The Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic experienced its highest August temperature on record over the weekend, reaching over 20 degrees Celsius, according to the Norwegian Meteorological Institute. The institute reported a temperature of 20.3 degrees Celsius on Sunday at the weather station located at Svalbard's airport, as stated in a release shared on X. They also noted that a cold front was approaching, suggesting that temperatures might remain high until the afternoon, possibly reaching 20 degrees again.
This new record surpasses the previous August high of 18.1 degrees Celsius, recorded on August 31, 1997. The all-time temperature record for Svalbard stands at 21.7 degrees Celsius, set on July 25, 2020, breaking the old record from 1979. Situated midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole, the average August temperatures at Svalbard airport typically range from six to nine degrees Celsius.
A 2022 study by Finnish and Norwegian researchers highlighted that the Arctic has warmed nearly four times faster than the global average since 1979. This warming has led to the melting of sea ice, which exacerbates regional warming through a process known as 'Arctic amplification'. A 2019 report titled 'The Svalbard climate in 2100' predicted that average temperatures in the archipelago could increase by 7-10 degrees between 2070 and 2100, influenced by greenhouse gas emissions.
