Historic cold spell hits Scandinavia, Sweden records its coldest December day in 35 years

A historic cold spell is affecting Scandinavia, bringing unusually cold temperatures for the time of year.

With a temperature of -43.8 °C (-46.8 °F) registered in Naimakka in northern Lapland on Monday, December 6, 2021, Sweden recorded its coldest December day since December 1, 1986.¹

For Naimakka, this is the coldest December temperature since 1944 when their records keeping began. The settlement's all-time cold temperature record is -48.9 °C (-56 °F) registered in 1999.

-43.8 °C is also the lowest temperature ever recorded in Sweden so early in the season since 1945.

The neighboring station Karesuando recorded -41.9 °C (-43.4 °F) on December 6 before the temperature values ​​stopped coming in, according to Sweden’s national weather agency SMHI.

For this station, it was the coldest December temperature since 1915 when the temperatures dropped to -42 °C (-43.6 °F). The only times when a temperature of at least -40 °C (-40 °F) was measured in Karesuando in December are 1885, 1898, 1915, 1919, 1969, and 1986. 

In Nikkaluokta, the temperature dropped below -40 °C, with -40.5 °C (-40.9 °F) as the lowest on Monday morning.

Sweden's all-time cold temperature record is -52.6 °C (-62.7 °F) registered on February 2, 1966, in Vuoggatjålme, Lapland.

However, it is debated whether it was correctly recorded, so Sweden usually uses the runner-up, -48.9 °C (-56 °F) at Hemavaan on December 30, 1978.²

References:

¹ Nytt köldrekord för december i Naimakka – SMHI

² Tiny Swedish settlement sets new record as temperature plummets to -43.8C – The Local

Featured image credit: WXCharts