Albuquerque, NM – With first frosts on the horizon across New Mexico, forecasters say a wave of cold air will send overnight lows below freezing in several areas this week, particularly in northern valleys 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 “astonishing.” Some theorized 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 reached 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 miraculously survived.
With frost warnings likely across the northern mountains and high desert, New Mexico emergency officials urge residents to carry cold-weather kits in their cars, including blankets, snacks, and water. Even mild freezes can be dangerous if stranded overnight. As the Land of Enchantment begins its seasonal chill, one haunting question remains: Could you survive stuck in freezing conditions like he did?
