Finland Sets Temperature Record at -43 Degrees Celsius

On Thursday, January 4, Finland experienced its lowest temperature of the winter, with the mercury plummeting to -43.1 degrees Celsius in the Lapland city of Enontekiö. This marks the third time in a day that the country has witnessed record-breaking cold. Earlier on the same day, Enontekiö recorded a temperature of -42.5 degrees Celsius.

According to Yle, the Finnish Meteorological Institute noted that temperatures below -42 degrees Celsius have been recorded only three times in this century. Interestingly, when the thermometer dipped to -40 degrees Celsius, the temperature aligned with the Fahrenheit scale, where such extreme cold is also denoted as -40 degrees.

"We officially crossed the -40-degree mark on Wednesday shortly before midnight. In Enontekiö Airport, the temperature slightly dropped compared to the morning readings, reaching -43.1 degrees Celsius," reported meteorologist Nina Karusto.

Due to the severe cold, Finland may establish a national record for electricity consumption. Fingrid, the electricity grid operator, assured the public of an adequate supply of electricity but urged consumers to try to reduce electricity consumption, especially in the morning and daytime, to avoid unnecessary strain on the power grid.

In neighbouring Sweden, meteorologists also report record-low temperatures. In the small village of Nikkaluokta, inhabited by the indigenous Sámi people in northern Sweden, a temperature of -41.6 degrees Celsius was recorded early Tuesday morning, as reported by the Swedish public broadcaster SVT.

Cold and snow disrupted transportation across the entire Scandinavian region, including Norway, where the main highway in the south was closed due to inclement weather, and ferry services were suspended. Swedish railway operators stated that the cold weather caused significant issues for rail transport in the Arctic north. In Finland, most trains operated with delays on December 2.

However, meteorologists predict a temperature rise over the weekend. It is expected that the wind will weaken by Friday, and the weather will become milder, even in Lapland, where temperatures around zero degrees Celsius are forecasted at the beginning of next week.