I saw the sun this morning, while smoking on the balcony in very gusty winds. Part of the sky clear, but a constant band of clouds near the coast outside of Stockholm in the NE and E - where so called "snow cannons" rave - with constant bands of low level snow showers, picking up the energy from the open sea. Albeit not that much snow has come down in the coastal regions. Here in Stockholm, we have a snow depth of 1 cm.

The strong wind gusts make the moderate temperature of -2°C at noon feel like -10°C !

Almost -56°C in Kanada

Well I read that Yukon in Canada had long lasting ice cold weather, often around -40°C, and registered the most a whopping -56°C. Boy, that kind of temperature has never been registered in Sweden (i think the absolute cold record was registered at -53°C in a place called Vuoggatjålme) Oh man, i actually wrote it correctly out of memory !! However, I don't remember which year it was.

Sure in theory, -57°C are possible to be reached (or having been reached) - who knows that ? In places in the past 300+ years, where no thermometer ever existed, registered or measured something. After all, the extreme north is not a crowded place exactly. So, the grid of automatic weather station is rather thin up there (i suppose).

Exact numbers & Place

OK - I looked more closely into the ice cold temperature events in Kanada: The exact numbers are: -55.7°C in a place called Braeburn. It is the coldest temperature since 1975, which was -56.7°C and applies for the month of December. (I do not know if lower temperatures ever have been registered in other months in the past, nor what the absolut cold record is for the country of Kanada).

"The extended cold spell includes:

• Mayo recording 16 consecutive nights below -40°C, with a low of -50.4°C on Monday.
• Dawson also seeing 16 consecutive nights below -40°C.
• Whitehorse enduring 10 nights below -30°C.
• Mayo experiencing 12 days with an average temperature below -40°C since Dec. 9.

On Monday, Dec. 22, Braeburn in Yukon recorded a staggering -55.4°C. This marks the coldest temperature in Canada since January 1999, when -57°C was recorded.

Only a day later, on Dec. 23, Braeburn recorded an even colder -55.7°C. This is the coldest temperature recorded in December across Canada since 1975, when temperatures plunged to -56.7°C."

Battery driven cars, anyone ?

Muoha-hah-haaaaaaaa. What a joke.

Sunshine in Stockholm

is such a nice experience !! (Remember during the first 13 days in December, only 43 minutes were registered in the capital of Sweden).

Despite its very low position above the horizon this time of the year - a mere 7 degrees at the most - there isn't much coming from her. Plus that the roofs of distant houses take away most of the direct light.

Still - the sky feels brighter and lighter than usual.

Cold (dryer) winds from the North

That's the kink with cold winds from the North and Northwest; they dry out over the inland after having passed the Norwegian Mountain chain - leading to sunshine over middle Sweden.

Except the outer East coast, where you have plenty of those low level snow shower clouds. They come and go, dissipate quickly, as new ones form. They look like failed, extremly low/flat Cumulonimbus clouds (they are not Cb), but have a tiny bit of a similar structure like Cb. But unbeleavable flat looking. Kind of... well, like failed vertical clouds.

It is 14:46

The clouds at the coast, shine in reddish-orange, weakly golden warm light. It is sunset time already. Somebody goes to sleep very early. And I have barely even slept since I've got home from work at 6 this morning.