A canoeist paddles on the Kesanki Lake in Akaslompolo, Kolari in Lapland, Northern Finland, on July 7, 2021 as the area continues to experience a record-breaking heatwave with temperatures topping 33 degrees Celsius
(Picture: Lehtikuva/AFP via Getty Images)Apparently even Santa Claus can’t avoid a sweltering summer heatwave as his “hometown” experiences record-breaking weather.
Finland’s most northerly region, Lapland which is famously recognised as Santa’s official residence, reached a high of 33.5°C on Monday, according to the Kevo Observatory.
The country hasn’t experienced blistering temperatures like this in over a century - since 1914 to be exact.
Over the past few weeks, the temperature has been climbing, the Helsinki Times reported.
So, if you’re planning a Scandinavian getaway this summer, you better pack the sun cream.
As you can probably guess, this isn’t a typical Finnish summer because they’re typically used to weather around 15-20°C at this time of the year.
But it seems their Nordic neighbours are also feeling the heat too.
Norway recorded an even higher temperature at 34°C in Saltdal county near the Arctic Circle.
Sweden is encountering similar weather, with June being the country’s hottest month since records began.
A map shared by The World Meteorological Organization - the U.N.’s authoritative voice on weather, climate and water shows how the extreme heat has taken hold over the Nordic countries.
A #heatwave is hitting the #Arctic and Scandinavia
— World Meteorological Organization (@WMO) July 6, 2021
On Monday, it reached 34.3°C in Banak, Norway and 33.6°C in Utsjoki Kevo, Lapland (Finland)#Copernicus #Sentinel3 land surface temperature product shows the high temperatures
via @mikarantane and @PlatformAdam #ClimateChange pic.twitter.com/Ifcc3mU9Dv
People have shared their concerns on Twitter about the dramatic rise in temperature and referenced climate change.
After Canada it’s now the European Arctic suffering from a totally unusual crazy #heatwave. This stuff is worrying… https://t.co/VmvJIrF5Yf
— Remco Timmermans (@timmermansr) July 7, 2021
I’m no scientist, but this seems not great. https://t.co/vgA5poShex
— Christina Arango Dowling (@fatherdowling) July 6, 2021
https://t.co/ql7kY2UCDi pic.twitter.com/mGr6FgrFVb
— Veli-Pekka Kivimäki (@vpkivimaki) July 6, 2021
It shouldn't be hot enough to wear shorts in the Arctic. https://t.co/d25vblJkf4
— The Anthropocene Times (@NewEpochDawns) July 6, 2021
Record-breaking temperatures are currently happening in other parts of the world too.
At the beginning of summer, North America experienced a heatwave in the US state of Oregon which killed 95 people, and also in Canada where the British Columbia region recorded a nation record at 49.6C, The Independent reported.
On the other side of the globe in the southern hemisphere, New Zealand had its hottest recorded winter in June since 1909 - with highs of 22C in some areas.
In the UK, the current hottest day on record stands at 38.9°C, set two years ago on July 25 2019 at Cambridge Botanic Garden, according to the Met Office.
