Finland and Sweden recorded their coldest temperatures of the winter on Tuesday, as thermometers plummeted to -40 degrees Fahrenheit as a cold wave swept through Northern Europe. In the small Sami village of Nikkaluokta in northern Sweden, the thermometer read -42.8 degrees Celsius early Tuesday, Swedish public broadcaster SVT reported. “Temperatures are the coldest so far this winter and will continue to be quite cold in the north,” said SVT meteorologist Nils Holmqvist. Swedish railway operators say the cold snap has caused major problems in the north. The Swedish Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology reported temperatures of -22 degrees Celsius in some places in northern Sweden, the Associated Press reported.
The group also issued a snow and wind warning for south-central Sweden, saying Wednesday’s snowfall could combine with the wind to cause problems. The second highest alert applies from midnight until Wednesday. In neighboring Finland, the northwestern town of Ilibieska set its coldest winter record, with temperatures dropping to -36 degrees Celsius early Tuesday. Temperatures below -30 degrees Celsius were recorded in some places in the Arctic region of Lapland.
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 warned that a significant cold wave will arrive in the country this week, with temperatures expected to drop below -40 degrees Celsius in some areas. (Read more severe weather stories.)