Syyskesä

Syyskesä is a Finnish term that refers to the late summer or early autumn period. It typically denotes the transition from the warmth of summer to the cooler days of autumn, often characterized by a pleasant and mild climate. This period is not a precisely defined meteorological season but rather a descriptive one, commonly understood to encompass the weeks from late August through September in Finland.

During syyskesä, the days begin to shorten noticeably, and the sunlight takes on a golden hue. Temperatures are generally mild, with cooler nights. While summer's heat has usually subsided, it is not yet cold enough for frost to be a common occurrence. The foliage on trees may begin to show the first signs of changing colors, hinting at the vibrant autumn display to come, although the leaves are generally still green.

This time of year is often associated with the harvest season, as many crops ripen and are gathered. It is also a popular time for outdoor activities in Finland, such as hiking and mushroom picking, due to the comfortable weather and the beginning of nature's transformation. The term captures a specific, often cherished, atmospheric quality of this transitional phase.