Brits have been stranded in Finland’s Lapland after extreme -35C temperatures grounded all flights. Departures from Kittila Airport were cancelled on Sunday, January 11, leaving thousands unable to travel to destinations including London, Bristol, Manchester, Paris and Amsterdam.
Temperatures are expected to drop even further to an unimaginable -39C, as forecast by Finland’s meteorological agency, meaning the cancellations could continue. The airport predominantly serves travellers heading for nearby ski resorts and to see the Northern Lights. At Rovaniemi Airport, which is the country’s most common gateway for visiting Santa’s fictional home in Lapland, one flight was also cancelled on Sunday.
The planes are struggling under such extreme cold because the temperatures make it hard to de-ice them. On the ground, the maintenance and refuelling equipment can also freeze.
Airport operator Finavia told public broadcaster Yle that the moisture in the air exacerbated the situation because a slippery frost had formed.
Flights were also believed to have been cancelled at Kittila on Friday and Saturday, reports the BBC.
This weather is extreme, even for Lapland, where travellers flock every winter to ski, meet Santa and see the Northern Lights. According to the nation’s tourism board, the winter average in Finnish Lapland is around -14C, which occasionally dips to -30C.
It comes after Arctic conditions have battered the UK with heavy rain, snow and winds. Temperatures dropped to a low of -12C during Storm Goretti in the UK, and over the past fortnight, the Met Office has issued several weather warnings.
A flood warning has been issued until tomorrow, January 12, at 10am, with the weather agency warning that a combination of heavy rain and rising temperatures could cause floods as the accumulations of snow melt.
Drivers have been urged to pack a winter safety kit in their cars during weather warnings, in case their car becomes stranded.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
