

I travel with a rain poncho, not big on umbrellas, gloves, hat, ear muffs, no sweatshirts, heavy, take up space. I have many zipper, knit hoodies with a tee or turtle neck, I can pack 2 or 3 of those compared to one sweatshirt. Traveling for 25 days, I have this down to a science and it all has to fit in one 26" suitcase! :)

[pdx13]

As everyone has said, layers! I'm leaving mid April for a TA to Copenhagen, then doing a Baltic cruise for May 1-12th. Living in NE Wisconsin, I have clothes, no need to shop for warm stuff! I will bring my "cuddle duds", lightweight thermals in case it is damp and rainy. I will not bring a heavy jacket, my Fall jacket has a zip out flannel liner, which should be fine. I refuse to bring anything heavy, winter wear is bulky, layers are better.

 

I travel with a rain poncho, not big on umbrellas, gloves, hat, ear muffs, no sweatshirts, heavy, take up space. I have many zipper, knit hoodies with a tee or turtle neck, I can pack 2 or 3 of those compared to one sweatshirt. Traveling for 25 days, I have this down to a science and it all has to fit in one 26" suitcase! :)

 

We will be gone for a month and I can pack all of my stuff into a carry on and personal item allowed by international airlines. Lightweight layers really don't take up all that much space.

[Desdichado62]

The weather so far in May have been really strange. The past week have been very warm with temps well over 20c (68f) and the forecast for tomorrow

for the area west of Stockholm (Mälardalen) says temperatures up to 25-30c (77f-86f) can be expected. This is very very unusual to have such high temperatures in May.

 

However from Wednesday and onwards cooler temps are expected.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Desdichado62

[Tiggertastic]

Yes to layers, we've had great yet unexpected weather in june and July. Expected more rain than we had. Recommend a waterproof

[GrJ Berkshire]

Be prepared to learn °C as this is the only temps you will pick up from TV , papers and internet in Europe. A chart or knowing where to look up is vital as °F is just not used this side of the pond, and younger people do not get °F at all.

 

Easy starters 16°C=. 61°F. And. 28°C= 82°F so reversals.

[LondonTowner]

Well, I thought Celsius temperatures plus metric weights and measures are almost universally used apart from in the Us, so nothing unusual about it.

[Hlitner]

A few years ago, we went off to the Baltic (on the Maasdam) having researched all the appropriate weather sites about July weather in the Baltic. When we got to Helsinki it was cold (mid to high 40s) with an awful biting wind. DW and I had to improvise with several layers...and to this day I still remember my hands were so darn cold (no way had we brought gloves). When we got to Stockholm it was more of the same and we froze! Then a few days later we arrived in St Petersburg..and it was so darn hot :).

 

So my point is that one should certainly look at the typical weather and pack accordingly...but do take along a few extra layers (and decent rain gear) just in case.

 

Hank

Edited June 9, 2016 by Hlitner

[cheeseclan]

We just came back from the Baltic cruise on the Regal Princess. We all brought layers. The boys all brought shorts and short sleeved shirts as well while i only brought thin pants and one short sleeved shirt. It was very warm to hot on some of the days. I too wish i had capris and extra short sleeved tops.

We met a lady who was doing a B2B and said that the week before it was very cold and raining. SO cold in fact that she had to buy a hat and gloves.

I would just bring layers and be prepared for any weather.

 

We were also happy that we had booked the CPH hilton airport hotel since they had air conditioning for both our pre and post cruise. It was a must on the return....

[Trixie21]

So we ended up booking navigator of the seas 12 days northern delights cruise for June next year. Although the ship is not as new as Norwegian getaway (which we were originally looking at) when all was factored in navigator was coming out at better value per night and offered more port stops. Looking forward to visiting some entirely new cities (new to us). Let's hope the weather plays ball!

Out of interest are rough seas often experienced in this region in june?

 

 

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[makiramarlena]

I was just on that same cruise on the Navigator in June 2016.

 

Through St. Petersburg the weather was fantastic. Once arriving in Finland it was gray. After leaving Finland the seas were rougher, as of afternoon on the sea day after Helsinki it was too cold to sit outside and there was a lot of rain at Zeebrugge.

 

However. It appears the cruise after ours (same intinerary) ran into much rougher weather in St. Petersburg, was delayed leaving, was late into and out of Helsinki and skipped Zeebrugge altogether as the weather rendered the ship unable to dock.

 

So, prepare for anything.

Edited August 3, 2016 by makiramarlena

[Desdichado62]

Out of interest are rough seas often experienced in this region in june?

 

Generally no but oobviously in conjunction with front systems, low pressures and etc it might be a little rough.

[JMHamburg]

Out of interest are rough seas often experienced in this region in june?

It depends on the definition of 'often'. 'Summer' weather north of the Alps generally became more instable over the past few decades. This 'summer' wasn't a summer at all in Germany - like in the past years. It also affects cruises, when - for example - ships cannot get into a particular harbor like Warnemunde, as we had this situation some weeks ago, due to a heavy storm. Ships mostly are heading for Kiel in such situations.

 

I live and grew up in Hamburg. In my childhood, we had real winters with snow, and real sunny summers. Theses times are gone due to the climate change with much more humidity in the athmospehre. If I want summer, I travel to the Mediterranean, and don't hope for it here in northern Germany. The same bad and instable weather conditions apply for Scandinavia and Baltic states. If you are a lucky one, you can expect one single sunny day, but then it gets hot quickly, demanding a well planned baggage.

 

The reports from others here in this thread with very different and sometimes even extreme weather conditions are very realistic!