Oklahoma City, OK – With first frosts on the horizon across Oklahoma, forecasters say a surge of Arctic air will bring overnight lows near or below freezing across much of the state this week. 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 described his survival as “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 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 somehow survived.
With frost warnings possible across the Plains and panhandle regions, Oklahoma emergency officials urge residents to carry cold-weather kits with blankets, snacks, and water in their vehicles. Even a short night in freezing temperatures can become life-threatening if stranded. As the Sooner State braces for its first taste of winter, one chilling question remains: Could you survive stuck in freezing conditions like he did?
