Best time to go to the Baltics?

[PJV3169]

What is the weather like there? Thinking of an early June time? will it be too cold? rainy?

[aqua]

We sailed from the middle of June to the first of July last year. Most ports were cool, and several were wet. I think that the later trips had better weather. But with the exception of torrential rain in Copenhagen, it wasn't bad. We took dollar store ponchos and were glad we did. Just a note that even if it is cool in St. Petersburg, it will probably be warm inside the palaces and the Hermitage. They are not air conditioned, and the crowds can make them toasty!

[LHT28]

We went mid June in 2003 the weather was t-shirt and light jacket for daytime and fleece jacket at night.

I guess it can be unpredictable so layers would be the key

[north-bound]

LHT28 is correct. It is unpredictable. And whichever time you decide to go you will have to bring layers to cover all alternatives from hot and sunny to cold, windy and rainy.

 

I can only speak for Stockholm, since that is where I live. But 2003, when aqua was here it was an unusally sunny summer, with long periods of really hot weather. 2004 was mostly cold and a lot of rain. Nobody can say what next summer will be like.

 

Looking at average temperatures and average rain does not help at all. That is just average. And even if hot weather is more likely in July and August than in May or September, that does not tell you anything about what it will be like when you are here.

 

It is also possible to have really bad luck or good luck. A ship may be in Stockholm on a cold day with heavy rain. The next day this ship will be in Helsinki, and the rain has also moved to Helsinki. In Stockholm the sky has cleared and it is a nice day for ship number 2 who arrives that day. And when ship number 2 arrives in Helsinki the rain has disappeared there too. So a passenger on the first ship can go home and write that the weather in the Baltics was really bad, while the passenger on ship 2 would come back saying the weather was perfect. Despite the fact that they where here the same week.

 

Since a Baltic cruise includes a lot of sight-seeing, what you really want is sunshine, but not too hot. And definitely no rain. So a good time may be late May untill end of June. And then again late August untill end af September. This way there is little risk that it is really hot, but on the other hand it may be rather cold. The rain can happen at any time so that is more difficult to avoid.

[SCDH]

We just got back from a June 24 sailing. It was sunny, 68-75 degrees, no rain--but we were prepared for anything.

[jaxon41]

We went the end of May -- returned June 2nd. I thought the weather was great -- 50-60's. We were told that the since the sights in St. Pete are not air-conditioned that many visitors faint in the summer, especially at the Hermitage. I'd go for the cooler weather. I wore a long sleeved T, fleece vest, and took a light rain repellant jacket that I could tie around my waist if I got warm. Only one day was rainy and a tad too cool, and then only part of the day.