(Bloomberg) -- Freezing weather will spread across most of Europe later this week, testing the region’s energy systems after a largely mild winter so far.

Minimum temperatures will fall below zero in Berlin and Paris over the weekend, according to Maxar Technologies Inc. London will swing from 4.8C above the norm on Tuesday to 3.5 below the seasonal average by Sunday.

An amber weather warning was issued by the UK’s Met Office as Storm Henk brings heavy rain and strong winds — with gusts of up to 70 miles per hour (113 kilometers per hour) — to southern parts of the country. That could result in potential disruptions to travel and infrastructure.

The cold snap is forecast to extend into next week, as a weakened stratospheric polar vortex influences weather patterns over Europe. Forecasters say it’s too soon to tell how long that phenomenon, which generally brings colder temperatures, will last.

Benchmark European natural gas prices rose as the colder weather is set to boost heating demand. However, record gas stockpiles, subdued industrial consumption and high renewable generation will likely limit how much fuel costs rise. 

Icy temperatures over Scandinavia will persist, with a minimum of -18.5C in Helsinki over the next two days. The cold there will moderate next week, but not before Oslo reaches as low as -20.5C on Friday and Saturday.

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