Europe experienced extreme weather conditions on Wednesday, with significant differences between the Nordic region and Western Europe. In Scandinavia, temperatures dropped below minus 40 degrees Celsius, causing transportation disruptions and school closures. Sweden reported its coldest January night in 25 years, reaching minus 43.6 degrees Celsius in the far north.
To put this in perspective, it's the lowest January temperature in Sweden since 1999. The measurement was taken at the Kvikkjokk-Arrenjarka station in Sweden's far north, and it's the lowest temperature recorded at this site since measurements began in 1888.
The cold snap also affected Finland, with frozen water pipes reported, leaving around 300 people in Tampere without running water on Tuesday. The frigid conditions are expected to move south in the coming days, with Helsinki already seeing temperatures rise to minus 15 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.
Simultaneously, western Europe faced different challenges, including strong winds and heavy rain, leading to flooding and at least one reported death. The contrasting weather patterns highlight the diverse impacts experienced across the continent.