Finland and Sweden recorded their coldest temperatures this winter on Tuesday, with thermometers plummeting to -40 degrees Celsius (-40 degrees Celsius) as a result of a widespread cold wave across Northern Europe.
Swedish public broadcaster SVT reported that the thermometer in Nikkarokta, a small indigenous Sami village in northern Sweden, read -41.6 degrees Celsius (-42.8 degrees Celsius) early Tuesday morning.
“Temperatures are the coldest so far this winter and will continue to be quite cold in the north,” SVT meteorologist Nils Holmqvist said.
Swedish railway operators say the cold snap is causing major problems for rail traffic in the north.
The Swedish Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology reported that temperatures reached -30C (-22C) in several places in northern Sweden.
It also issued a snow and wind warning for south-central Sweden, saying Wednesday’s combination of snow and wind could cause problems.
The second highest alert applies from midnight until Wednesday.
In neighboring Finland, the coldest winter record was recorded in the northwestern town of Ilibieska, with temperatures dropping to -37.8 degrees Celsius (-36 degrees Celsius) early Tuesday.
Temperatures below -30 degrees Celsius were recorded in some places in the Lapland region of the Arctic Circle.
Finland’s capital Helsinki has also been hit by a cold wave, with temperatures expected to remain between -15C and -20C throughout this week.
The Finnish Meteorological Institute has issued a warning that significant cold air is prevailing in the country this week, with predicted temperatures potentially exceeding -40 degrees Celsius in parts of the country.
Police announced on X news agency that part of the E18 motorway in southern Norway was closed due to weather-related conditions.
Schools in the southern Norwegian town of Arendal will be closed on Wednesday because sidewalks cannot be cleared of snow in time for children to get to school, authorities said.
A key bridge in Denmark has been closed to vehicles carrying light trailers due to strong winds that could affect driving, the Danish Roads Agency said.
Several ferry companies in the region have canceled crossings, including ferries from southern Norway to Denmark, Danish officials said.