Meteorological conditions on Kaffiøyra (NW Spitsbergen) in 2013–2017 and their connection with atmospheric circulation and sea ice extent

• Main Authors: Marek Kejna, Ireneusz Sobota
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Polish Academy of Sciences 2019
• Subjects: arctic; svalbard; climate change; weather conditions; synoptic situations; sea ice cover; Geology; QE1-996.5; Arctic; Forlandsundet; Kaffiøyra; Ny-Ålesund; Svalbard; Climate change; Ny Ålesund; Polar Research; Sea ice; Spitsbergen
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.24425/ppr.2019.129670; https://doaj.org/article/03097bfe4fd242bf988c55c214c4b27c

This article comprises an analysis of the variability of meteorological conditions on Kaffiøyra (NW Spitsbergen, Svalbard) in 2013–2017 in connection with atmospheric circulation and the extent of sea ice. The obtained results were compared with the results of observations made at the Ny-Ålesund station. Due to the situation of the area in the polar region and the large amount of clouds, especially in summer, the annual sum of incoming solar radiation was small, amounting to an average of 2,237.8 MJ.m-2 per year. The mean air temperature in the considered period was -2.0°C. Its extreme values ranged from 15.2°C to -23.8°C. In the annual course, the highest mean temperature occurred in July (6.5°C), and the lowest in March (-7.8°C). The mean relative humidity of air was high (83%). The prevailing wind directions were from south and north sectors and this coincided with the orientation of Forlandsundet. The mean wind speed was 3.6 m.s-1. In the summer season in 1975–2017, a statistically significant air temperature increase was observed, reaching 0.28°C/10 years. The high variability of local weather conditions was caused mainly by atmospheric circulation and the impact of sea ice was much smaller in comparison.