Skip to main content

Oslo, Norway (AFP) – The Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic saw its highest August temperature ever recorded at the weekend, topping 20 degrees Celsius, Norway’s Meteorological Institute said Monday.

The measurement of 20.3 degrees (68.5 Fahrenheit) was registered on Sunday at the weather station at Svalbard’s airport, the institute said in a statement posted on X, adding that a cold front was approaching.

“The temperature will remain high until it arrives this afternoon. Maybe it will be 20 degrees today too?” the institute said.

The previous August record was 18.1 Celsius, registered on August 31, 1997.

The highest temperature ever recorded on Svalbard was 21.7 Celsius on July 25, 2020, which beat the previous record set in 1979.

The Svalbard archipelago is located halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole.

Average August temperatures recorded at the Svalbard airport are between six and nine degrees Celsius.

According to a study published in 2022 by Finnish and Norwegian researchers, the Arctic has warmed almost four times faster than the rest of the world since 1979.

Rising temperatures have melted sea ice which, in turn, contributes to accelerated warming in the region, a phenomenon known as “Arctic amplification”.

A report published in 2019 — “The Svalbard climate in 2100” — found that the average temperatures for the archipelago between 2070 and 2100 will rise by 7-10 degrees, due to the levels of greenhouse gas emissions.

str/nzg/jll/rl

© Agence France-Presse

Featured image credit: Allexxandar | Freepik

Deforestation in Brazil’s Cerrado higher than in Amazon: reportNews

Deforestation in Brazil’s Cerrado higher than in Amazon: report

Sao Paulo, Brazil | AFP - Deforestation in Brazil's Cerrado region, a vast tropical savanna renowned for its rich biodiversity, increased sharply in 2023 and…
SourceSourceMay 28, 2024 Full article
Satellite image: Valais, Switzerland
Image of the day: Valais, SwitzerlandNews

Image of the day: Valais, Switzerland

Nestled in the heart of the Alps, Valais is one of Switzerland’s most striking regions, known for its towering peaks, vast glaciers, and picturesque valleys.…
Muser NewsDeskMuser NewsDeskMarch 6, 2025 Full article
Image: clown fish on coral reef
Coral reefs pushed to brink as bleaching crisis worsensNewsFacts

Coral reefs pushed to brink as bleaching crisis worsens

Paris, France | AFP An unprecedented coral bleaching episode has spread to 84 percent of the world's reefs in an unfolding human-caused crisis that could…
SourceSourceApril 23, 2025 Full article