Welcome to the LongyearObs project website
This website is still under construction, please check back for updates
What is LongyearObs?
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Photo: Sarah Thomae Weather and Climate
Svalbard’s climate is relatively mild and wet compared to other High Arctic regions. This is to a large degree due to the influence of the West Spitsbergen Current, which can be considered the northernmost branch of the Gulf Stream, that transports warm Atlantic water northward into the Arctic. Furthermore, Svalbard is located at a hotspot for climate change. Over the past few decades, there has been a notable increase in both temperature and precipitation, particularly during the winter.
Permafrost
Permafrost, a remarkable natural phenomenon characteristic of the Arctic, describes ground that remains below 0°C for at least two consecutive years, covering about 15% of Earth’s northern hemisphere. Permafrost is highly sensitive to climate change. Warmer temperatures and changing precipitation patterns lead to accelerated thawing of the active layer, which is the layer that freezes and thaws annually on top of the permafrost. In turn, this poses increased risks for natural hazards such as landslides.
Weather stations
Several types of automatic weather stations are used to monitor the weather in and around Longyearbyen. In total, five stations provide a detailed understanding of local meteorological conditions and how they vary across the area.
PermaMeteoCommunity
An interdisciplinary project focusing on developing resilience in Arctic communities by providing a climate change response system. This system will assist decision-making by providing real-time key geo-scientific observations affected by the increasing climatic changes, especially the high Arctic environment.
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