Cold Spell In Finland And Sweden Sends Temperatures Below Minus 40

HELSINKI (AP) — Finland and Sweden have recorded their coldest temperatures this winter as a cold spell grips the Nordic region.

Thermometers in the northern reaches of Sweden have plummeted below minus 40 degrees Celsius (minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit).

Swedish broadcaster SVT has reported that the indigenous Sami village of Nikkaluokta in northern Sweden has recorded the temperature of minus 41.6 degrees C.

Train operators in Sweden say the cold snap has caused substantial problems to rail traffic in the north.

The Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute has issued a warning for snow and wind for central and southern Sweden.

In Finland, this winter’s cold record was recorded in the northwestern town of Ylivieska, where temperatures fell to minus 37.8 C.