People learn to live in extreme Rovaniemi cold

Rovaniemi has been experiencing extreme cold weather during the past couple of weeks.

The second half of January this year has been an extremely cold month in Finland, with temperatures especially in Lapland hovering around minus 20 degrees Celsius, reaching below minus 37°C at times.

While this challenges normal life, Rovaniemi residents have found ways to keep living as usual.

The Daily Finland spoke to a few city dwellers to know about their reactions following the continuous severe cold weather.

Tapio Moilanen, a competitive poker player originally from Rovaniemi, said that one of the most important things to consider in dealing with cold is wearing proper clothing.

Moilanen said that when the temperature nears minus 20°C, he wears an extra layer under his regular clothing.

Kirsi Kuusisto, who works as a tour guide for a local safari company, echoed the statement. Wearing extra layers is crucial, she said, as is making sure that there is adequate space between the layers for insulation. She also emphasized the importance of clothing material. Wool is good because it keeps people warm and cotton should be avoided because it retains moisture.

Kuusisto added that layering is especially important for children, saying that when she dresses her son, she always makes sure that he is wearing two pairs of socks and gloves.

Rodrigo Emediato, who works as a data collector for a sports betting website, echoed that point, saying that when dressing his children in such temperatures, he and his wife always make sure they are wearing four layers.

Emediato, who moved to Finland from Brazil and has been living in Rovaniemi along with his Finnish wife said that his wife taught him how to dress in the cold, always telling him that staying warm is “all about the clothing.”

He said that cold weather does not affect him so much because he is not much of an outdoor person. He rather said that it is more difficult for his wife and children because they enjoy outdoor activities more than he does.

A university student from Helsinki, preferring anonymity said that she just stays indoors more when it is cold.

Both Kuusisto and Emediato said that cold weather does not mean the children cannot play outside. It rather means that they cannot spend as much time outside as they would normally do. This can present a challenge, Emediato said, because it often leads to the children watching television more.

Transport is another factor to consider. Kuusisto said that the most important part of maintaining a normal life during cold weather is taking good care of vehicles. “If the car works, I can live my life normally.”

For Moilanen who uses a bicycle to go out, cold is an annoyance, making it more difficult, but not impossible, to get from one place to another.

All the respondents said that the extreme cold is something that people just need to get used to. While nothing can really prepare people for such extreme temperatures, taking time for preparation like the local people do can make all the difference.