In Finland, temperatures plummeted to a record-breaking minus 30°C in Finnish Lapland, marking the coldest weather in 25 years. Tourist Lauri Untamo experienced this extreme cold firsthand during his holiday, where he also witnessed the Northern Lights and enjoyed outdoor activities despite the freezing conditions.
Finland Experiences Extreme Cold, Tourist Performs Boiling Water Trick
In Finland, a tourist turned boiling water into icy dust in the extreme cold. Lauri Untamo, a 49-year-old sales manager from southern Finland, was on a trip to Finnish Lapland.
According to Reuters, the temperature dropped to minus 30 degrees Celsius (-22°F) on New Year's Day. Untamo had seen videos of people throwing boiling water in the air in cold weather. It turns into a cloud of ice. He tried this trick himself, and it worked. The water instantly changed into an icy cloud and drifted away. Untamo did this safely, without any burns.
This cold spell in Finland has been the coldest in 25 years. The lowest temperature was minus 44.3 C (-47.74°F). This was recorded last Friday in Enontekio, north of where Untamo was staying. Despite the cold, Untamo and his friends enjoyed their holiday. They went Nordic skiing and walked in the snowy forests. They even saw the Northern Lights on some nights.
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This Tuesday, both Finland and neighboring Sweden witnessed their coldest winter temperatures. The mercury in thermometers dipped to a chilling minus 40 degrees Celsius. This drop is due to a cold wave sweeping across the Nordic region.
This winter, the coldest spot in Finland was in the northwestern town of Ylivieska. On Tuesday morning, temperatures there plummeted to a frigid minus 37.8 degrees Celsius, as reported by Sarajevo Times. Moreover, several locations in the Arctic Lapland region recorded temperatures below minus 30 degrees.
Helsinki also suffers from this cold weather, with temperatures expected to stay between minus 15 and minus 20 degrees throughout the week. The Finnish Meteorological Institute has alerted the public about the severe cold. They predict temperatures could fall even further, possibly below minus 40 degrees in some parts of the country. This extreme weather poses challenges for residents as they navigate the freezing conditions.
Finland Boosts Gas Supply Due to High Demand in Cold Weather
On Friday, Finland's gas system operator, Gasgrid, announced a quick order for more liquefied natural gas (LNG). This move comes as Finland faces a severe cold wave, causing a spike in electricity prices and gas demand.
Due to the cold, more people use electricity for heating, leading to higher gas usage.
On Thursday, Finland saw its highest gas use in over two years, reaching 130 GWh. This increase left only about 525 GWh of gas in storage at the Inkoo LNG import terminal. Another report from Reuters stated that Gasgrid had ordered an additional 100 GWh of gas to balance the market and meet this high demand. This extra supply will arrive at Inkoo before the next scheduled delivery on Jan. 11.
A small LNG ship, the Coral Energy, is expected to reach Inkoo from Norway on Jan. 7. Meanwhile, Fingrid, the power grid operator, and the government have asked people to use less electricity, especially during peak hours, to avoid blackouts. Despite the high demand, the electricity system remained stable on Friday. However, Finland's average electricity price hit a record high of 890.54 euros per megawatt hour.
Read Also: What You Need to Know About Customs and Traditions in Finland
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