By Paul Homewood
It’s so cold, even Norwegians refuse to ski!
On the Finnmark plateau, between Kautokeino and Karasjok, temperatures dropped to -35°C on Sunday. The forecast for the next week shows an unusual temperature in the last days of November of 10°C lower than the reference period 1961-1990, Swedish Meteorological Institute notification.
The coldest is Nikkaluokta near Gällivare in Norrbotten with -36°C.
In times of climate change, the current freeze stands in stark contrast to last fall, when meteorologists reported the hottest October and early November ever measured, with an average to be 6.7°C above normal across the North Pole.
The cold weather has even swept across the coast in northernmost Norway, where Arctic waters are kept ice-free by the warm Gulf Stream. In Kirkenes, on the border with Russia, a thermometer read -25°C on Saturday outside the Barents Observer’s office.
On the Kola Peninsula, Sunday, November 28 comes with temperatures between -18°C and -30°C. News Online Severpost reported.
Farther east in the Russian Arctic, rapidly accumulating sea ice on the Northern Sea Route has created a critical situation as a number of ships have trapped in a sea of thick ice For many weeks.
At the ski resort of Ruka near Kuusamo in northern Finland, the FIS Cross Country Championships opening this weekend are struggling due to the frost. With temperatures below -20°C, the start time of the competitions is very dangerous. Norway’s team withdrew from the race, deeming it too cold to ski.
Extreme freezing in northern Scandinavia sent energy prices to record highs. The main reason is due to high consumption combined with ice formation in rivers with hydroelectric plants in northern Sweden. The northern regions of Norway and Sweden are closely linked together in the same grid.
Low output in Sweden pushes prices up, also at the extreme north of Noway. On Sunday, one kWh cost 1.92 kroner/kWh (0.19€/kWh) on the spot market, the highest cost of electricity inside the Arctic Circle since 2010. Current prices are up to 10 times higher than the daily average for the first three weeks of November.
https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/arctic/2021/11/deep-november-freeze-sweeps-across-arctic-europe
And not just in the Barents Sea, the situation is now becoming dire on the other end of Siberia:
Rapidly accumulating sea ice on the Northern Sea Route is creating a potentially critical situation along Russia’s Arctic east coast. For several weeks, several ships were trapped in the thick sea of ice.
Several ships were also waiting to enter the area. For several days, the ships Tiksi, Yamal Ibris, I. Trubin, Polar King and Arshenevsky lay in the Kara Sea waiting for the help of icebreakers to reach their destination. On board are thousands of tons of equipment needed by local governments and companies in the Chukotka region.
However, not a single ship reached their destination. In mid-November they all turned to the west and are now preparing to reach Arkhangelsk, where the cargo will be unloaded.
Based on regional government in Chukotka An alternative will come in early January when the nuclear-powered container ship Sevmorput will deliver the cargo to its destination.
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