With an arctic blast hitting, Stockholmers woke on Friday to a fresh dusting of snow and skaters came out in force to enjoy the giant ice rink in the city’s historic Kungstradgarden park. The cold snap gripping the continent will continue into next week – with forecasts for sub-zero temperatures in Germany and snow in parts of the UK.
And although the government in Germany, Europe’s largest economy, expects to have enough energy over the colder months, the country’s network regulator BNetzA on Friday urged homes and businesses to reduce heating to conserve fuel. The mercury will plunge as low as -23 degrees Celsius in the very north of Scandinavia on Monday, Sweden’s state forecaster said. Other forecasters see most chance of snow in the short-term in northern and eastern Scotland, and the UK’s Met Office issued a warning for snow and ice in southeast England and London from Sunday.
In Germany, citizens were praised for saving gas when temperatures were still mild in November. And while heating demand is rising now with temperatures reaching around -7 degrees Celsius in places like Berlin and Hamburg, households will be tempted to turn up the thermostat.