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Temperature in Levi, Lapland, through the dog season

Levi's husky season runs from the first good snow to the spring crust, and each month feels different on a sled. Here are the averages for cold, snow and light, and what they mean for your ride.

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Editorial team, levihuskysafari.comUpdated October 22, 2026read in 6 minutes16 sources

The tour this guide is about Levi 7 km self-drive husky safari 4.7 (502 reviews) 3 hoursYou drive, 2 people per sledWinter clothing and a warm drink included from$230per person Check availabilityCancellation free up to 24 hrs in advance

Best month, briefly

01Season: A Kittilä kennel lists its sled safari for November to April.¹
02Coldest nights: January, averaging -17 °C at night.²
03Darkest: December, when the sun stays down from then until early January.³
04Most light in season: April: 15.6 hours of daylight at mid-month.²
05Gentlest cold: March and April bring spring crust snow and milder days.⁴ ²

Levi's dog season at a glance

The temperature in Levi, Lapland, matters less for a husky ride than the snow and the light. The sled season follows the snow, whose first fall reaches Levi around mid-October, in the second or third week by Visit Levi's reckoning, and All Huskies, a kennel in Kittilä, lists its 15 km sled safari as suitable from November to April.⁵ ⁶ ¹ Inside that window, every month works, but no two feel the same.

Every average quoted here is our own, worked out from NOAA's monthly records for 1991 to 2020 at the weather station at Kittilä Airport, 15 km south of Levi; the days with rain or snow come from NOAA's Kittilä village station.² ⁷ They describe typical days, not the weather on your dates, and Levi's fell slopes and forests can differ from the airport by a few degrees either way.

Think about three things when you pick a month: how cold you are happy to be on a moving sled, how much daylight you want for the trail and for photos, and whether you want the Christmas atmosphere or the quiet of late winter. The sections below take them one at a time.

The dog year

From first snow to spring crust

September to November

Training on wheels

All Huskies trains on an ATV pulled by 16 huskies.⁸
October

First snow

Typically in the second or third week.⁵
December

Polar night

Normally from December to early January.³
January and February

Midwinter

Biting frost and deep snowdrifts.⁹
March and April

Spring crust

Large daily temperature swings harden the snow.⁴

How cold it gets, month by month

January is the airport station's coldest month: -8.3 °C by day and -17 °C by night, on average.² February is close behind, at -7.4 °C and -16.4 °C.² December averages -5.6 °C by day and -14 °C at night.²

The shoulders of the season are milder. November averages a high of -2.8 °C and a low of -9.4 °C, March -2.1 °C and -12.3 °C, and April climbs above freezing by day, to 4.1 °C, with nights at -4.8 °C.² Visit Finland gives an average winter temperature of -14 °C for Finnish Lapland as a whole, with occasional dips to -30 °C.¹⁰

Averages hide the cold snaps. Visit Levi warns that midwinter temperatures can fall to minus 30 degrees, and that the Arctic wind makes them feel even colder.⁹ Some kennels draw a line there: at -30°C or lower, Keo Wilderness and Lovimainas can postpone or refund a ride. This site's 7 km safari runs rain or shine, cancelled only for extreme weather.

Month by month

Hours without sun and wet days around Levi

Hours without sunDays with precipitationSeason

For each month: hours with the sun under the horizon at mid-month, and days with at least 2.5 mm of rain or snow at the Kittilä Airport and Kittilä village weather station, 1991 to 2020.²

The averages

Daylight, cold and snow days at Kittilä Airport

Month	Daylight (h)	Darkness (h)	High / low	Wet days	Dog year
Jan	3.2	20.8	-8 / -17 °C	5	midwinter frost
Feb	7.8	16.2	-7 / -16 °C	5	midwinter frost
Mar	11.5	12.5	-2 / -12 °C	4	spring crust
Apr	15.6	8.4	4 / -5 °C	4	spring crust
May	20	4	11 / 1 °C	6
Jun	24	0	16 / 7 °C	7	nightless night
Jul	24	0	20 / 10 °C	9	nightless night
Aug	17.6	6.4	17 / 8 °C	7
Sep	13.4	10.6	11 / 4 °C	7	cart training
Oct	9.6	14.4	3 / -3 °C	6	first snow
Nov	5.3	18.7	-3 / -9 °C	7	cart training
Dec	0	24	-6 / -14 °C	7	polar night

Daylight in the middle of each month, the average daily high and low, and the days reaching 2.5 mm of rain or snow, as NOAA recorded them at Kittilä Airport, 1991 to 2020.² Season according to All Huskies' 15 km safari on Visit Finland.¹

Three months compared

December, February or March

Darkest

December

Polar night and holidays

Daylight: 0 hrs mid-month
High: -5.6 °C
Low: -14 °C

Compare

Balanced

February

Deep snow, growing light

Daylight: 7.8 hrs
High: -7.4 °C
Low: -16.4 °C

Compare

Brightest of the three

March

Spring crust

Daylight: 11.5 hrs
High: -2.1 °C
Low: -12.3 °C

Compare

Decision helper

Which month suits your ride?

Start from what you want to see and feel

December

Polar night and the holiday weeks.³

January

Average low -17 °C, biting frost and deep drifts.² ⁹

February

7.8 hours of daylight at mid-month.²

March

11.5 hours of daylight, spring crust snow.² ⁴

April

15.6 hours of daylight, still in season.² ¹

In Levi, the nightless night begins in late May and lasts for about 50 days.

Visit LeviSource 11

Daylight hours in Levi through the winter

Light changes faster than temperature. In the middle of December the sun never rises at the airport station, in line with Visit Levi's description of polar night as normally starting in December and ending in early January.² ³ By mid-January there are 3.2 hours of daylight, and by mid-February 7.8.²

Then the days race ahead. Mid-March brings 11.5 hours of daylight and mid-April 15.6.² Daylight hours in Levi in November are already short, 5.3 at mid-month, which puts November rides in a long, soft twilight.² These figures are for the sun above the horizon; on clear days there is useful light before sunrise and after sunset.

For a husky ride, daylight decides what you will see. In the darkest weeks, the trail runs through blue twilight with snow-laden trees glowing faintly. By March the same trail is bright and sparkling, and the passenger has hours of light for photos. Neither is better; they are different rides. If photos matter to you, plan a midday ride in the dark months, when the twilight is at its brightest, and give your phone a warm pocket between shots.

Checklist

Planning around the season

By month

December: plan for twilight rides
January: the warmest layers you own
March and April: sunglasses for the glare

Any month

Book early for the holiday weeks
Check messages from the provider the day before
Know the kennel's rule for extreme cold

Cost calculator

Price your husky ride for the season

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7 km self-driveRuns rain or shinefrom $230 5 km, Rautusjärvi-30°C rulefrom $173 Winter clothing setFor any monthfrom $54

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Video

Polar nights in Finnish Lapland: dog sled and snowmobile in Levi

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A Lapland husky safari in December

December is the month of polar night in Levi and of the holidays.³ A Lapland husky safari in December takes place in twilight, with the snow reflecting what light there is and the cold at an average of -5.6 °C by day.² The month sees 7 days with at least 2.5 mm of precipitation at the Kittilä village station, mostly as snow at these temperatures.²

The holiday weeks are also the busiest. Visit Levi calls husky safaris possibly the most booked activities and advises booking well in advance.¹² If your dates fall around Christmas or New Year, book the ride as soon as your trip is fixed; free cancellation up to 24 hours before on this site's safari keeps the risk low.

Visit Levi also notes that its aurora period lasts until April, and the long dark of December gives the sky plenty of time.¹³ No husky ride can promise the northern lights, and this site's 7 km safari does not claim to look for them. Count any lights you see on the way back as a gift.

January and February: deep snow and hard frost

Midwinter is the heart of the dog season. Visit Levi describes January and February as the time of biting frost and deep snowdrifts.⁹ The trails are well packed, the dogs are in full training, and the snow squeaks under the runners. January and February each have 5 days with at least 2.5 mm of precipitation at the Kittilä village station.²

The price of that snow is the cold. With average lows of -17 °C in January and -16.4 °C in February, dress for the coldest version of the forecast.² This site's safari includes winter clothing, but warm wool layers underneath are essential in these weeks.

February is the turning point for light. With 7.8 hours of daylight at mid-month, a ride in the middle of the day has real sun, and the long shadows of the trees fall across the trail.² It is a fine balance of deep snow and reasonable daylight, and the frost is no harder than in January.

March and April: spring light on old snow

March and April are the gentle end of the season. Visit Levi says spring crust snow, warmed by the sun and refrozen at night, comes especially in March and April, thanks to the large daily temperature swings.⁴ The average high climbs from -2.1 °C in March to 4.1 °C in April.²

With 11.5 and then 15.6 hours of daylight at mid-month, there is light for long rides and for photos from the basket.² Visit Levi mentions two-day husky sled safaris in the long spring days, and All Huskies still lists April in its season.¹⁴ ¹ Bring sunglasses: the glare off spring snow is strong.

The risk in late April is the snow itself. As the days warm, the trails soften, and kennels adapt routes or start times to conditions. If you travel late in the season, keep an eye on messages from the provider, and keep your plans flexible around the ride.

Before the snow and after it

Outside the sled season the dogs are still there. When the weather turns colder in autumn, sleigh programmes start again, and guests can help train the huskies on safaris on wheels.¹⁵ All Huskies runs training tours on an ATV pulled by 16 huskies from the beginning of September to November.⁸

Summer is a different world. Visit Levi says the nightless night begins in late May and lasts for about 50 days, and mid-June and mid-July both have 24 hours of daylight at the airport station.¹¹ ² July days reach 19.6 °C on average, the mildest of the year.² The huskies can be met then too, even on a hike.¹⁶

For a first husky ride with snow, though, aim for the heart of the season. February and March combine reliable snow with growing light, December brings polar night and the holidays, and January the deepest cold.² ³ ² Pick the one that fits the trip you want, then book the ride early and pack for the cold end of the range.

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