With lows of below -15 °C in some places, parts of Central Europe experienced the coldest nights of this winter over the weekend. It was even colder in Lapland, with lows below -40 °C recorded.

The coldest temperatures were recorded on Sunday in Karasjok in Finnmark, northern Norway, where the mercury dropped to minus 41.5 degrees early on Sunday morning.

Thousands of travellers were stranded in nearby Kittilä after the airport had to be completely closed due to the persistent cold.

However, the icy cold is now also receding in Lapland: it will become increasingly milder in the coming days, and only light to moderate frost is expected at the weekend – at least temporarily.