VOA News | Thursday, January 4 2024 
Extreme Cold Grips Nordic Countries as Floods Hit Western Europe

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Europe experienced stark weather contrasts on Wednesday, with extreme cold and snowstorms disrupting transportation and closing schools in Scandinavia while strong winds and heavy rain in western Europe caused flooding and at least one death. Temperatures fell below minus 40 degrees Celsius (minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit) in the Nordic region for a second consecutive day Wednesday. In Kvikkjokk-Årrenjarka in Swedish Lapland, the mercury dropped to minus 43.6 C (minus 46.5 F) the lowest January temperature recorded in Sweden in 25 years, Sweden’s TT news agency reported. Extremely cold temperatures, snow and gale-force winds disrupted transportation throughout the Nordic region, with several bridges closed and some train and ferry services suspended. Several schools in Scandinavia were closed. Police across most of Denmark urged motorists to avoid unnecessary trips as wind and snow battered the northern and western parts of the country. Western Russia has been swept by a wave of cold air coming from Siberia and the Arctic region, with temperatures in Moscow and other areas plummeting to minus 30 C (minus 22 F)…Read more