Essay by Eric Worrall

Who will save the Fins from an unexpected outbreak of beach weather?

‘No country is safe’: deadly Nordic heatwave supercharged by climate crisis, scientists say

Historically cool nations saw hospitals overheating and surge in drownings, wildfires and toxic algal blooms

Damian Carrington Environment editorThu 14 Aug 2025 15.00 AEST

The prolonged Nordic heatwave in July was supercharged by the climate crisis and shows “no country is safe from climate change”, scientists say.

Norway, Sweden and Finland have historically cool climates but were hit by soaring temperatures, including a record run of 22 days above 30C (86F) in Finland. Sweden endured 10 straight days of “tropical nights”, when temperatures did not fall below 20C (68F).

Global heating, caused by the burning of fossil fuels, made the heatwave at least 10 times more likely and 2C hotter, the scientists said. Some of the weather data and climate models used in their analysis indicated the heatwave would have been impossible without human-caused climate breakdown.

The heat had widespread effects, with hospitals overheating and overcrowding and some forced to cancel planned surgery. At least 60 peopledrowned as outdoor swimming increased, while toxic algal blooms flourished in seas and lakes.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/14/nordic-heatwave-climate-crisis-sweden-norway-finland

Unfortunately for the climate narrative this has happened before, like pretty much every year somewhere gets this hot. From the Finnish Meteorological Institute;

Where I live in subtropical Queensland, we call temperatures above 86F “Summer”. But I can see such temperatures might be a bit of a shock to people who are used to wearing sweaters and overcoats all year round.

Here’s some Aussie advice for surviving Nordic Heatwaves:

1. Staying hydrated does not mean doubling down on your usual high alcohol winter warmer beer.
2. Peel off some layers. You won’t die from hypothermia if you only wear one layer when the outdoor temperature is above 90F.
3. Cook the reindeer outside in a fire pit. That way the house won’t get too hot.
4. It’s OK to let the kitchen, living room and bedroom fires go out. There will be plenty of time to light the fires again when temperatures drop.
5. Swimming is a skill which requires a little practice to master. Learning to swim is best attempted when sober.

Who knows, if this climate crisis continues, it might even be worth Fins installing a few backyard swimming pools.