Lapland: Thousands of tourists stranded in Santa Claus's home due to record-breaking temperatures of minus 37 degrees Celsius.
An extreme cold spell, with temperatures nearing -40 degrees Celsius, paralyzed Kittila Airport, forcing the cancellation of numerous international flights and leaving thousands of tourists stranded during the peak travel season.
Lapland, the legendary land known as the home of Santa Claus, is experiencing one of the harshest cold spells in history. Temperatures plummeting to near minus 40 degrees Celsius have not only created an extremely icy landscape but have also completely paralyzed air transport infrastructure in northern Finland, directly impacting the plans of thousands of international tourists.
Air travel has come to a standstill due to severe weather.
According to data from the Finnish Meteorological Institute and the national broadcaster Yle, on the morning of January 11th, the temperature at Kittila Airport reached minus 37 degrees Celsius. This freezing condition persisted, making it impossible for ground operations to function normally.
Kittila Airport is the most important gateway for tourists to winter resorts and aurora viewing activities north of the Arctic Circle. However, the airport's management in Finavia states that most of the current equipment is not designed to operate continuously in temperatures below -30 degrees Celsius. When temperatures drop too low, de-icing solutions for aircraft become ineffective, and hydraulic and fuel systems are prone to serious technical malfunctions.
Life is disrupted at the heart of winter tourism.
The mass cancellation of flights starting on January 11th created a chain reaction. Thousands of passengers planning to fly to major cities like London, Manchester, Paris, and Amsterdam were stranded at the terminals. Many only received cancellation notices after arriving at the airport, forcing them to seek temporary accommodation as hotels around the ski resorts were fully booked.
To find an escape route, some tourists attempted to travel by road to nearby airports such as Oulu or Rovaniemi. However, this journey was fraught with risks as visibility was limited by snow and icy roads were slippery, making driving a dangerous challenge.
The impact is spreading across Europe.
Not only Finland, but the cold air mass from the Arctic has swept across many areas in Northern, Central, and Eastern Europe, causing widespread disruption. In Germany, the railway system in the northern states has had to temporarily suspend operations. Many schools have been forced to switch to online learning to ensure the safety of students from the risk of traffic accidents due to ice and snow.
In the Baltic region, authorities in Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia have also issued red weather alerts. Residents are advised to postpone all non-essential travel as snowstorms and strong winds continue to batter vital transportation routes.
Facts and notes
Meteorological experts say temperatures close to minus 40 degrees Celsius are a rare phenomenon, even for a region as harsh as Lapland. Currently, Finnish authorities and airlines are working to reschedule flights and assist stranded passengers.
- Flight conditions:Airports can only resume operations when temperatures rise to safe levels (typically above minus 20 degrees Celsius).
- Recommendation:Travelers planning a trip to Northern Europe should closely monitor weather forecasts and airline announcements.
- Equipment:If you must go outdoors, wear multiple layers of appropriate clothing and minimize direct skin contact with the air to avoid frostbite.
