Karesuando has two extreme seasons and they attract different kinds of visitor. In winter — roughly November through February — temperatures regularly fall below minus 30°C, and in a harsh winter they can touch minus 40°C. The payoff is darkness: the northern lights appear frequently, and when conditions are right the entire sky moves with them. A clear, cold night with a full display is one of those experiences that makes the discomfort worth it.
Summer is the opposite extreme. The midnight sun shines without setting from late May to mid-July, turning days and nights into a continuous golden blur. The birch forests come alive, the river runs full, and temperatures occasionally climb into the twenties. The fell country east toward Finland is excellent for hiking and fishing.
Spring and autumn are transitional and often grey, but the autumn colours in September are spectacular across the tundra.