Atlanta, GA – With first frosts on the horizon across Georgia, forecasters say overnight lows could dip near freezing this week, especially in the northern counties and higher elevations. But imagine being trapped inside your car for two months, surviving only on handfuls of snow.
According to the Daily Mail, a 44-year-old Swedish man was discovered in February 2012 after surviving roughly 60 days snowed-in inside his car near the town of Umea in northern Sweden. Authorities said his vehicle became buried after a snowstorm on December 19, and he lived on snow alone as temperatures plunged to -30°C (-22°F).
Experts called his survival “extraordinary.” Some believe his body entered a hibernation-like state, slowing his metabolism, while others credited the “igloo effect” of the snow-covered car, which trapped enough warmth to keep him alive.
When rescuers found him, he was emaciated and barely conscious, wrapped in a sleeping bag with only cigarettes and comic books beside him. Doctors at Umea University Hospital confirmed he was suffering from severe hypothermia and malnourishment—but somehow survived.
With Georgia’s first frosts expected before Thanksgiving, state emergency officials are urging drivers to carry cold-weather kits with blankets, food, and water in their vehicles. While the Peach State rarely sees deep freezes, even a few hours in cold temperatures can be dangerous if stranded. As winter approaches, one chilling question remains: Could you survive stuck in freezing conditions like he did?
