Ulkoilmastoja

Ulkoilmastoja refers to the range of outdoor climate conditions experienced in different locations and times. It encompasses the external atmospheric environment that affects people, processes, and built environments outdoors. The term is commonly used in architecture, urban planning, and environmental engineering in Finnish contexts to describe the range of climatic situations that outdoor spaces and structures must withstand or accommodate.

Key components include temperature (air temperature), relative humidity, wind speed and direction, precipitation (rain, snow), solar radiation, and air quality. Local topography, urban form, and vegetation create microclimates, so ulkoilmastoja can vary significantly over short distances or between seasons. Data are often summarized as climate normals or typical year values.

Data collection relies on meteorological stations and regional climate databases, with national services such as the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) providing weather data for design and research. Professionals may query long-term records, recent trends, or hourly values to assess outdoor conditions for specific sites and time frames.

In practice, ulkoilmastoja inform design decisions for outdoor spaces, urban furniture, lighting, shading, and drainage, as well as for simulations of energy use, ventilation, and thermal comfort in adjacent buildings. It also supports planning for events and public health, especially in extreme weather scenarios.

Ongoing climate change affects the frequency and intensity of conditions within ulkoilmastoja, prompting adaptation of standards and mitigation of urban heat islands.