Marek Kučera 
On August 6, 2025, Svalbard Lufthavn—the main airport on the remote Arctic archipelago of Svalbard—recorded a temperature of 18.4 °C (65.1 °F). This is only 1.9 °C below the all-time August record for the station, underscoring how unusual and intense this warmth was for a location deep in the High Arctic.
Situated at 78° N latitude, Svalbard is closer to the North Pole than to mainland Europe, and August temperatures here typically average only 6–8 °C. A day exceeding 18 °C is exceptional even in peak summer, and in this case, the event occurred under the influence of a warm air surge from continental Scandinavia combined with clear skies and persistent southerly winds.
The Arctic environment in Svalbard is particularly sensitive to such heat. Glaciers and permafrost are already in retreat, and short bursts of high temperature can trigger rapid snowmelt, ice loss, and permafrost thaw. Local scientists noted that August warmth of this magnitude accelerates seasonal melting, potentially releasing greenhouse gases trapped in frozen soils.
For Svalbard’s wildlife, warm days can alter feeding patterns and affect species adapted to cold conditions. For the human community in Longyearbyen, the unusual heat has prompted increased monitoring of landslide risks linked to thawing slopes and unstable ground.
This event fits into a broader pattern of Arctic amplification, where warming occurs at more than twice the global average rate. While Svalbard has seen warm August days before, the proximity of this reading to the record high signals that such extremes are becoming less rare. In the context of 2025’s record-breaking Arctic summer—with unprecedented heatwaves in Norway, Finland, and Lapland—the Svalbard temperature spike is yet another sign that the Arctic climate is undergoing a rapid transformation.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longyearbyen
Source: https://ogimet.com/cgi-bin/gsynres?ind=01008&ano=2025&mes=8&day=10&hora=20&min=0&ndays=30
Illustration picture: https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/lifestyle/embark-on-a-breathtaking-svalbard-norway-polar-expedition/story
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