Flagstaff, AZ – With first frosts on the horizon across northern Arizona, forecasters say a surge of cold air will bring overnight lows below freezing in higher elevations this week. Even desert areas could see temperatures dip into the upper 30s by early morning. 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 just enough warmth to sustain him.
When rescuers reached him, he was emaciated and barely conscious, wrapped in a sleeping bag with only cigarettes and comic books nearby. Doctors at Umea University Hospital confirmed he suffered from severe hypothermia and malnourishment—but miraculously survived.
As Arizona’s first frosts arrive in the high country and cool air spreads across the state, emergency officials urge residents and travelers to carry cold-weather gear in their vehicles, including blankets, snacks, and water. Even brief exposure to freezing temperatures can be dangerous if stranded. As the Grand Canyon State enters its coldest stretch of the year, one chilling question remains: Could you survive stuck in freezing conditions like he did?
