Juoksengi

Ice breakup on the Torne River near Övertorneå occurred unusually early, with the Lions Club competition raft crossing the border bridge on 23 April—earlier than ever recorded for the event (running since 1959). Ice breakup is typically observed in early May.

An NSD reader photographed an unusual rainbow during winter conditions in Hedenäset, Sweden, on February 6.

A cold snap persisted in Norrbotten, Sweden, with overnight temperatures in Tornedalen and the Malmfälten region dropping to near −40°C. Pajala recorded −38.4°C, with several nearby locations also below −38°C.

A wolf-like animal was filmed near Jarhois in Pajala, and a reindeer was found killed the next day in nearby Kardis, prompting local hunters to keep their dogs at home during moose hunting. The sightings have raised concern in the community close to the Övertorneå border.

A Eurasian hoopoe, rare in Finland, has been visiting a yard in Pello, Lapland, for a week, likely carried north by southerly airflows.

SOS Alarm in Norrbotten, Sweden is experiencing extreme call volumes from approximately 20 fires triggered by lightning in a heatwave, resulting in delayed emergency response times.

Volunteer firefighting flights in Norrbotten faced their most hectic period ever when a Sunday thunderstorm sparked multiple lightning-ignited wildfires, creating a “wall of lightning” that hindered access across Gällivare, Kiruna, Pajala and Porjus.

Norrbotten experienced one of its longest recorded heatwaves, with temperatures exceeding 25 °C for over two weeks and setting century-old records in Haparanda and Jokkmokk, according to SMHI.

The Finnish Meteorological Institute reports that July 2025 was exceptionally warm across Finland, with Lapland’s Ylitornio experiencing a record 26-day heatwave.

This summer brought unusually few mosquitoes to Norrbotten, allowing many to hike in the mountains without being bitten due to a dry spring and cool early summer.

The annual Tornedalsloppet cross-country ski race in Tornedalen, Sweden, was cancelled for the second year in a row because there is not enough snow along the full course, with warm weather being the main problem.

The Torne River on the border between Sweden and Finland has swelled to almost five metres above its usual level in certain parts, due to melting snow ...