Sweden is experiencing an unusually cold February due to a high-pressure system trapping cold air. Climate expert Martin Hedberg suggests a possible link to global warming altering weather patterns. Milder weather is now moving in, with temperatures potentially rising above freezing in some areas.
February 2026 has so far been unusually cold in Sweden. Snow warnings have followed one another in Skåne, people have been able to walk on Lake Mälaren in Stockholm, and temperatures in the north have been far below normal. Viktor Bergman, a meteorologist at SMHI, explains: "It is a high pressure that has kept cold air over the country, which has made us have this cold period. If it continues like this, it will be a very cold February."
Martin Hedberg, climate expert at Länsförsäkringar, describes the phenomenon as a blocking with long-term high pressure. In winter, it leads to cold, while in summer, as in 2018, it causes high temperatures. He links it to global warming: The Arctic is warming faster than the equator, affecting the jet stream and global air flows. "Climate changes mean not only that it is warmer on average – but also that weather patterns change. It can mean that periods of high and low pressure last longer," says Hedberg, but adds that more research is needed.
Similar cold has been noted in eastern USA and northern Europe. Despite the current cold, November and December 2025 were very mild, with an extremely warm December according to Bergman. The recent years have been record warm globally: 2024 was the warmest year with 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, closely followed by 2025 and 2023.
After the cold snap, the weather is now turning. Milder air is moving in over the country and the temperature can rise above freezing in some places, according to Dagens Nyheter.
