On February 2nd, 1966, the coldest day ever recorded in Sweden took place in the small town of Vuoggatjålme in the northern region of Lapland. At a temperature of -52.6 degrees Celsius (-62.7 degrees Fahrenheit), this was the coldest temperature Sweden had ever recorded since they started measuring temperatures in 1860.
The extreme temperature drop was the result of a cold air mass that had descended over the country from the north, bringing with it winds of up to 20 meters per second.
It’s worth noting that the temperature was measured on a private thermometer and not at a weather station, which at the time left room for debate on whether it was an accurate reading or not.
The coldest temperature ever recorded in Sweden at an official weather station was on December 30, 1978. The temperature was then measured to be a chilling -48.9 C.
Whether the coldest day in Sweden dropped to as low as -52.6 C or it was in fact -48.9 C, the extreme cold resulted in major damage in the northern parts of the country, including the breaking of water pipes and the grounding of aircraft due to the freezing of engines.
The extreme cold also had a significant impact on the country’s wildlife, with many animals struggling to survive in the harsh conditions.
Thankfully, it’s not often that Sweden gets that cold. Normal winter temperatures in Sweden will reach around -30 C in northern parts of Sweden, and stay close to freezing temperatures at 0 C in southern parts of Sweden, according to Visit Sweden.
