Train company Vy which operates the Norrtåg trains between Kiruna and Luleå in the far north cancelled trains between the cities on Tuesday, while warning of likely cancellations on Wednesday and maybe even later in the week. No replacement buses will be called in due to the cold.
“There aren’t any vehicles that are allowed to run in minus 35, the temperature at the moment, so we’re doing it for passengers’ safety,” Vy business manager Christer Berglund told TT newswire on Monday evening.
Travellers were advised to rebook their tickets for a later date or have them refunded.
In Stockholm, where temperatures could reach as low as -20 towards the end of the week, snow was causing problems on Tuesday. A number of bus routes in Stockholm county were diverted due to the bad weather, according to newspaper Dagens Nyheter.
"The underground and commuter trains are running fine, but we're seeing issues on the buses due to the weather," SL press spokesperson Sophie Gunnarsson told the newspaper.
"It's causing issues with accessibility and some stops which buses can't get to. I'm not sure exactly which stops are affected and the situation is constantly changing."
Those planning on travelling can check which stations are affected on SL's website here.
On Tuesday morning, Nikkaluokta, west of Kiruna and east of Kebnekaise, Sweden’s tallest mountain, recorded a temperature of -41.1C, the lowest temperature recorded in Sweden this winter.
Bad weather is also predicted at the other end of the country, where temperatures could be as low as -20C, unusually cold for the region. SMHI issued a yellow weather warning for snow and wind in northwestern Skåne, as well as an orange weather warning for wind and "large amounts of snow" between Wednesday and Thursday for northeastern Skåne, parts of Kalmar and Blekinge.
The agency also issued a yellow warning in Jämtland where winds were expected to reach up to 22 metres per second.
“We have a low pressure front coming in from the North Sea and Denmark,” SMHI meteorologist Emma Härenstam said.
“It’s bringing with it heavy snowfall over southern Götaland, as well as strong winds. It’s windy today [on Tuesday], but will be even windier tomorrow.”
Two more weather stations, both in Norrland, also recorded temperatures below minus 40 on Tuesday morning: Karesuando and Kvikkjokk-Årrenjarka, where the mercury hit -40.9 and -40.4 degrees, respectively.
There’s still a way to go though before Sweden’s coldest temperature record is broken. This was -52.6 degrees, measured in Vuoggatjålme in the Arctic Circle in February 1966, and is also the coldest temperature ever recorded in Europe, excluding Russia.
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