Hopen, Svalbard
The Norwegian Meteorological Institute since 1947 operates a staffed weather station on the island with a staff of four persons. For the welfare of the crew, there are three cabins available on the island for their use.
History
During World War II, the Luftwaffe placed a meteorological team there under cover of Operation Zitronella. Due to their remote location, the German soldiers on Hopen were the last in Europe to surrender to the allies, who had to in fact be rescued after losing radio contact almost 5 months prior.
On August 28, 1978 an early model Tupolev Tu-16 of the Soviet Air Force crashed on the island. All seven crew were killed in the accident. It was discovered two days later by the four-man Norwegian weather forecasting team. The USSR refused to admit the loss of an aircraft until the bodies of the crew were given to them. Norway transcribed the contents of the flight recorder over the objections of the Soviet government.
Environment
A significant number of polar bears are found at Hopen in the winter; moreover, the sub-population of Ursus maritimus found here is a genetically distinct taxon of polar bears associated with the Barents Sea region. Since 2003, little sea ice has surrounded the island.
Important Bird Area
The island has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International. It supports breeding populations of black-legged kittiwakes (40,000 pairs), thick-billed guillemots (150,000 individuals) and black guillemots (1000 pairs).
Climate
Hopen has a tundra climate (Köppen climate classification ET). The average annual temperature in Hopen is −3.6 °C (25.5 °F). The average annual rainfall is 355.4 mm (13.99 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 3.9 °C (39.0 °F), and lowest in March, at around −10.4 °C (13.3 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Hopen was 17.4 °C (63.3 °F) on 9 July 1973; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −36.9 °C (−34.4 °F) on 4 March 1986.
| Climate data for Hopen (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1945–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 4.3 (39.7) |
4.5 (40.1) |
3.6 (38.5) |
6.9 (44.4) |
8.8 (47.8) |
15.7 (60.3) |
17.4 (63.3) |
15.7 (60.3) |
11.9 (53.4) |
10.8 (51.4) |
8.3 (46.9) |
5.5 (41.9) |
17.4 (63.3) |
| Mean maximum °C (°F) | 1.5 (34.7) |
1.5 (34.7) |
1.3 (34.3) |
2.0 (35.6) |
3.5 (38.3) |
5.7 (42.3) |
8.5 (47.3) |
9.1 (48.4) |
7.9 (46.2) |
4.8 (40.6) |
3.1 (37.6) |
2.4 (36.3) |
10.1 (50.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −6.6 (20.1) |
−7.1 (19.2) |
−7.9 (17.8) |
−5.7 (21.7) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
2.1 (35.8) |
4.7 (40.5) |
5.1 (41.2) |
3.5 (38.3) |
−0.1 (31.8) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
−5.0 (23.0) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −9.0 (15.8) |
−9.6 (14.7) |
−10.4 (13.3) |
−8.0 (17.6) |
−3.0 (26.6) |
0.8 (33.4) |
3.3 (37.9) |
3.9 (39.0) |
2.4 (36.3) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−7.2 (19.0) |
−3.6 (25.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −11.4 (11.5) |
−12.0 (10.4) |
−12.9 (8.8) |
−10.3 (13.5) |
−4.6 (23.7) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
1.8 (35.2) |
2.6 (36.7) |
1.3 (34.3) |
−2.8 (27.0) |
−6.1 (21.0) |
−9.3 (15.3) |
−5.4 (22.4) |
| Mean minimum °C (°F) | −21.9 (−7.4) |
−22.5 (−8.5) |
−23.3 (−9.9) |
−19.6 (−3.3) |
−11.4 (11.5) |
−4.0 (24.8) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
0.0 (32.0) |
−1.9 (28.6) |
−8.8 (16.2) |
−14.1 (6.6) |
−19.1 (−2.4) |
−26.0 (−14.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −35.5 (−31.9) |
−34.6 (−30.3) |
−36.9 (−34.4) |
−30.2 (−22.4) |
−22.2 (−8.0) |
−9.9 (14.2) |
−4.3 (24.3) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−12.4 (9.7) |
−29.0 (−20.2) |
−31.7 (−25.1) |
−35.6 (−32.1) |
−36.9 (−34.4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 36.1 (1.42) |
26.9 (1.06) |
34.4 (1.35) |
26.3 (1.04) |
21.4 (0.84) |
18.6 (0.73) |
23.6 (0.93) |
35.4 (1.39) |
35.9 (1.41) |
34.7 (1.37) |
29.8 (1.17) |
32.4 (1.28) |
355.4 (13.99) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 20.43 | 18.86 | 19.77 | 17.93 | 16.83 | 13.60 | 14.37 | 19.00 | 20.87 | 22.47 | 21.17 | 21.10 | 226.07 |
| Source: Météo climat | |||||||||||||
Gallery
-
Hopen meteorological station in 2019 -
Hopen meteorological station, seen from north -
The southernmost point, Kapp Thor, and the highest point, Iversenfjellet (370 m) seen from south
See also
References
- ^ "Hopen". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
- ^ Svalbard Arctic out post at strategic crossroads September 9, 1980 Christian Science Monitor Retrieved August 15, 2017
- ^ Umbreit, Andreas Bradt Svalbard: Spitzbergen with Frank Josef Land & Jan Mayen page 132 Retrieved August 15, 2017
- ^ "Hopen - The Cruise Handbook for Svalbard". cruise-handbook.npolar.no. Retrieved 2023-08-31.
- ^ Farelly, Elly (2016-06-16). "These Germans Stationed Near The North Pole Were The Last To Surrender, In September 1945!". warhistoryonline. Retrieved 2023-08-31.
- ^ Soviet Union Military Plane Crashes in Norway October 27, 1978 Retrieved August 15, 2017
- ^ Derocher AE, Andersen M, Wiig Ø, Aars J, Hansen E, Biuw M. 2011. Sea ice and polar bear den ecology at Hopen Island, Svalbard. Marine Ecology Progress Series 441:273-279.
- ^ Oysten Wiig and Kjell Isaksen
- ^ C. Michael Hogan, 2008
- ^ "Hopen Island". Important Bird Areas factsheet. BirdLife International. 2013. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
- ^ "Moyennes 1991-2020 Norvege (Jan Mayen/Svalbard)" (in French). Retrieved 1 June 2022.
- ^ "Météo Climat stats for Hopen". Météo Climat. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
Bibliography
- C. Michael Hogan (2008) Polar Bear: Ursus maritimus, Globaltwitcher.com, ed. Nicklas Stromberg
- Oysten Wiig and Kjell Isaksen Seasonal Distribution of Harbour Seals, Bearded Seals, White Whales and Polar Bears in the Barents Sea
