Painealueiltaan

Painealueiltaan is a Finnish term used primarily in meteorology and geography to refer to weather descriptions, analyses, or classifications that are based on the distribution of atmospheric pressure zones. The word is formed from paine (pressure) and alue (area) with the suffix -iltaan, which conveys a perspective or basis, in this case the basis being pressure areas.

In practice, painealueiltaan describes how weather phenomena are driven by the arrangement and movement of pressure systems, such as high-pressure (korkea painealue) and low-pressure (matalapainealue) areas. The phrase is common in synoptic chart analyses, forecasts, and climate discussions where the emphasis is on pressure-driven dynamics rather than other factors like temperature or humidity alone. It can appear in sentences such as “Säätilan kehitys painealueiltaan katsottuna riippuu suurimmaksi osaksi matalapaineen liikkeestä,” meaning the development of the weather situation viewed from the perspective of pressure areas is largely determined by the movement of low pressure.

Related terms include korkea painealue, matala painealue, painegradientti (pressure gradient), and synoptinen kartta. Painealueiltaan is thus a methodological phrase that helps situate weather analysis within the framework of atmospheric pressure systems, rather than treating weather variables in isolation.