 The warm waters of the Gulf Stream and the North Atlantic Drift Current, play a big role in the climate of Norway, Sweden and Finland which continuously warm the region, if it weren't for these currents the winters in Scandinavia and Fennoscandia would be much colder.Westerly winds bring the warm air currents into the Baltic areas and to the country's shores, moderating winter temperatures, especially in the south and southwest in cities like Helsinki and Turku where winter highs tend to be between but a cold snap like the one that occurred in mid-January 2016 can cause temperatures to plunge well below .These winds, because of clouds associated with weather systems accompanying the westerlies, also decrease the amount of sunshine received during the summer.