Feet Of June Snow Hit Fonna, Norway As Europe Turns Blue; Eastern Australia Shivers; + Latest ENSO Report

During what is widely being billed as 'the hottest year ever!' much of Europe is at risk of enduring a year without a summer.

Feet Of June Snow Hit Fonna, Norway As Europe Turns Blue

Winter has made a return not only to the European Alps, as reported yesterday, but also Scandinavia, specifically Norway.

Among the resorts benefiting is Fonna near Hardangerfjord, which has received more than 3 feet of snowfall in recent days, creating ideal conditions for summer skiing. As of June 12, the snow depth at Fonna stood at an impressive 650 cm (236 inches) at the base and 760 cm (299 inches) at the summit, making it one of the best seasons in recent memory.

Scandinavia is coming off the back of a historically cold winter and spring that set the stage for the exceptional snowpack we're seeing now.

In January, Karasjok, Norway saw thermometers drop to -42C (-43.6F), marking the country’s coldest reading in decades. Nikkaluokta, Sweden endured -37C (-34.6F) on January 8, setting a new record there. While Sodankylä, Finland experienced a record-setting -39C (-38.2F) on January 7.

Scandinavia's extreme freeze extend through February and March, and also into April — initially impressive, northern Europe’s cold quickly proved unprecedented.

Nikkaluokta dipped to -34.1C (-29.4F) on April 3, marking 1) a new monthly record at the station, pipping the previous record (of -34C (-29.2F) from 1955), and 2) a new national low for the month of April.

Neighboring Norway posted a record-stretch of April chills and all, with April 5 seeing Cuovddatmokki log a fifth-consecutive sub -25C (-13F) reading in a row, beating the previous record of four-consecutive sub -25Cs set during the Aprils of 1977 and 1971.

Following a warm-up for some this June —for parts of Norway even, which contrasting the situation at Fonna has led to Stryn Ski Resort announcing its season's close “due the recent cold/snow returning too late"— winter-like conditions are once again sweeping much of Europe.

The historic June chills currently gripping the likes of Britain and France are forecast to persist as the month continues, with 'blues' and 'purples' set to prevail even as the calendar nears July:

GFS 2m Temperature Anomalies (C) June 27 [tropicaltidbits.com]

GFS 2m Temperature Anomalies (C) June 28 [tropicaltidbits.com]

Provisionally to the 12th, England is on for one of its coldest Junes in record books dating back 365-years, to 1659.

The country has endured an average of just 12.1C this month, currently ranking as the 6th coldest June in CET records, bested only by the Junes of 1698 (12C), 1689 (12C), 1991 (11.9C), 1749 (11.9C), 1909 (11.8C), 1916 (11.8C), 1972 (11.8C) and 1675 (11.5C).

During what is widely being billed as 'the hottest year ever!' much of Europe is at risk of enduring a year without a summer.

Eastern Australia Shivers

Eastern Australia is enduring a prolonged spell of wintry weather, with temperatures set to remain low for at least another week. The cold snap has proved more severe than forecasted by the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM).