Finland frozen: Record-breaking -42.7C temperature disrupts public transport, peaks electricity use
The record low temperature was recorded on Thursday morning at the airport in Enontekio, near the Sweden and Norway border, approximately 155 miles north of Rovaniemi. The remainder of Finland is experiencing temperatures between -20 and -35 degrees Celsius (-4 to -31 degrees Fahrenheit). The forecast suggests that these icy conditions are set to continue for the next few days.
The recent extreme cold throughout the country has led to record electricity consumption, as announced by the Fingrid operator.
Extreme cold paralyzes the country
The extreme low temperatures are also impacting public transportation. In Helsinki, many buses did not depart due to difficulties in starting and heating the vehicles, while long-distance trains are delayed by several hours.
Due to the freezing conditions, many parts of the country have suspended construction works. For concrete works, the limit is -15 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit), for crane works -20 degrees (-4 degrees Fahrenheit), and generally for outdoor work -25 degrees (-13 degrees Fahrenheit).
Sea freezes over
As a result of the Arctic frost, the entire Bothnian Bay has frozen over, a phenomena last observed in early January 2011. In different parts of the Baltic, the ice cover is currently four times the usual average, according to meteorological services.
The coldest temperature on record in Finland, a bone-chilling -51.5 degrees Celsius (-60.7 degrees Fahrenheit), was recorded in January 1999 in Kittila in Lapland.
