A weather station in the Finnish Lapland municipality of Savukoski registered the coldest temperature of the winter so far on Friday morning, when the mercury plunged to -42.8 degrees Celsius.
This chilly reading beat the previous record of -41.4C, set at the same location on Thursday morning.
Temperatures in Lapland are set to remain around the -40C mark throughout the coming weekend, according to Yle meteorologist Anniina Valtonen, while southern and central parts of the country can expect lows of -20C.
However, the cold snap will begin to subside by Sunday, when the clear skies will give way to cloudier conditions.
"At this time of year, even a small patch of cloud, when winds are light and there is high pressure, acts like a warm blanket," Valtonen said, but added that wind gusts will keep the chill factor high.
"It's worth remembering that the wind will strengthen over the weekend, especially in the south. With these kinds of temperatures, the wind doesn't need to be strong to make the cold feel much more biting," she explained.
Natural beauty
While the freezing temperatures have brought many challenges to daily life in Finland, the effect on nature can be spectacular — including along the shore of Lake Näsijärvi in Tampere.
Below is a selection of photos from around Finland taken over the past few days.
