2024-09-08

On all polar expeditions that go to the Arctic, where we have helicopters with us, the support function meteorologist/helicopter coordinator is needed to plan and carry out research. We who work on board this expedition are temporarily employed by the Polar Research Secretariat and are on leave from our regular work in the Swedish Armed Forces.

Daily, we produce weather data partly for the ship's needs (winds, waves, visibility and ice conditions) and partly for aviation weather forecasts for the helicopter crew (cloud base, visibility, precipitation, wind, area weather and icing). As helicopter coordinators, we are part of the work team at Bryggan and act as air traffic controllers for the helicopter operations. We are in contact with the helicopters when they are out flying or at the land station/ice station and coordinate the activities required when taking off and landing on Oden.

Working as a meteorologist in an arctic environment is developing and educational in many ways. Partly, the meteorological and geographical conditions with widespread ice areas, glaciers, and high alpine terrain create different forecasting problems than those at home in Scandinavia. For one thing, the basis we work with to make our forecasts is more limited than what we normally have access to, both in terms of observational data and model data.

The weather we have had during this expedition has varied, with snowfall, freezing fog, sunny days, and gale-force winds. So far, the temperature has been between -7 and +5 degrees. Today, it is snowing abundantly, and the wind is brisk and the other day, the maximum wind reached a whopping 29 m/s. Then you prefer to stay indoors!