Trains Delayed Up to -35 Degrees: Finland Braces for Severe Frost

On Tuesday, January 2, trains across Finland are experiencing delays due to extreme cold. The exceptionally low temperatures, including a reading of -35 degrees Celsius in the northern part of the country, are expected to persist until at least Thursday, according to Finnish publication Yle, citing local meteorologists.

Currently, 80% of long-distance trains in Finland are not adhering to the schedule. Approximately 30% of suburban trains are also running behind schedule, with some flights cancelled altogether.

According to reports from local media, long-distance trains in Finland are currently running 15 to 45 minutes behind schedule. Meanwhile, suburban trains are delayed by less than 15 minutes.

A warning for severe frost was issued across the entire country the day before. On Monday, temperatures in the southern and central parts of the country remained mostly between 10–20 degrees below zero. Additionally, strong winds in the south exacerbate the cold. In some northern areas, temperatures are expected to drop to -25 to -35 degrees. The lowest temperature recorded was in Kuusamo at -33.4 degrees Celsius.

The Finnish Meteorological Institute has been issuing frost warnings since 2011. The last nationwide frost warning was declared in December 2021 when temperatures in Muonio dropped to -35.2 degrees Celsius, and in Helsinki, it reached -16 degrees Celsius.

Frost warnings do not impose automatic restrictions on people's activities. Their purpose is to alert individuals at risk, especially those with respiratory issues, to be prepared for cold and dry weather.

Heikki Sinisalo, a meteorologist at the Finnish Meteorological Institute, explains that, in addition to temperature, the warning takes into account the strength of the frost. "The perceived temperature is affected by the 'feels-like' temperature. If the wind worsens the situation, as is the case in the southern part of the country now, the biting frost is a temperature that is only perceived below -20 degrees Celsius, although the actual temperature may be higher. In northern Finland, -20 degrees Celsius is not uncommon. If you live there, you are more accustomed to cold weather than in the south," says Heikki Sinisalo.

Earlier, The Gaze reported that the Danube River overflowed in Budapest. The water level rose to the highest marks in decades, reaching 6.93 meters. This was caused by heavy rains and snowfall, followed by an unusually early thaw.