Record-breaking Heat Spots in Northern Sweden's July Map
Northern Sweden Experiences Longest Heatwave in Decades
July 2021 saw some of the longest heatwaves ever recorded in northern Sweden, with several towns experiencing unusually long spells of temperatures above 30°C.
According to Sverker Hellström, a meteorologist at public forecaster SMHI, Haparanda enjoyed 14 days of non-stop heat between July 12th and July 25th. This heatwave was the third longest on record for the town. Jokkmokk, further north, experienced an even longer heatwave, with 15 days of uninterrupted heat, the longest since 1924.
Jokkmokk's heatwave also broke the town's record for the second longest heatwave on record. The maximum temperature in Storlien was 30°C on July 16th, while Åsele in Västerbotten County set a new record for maximum temperature with temperatures hitting 32.3°C.
However, Luleå and Piteå did not set new monthly record temperatures in July 2021. Hoting, further north in Jämtland, set a new record for maximum temperature with a temperature of 31.9°C on July 15th.
The heatwave in Haparanda in 2021 still falls short of the 18-day heatwave recorded in 1924. Nevertheless, it is longer than the 13-day heatwaves the town experienced in 1972 and 1941.
Only one of SMHI's weather stations registered a new monthly record for average temperature: Jokkmokk in Swedish Lapland. The average temperature in Jokkmokk was 18.8°C in July, breaking a previous record of 18.5°C set in July 2014.
These long heatwaves in northern Sweden are part of a broader regional pattern of prolonged heat in northern Fennoscandia. Finland, which shares similar Arctic conditions, experienced a record Arctic heatwave lasting 22 days above 30°C in 2025—the longest since 1961. This indicates a significant escalation in heatwave duration in northern Sweden recently, largely driven by unusual atmospheric patterns and Arctic amplification of warming.
References:
- Arctic heatwave in Finland lasts 22 days in July 2025
- Longest heatwaves ever recorded in northern Sweden
- Meteorologist discusses Sweden's heatwave
- Climate change and heatwaves in Sweden
- Arctic amplification and heatwaves in Sweden
Weather-forecasting agencies such as SMHI had warned about the heatwave in northern Sweden, predicting long spells of unusually high temperatures. The prolonged heat in northern Sweden has become increasingly common due to climate change and the Arctic amplification of warming.
