Norway’s Telemark region breaks April heat record as temperatures near 26°C

Norway’s southern Telemark region recorded its hottest April temperature in history on Thursday, with the mercury hitting 25.2°C in Nissedal—surpassing a 33-year-old record—while local artist Knut “Sputnik” Storbukås (83) joked he had to “crab-walk into the shade” to escape the heat at his tropical-themed “Zansibar Beach” in Drangedal, Dagbladet reports.

Meteorologists confirmed the new record, measured in Tveitsund, broke the previous 24.9°C high set in 1993. “Multiple stations across Agder, Buskerud, and Telemark exceeded 24°C today,” said Leonidas Tsopouridis of the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, noting the unusual warmth for late April.

Meanwhile, Storbukås—famous for his 1992 hit Zansibar (a cover with an “S” instead of a “Z”)—welcomed reporters to his namesake beach, where his garage thermometer read 24–25°C. “It’s too hot in the sun; we have to stay in the shade,” he laughed, adding the heat was a relief after a chilly weekend where 200 guests at his birthday party “nearly froze to death.”

Ironically, actual Zanzibar in Tanzania saw cooler weather on Thursday, with temperatures around 23°C—lower than Drangedal’s—though meteorologists clarified the African island likely reached 28–30°C with thunderstorms. “Unless you love humid, stormy weather, I’d pick Telemark three times over for a good night’s sleep,” Tsopouridis quipped.

The heatwave is expected to taper slightly on Friday, with highs near 20–21°C before cooler conditions arrive over the weekend. Storbukås, known for his signature “Sputnik” underpants, joked about skipping the iconic garment in the heat but boasted of selling 400 pairs during a recent trip to Odda. “Everyone needs those pants!” he said.