Minus 49.7 degrees at the farmer Jon Evald: - Bit cold!

By VG - Published: 04 Jan. 2024 - JOHAN MATHIS GAUP - FILIPPA VALE FROGNER

KAUTOKEINO (VG) The Siberian cold has made itself felt on the Finnmarksvidda. On Thursday, Kautokeino set a cold record for this millennium.

The short version

• The Siberian cold has arrived in Finnmark, and Kautokeino set a cold record for this millennium on Thursday.
• Lloyd Mikkel Hætta, who records weather data for the Meteorological Institute, says that he has never experienced such extreme cold since 1999.
• Outside Kautokeino, farmer Jon Evald Hætta measured -49.7 degrees.
• Even though it is extremely cold, work continues on farms and with reindeer husbandry in Kautokeino.

Lloyd Mikkel Hætta (45) inherited the work of recording weather data for the Meteorological Institute from his father, and since 1999 has never experienced such extreme cold, he says:

- We are often cold here on the fjord, but less and less often for long periods, and have for many years avoided the lowest temperatures. We have to go back to 2016 to find something nearby, so this is more extreme, says the local "weather forecaster" to VG.

The cold, dry snow crunches under his feet as he trots out to the weather station to measure the day's rainfall.

In 2016, −42.8 was measured in Kautokeino on 7 January.

The absolute coldest measured in Kautokeino is minus 50.3 degrees. The cold record was set on 27 January 1999.

Braving the extreme cold

On Wednesday it was measured below minus 43 degrees in Øksidet - and on Thursday it was even colder in several places in Kautokeino.

The official gauge stopped at "moderate" - 43.5 on Thursday, but far lower temperatures have been measured in several valleys outside the center of Kautokeino.

Like here in Avži, with close to minus 50.

- Now it's not cold outside, but bitterly cold, says farmer Jon Evald Hætta (45) to VG.

Hetta's measuring instrument on the wall shows −49.7 degrees.

Even if he has to grit his teeth - extreme cold or not - farming does not take a break.

Jon Evald has just succeeded in getting the tractor started when VG swoops in.

- A few hours passed, with indoor heating breaks. And even though there aren't driving conditions for a tractor now, I have to find a frozen hay bale, get it into the barn, and get the food thawed and mashed out to the cows, he says.

But Hætta believes that it doesn't make sense to stay outdoors now.

- If I could, I would probably have sat in front of the fireplace and watched sports like many others, but that's not possible when important work is waiting out here in the cold, says Hætta.

COLD, BUT CHEERFUL: Jon Evald Hætta (45) points to his measuring instrument on the wall in his barn.Photo: Johan Mathis Gaup

Respect for the weather

Reindeer Nils Peder Gaup does what Jon Evald himself wanted: He warms up with a cup of coffee and watches the sport. Right now he is relaxed but reports a few tough days on shepherd duty in Avži.

- Yes, some days up until now have been heavy and tough. With such temperatures, which we Sámi call "Roastibuoláš" (a bit cold and then a bit), it's cold outside for everyone. Also for us who are used to being outside a lot in all kinds of weather, he says and adds:

- It is alpha omega to know how to dress. We here in the north, and especially the reindeer herding Sami, are used to exactly that, but still, such cold as today is no longer commonplace.

- Have you ever been afraid when you are out in the cold and stormy weather?

- No, not in the cold, but a little anxious during storms. Once, my mate and I had to dig ourselves into a one-meter snow shovel and ride out the storm for 40 hours. Every time we tried to fill up the scooter, the petrol went sky high and you couldn't see anything. When the storm subsided, the snowdrift had grown to 6 meters and we had to dig and chop with the knives to find the snowmobile again, says Gaup.

DEFYING THE COLD: Reindeer owner Nils Peder Gaup (58) has just finished four days of shepherding in the extreme cold, and is now only going out a little to see the reindeer that are nearby, but says that the right clothing is the thing now. Photo: Johan Mathis Gaup

The rescuers had to save themselves

On days like this, Viking usually has its hands full rescuing both cars and people who get stuck in the cold, but today was an exception.

- Yes, here we are stuck in the village, with our tow trucks that have simply frozen and stopped. All our cars are standing, so today we have enough to rescue ourselves into warm halls, smiles rescuer Heikki Saari.

He states that yes, their people also get cold.

- We would not recommend any long trips out by car now, no, he says.

Great contrasts

Cold on land, mild in water.

On the night of Thursday, 2.7 plus degrees were measured at Fruholmen lighthouse on the coast of Finnmark.

At that time, the temperature in Kautokeino was a few degrees lower: Minus 41.8 degrees.

It still gives a temperature difference of 44.5 degrees in the same county.

The distance between the two measurement points is just under 240 kilometers as the crow flies.