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Temperature
The coldest temperature measured in the Arctic is
-68C. Salt water freezes at -1.8C and the sea
never goes below that. The Arctic Ocean lacks the
extreme colds and high winds of the Antarctic
continent. Instead there are storms causing
considerable ice drift. The ice can move up to 20
km in one night! The more common drift is 1-4 km
per 12 hours, changing in directions.
The storms are usually short, in the range of 2-3
days. The beginning of the trek will most
probably be clear but extremely cold (down to
-50C), with the later season warm, wet and foggy.
The coldest period is usually mid March when the
night gives way. The ice reflects the most part
of the rays back to space but later in the season
the fog traps heat and melts the ice. Expect
temperatures to range between -50C to -30C in the
beginning, rising to -10C up to +5C as you are
closer to the Pole. Bring a good thermometer, and
find one that grades down to -50C or it could
bottom out on you.
The Arctic is generally colder (in skiing season)
but less windy then Antarctica. The cold, fog,
and drift will be your major challenge in terms
of weather.
Weather, full moon and drift
Blizzards are less frequent in the Arctic then on
Antarctica, but with more serious consequences. A
blizzard breaks up the ice into a myriad of open
water leads and simultaneously creates huge, new
ice ridges as the old leads collide. Worst even,
the ice is set in motion by the wind, with a
drift that can reach alarming proportions. At its
worst, you’ll watch the digits on your GPS
flicker with the speed of the US national debt,
and almost
certainly opposite your preferred
direction.
Another hazard of the North Pole is the full
moon. This phase brings on a high tide and rising
ocean water. To you that means breaking ice,
sometimes with a sudden and powerful impact on
the grounds below you. You will notice the
restlessness of the ocean already days before.
The ice will move around leads and sounds of
moving freight trains as the ice collides will be
heard from a distance (if you are lucky). Some
polar expeditions have experienced the ice
braking up so rapidly around them, that they must
jump from pan to pan, bewildered about what to
do. Don’t be close to the shore in the full moon
phase if you can avoid it and always camp on
thick, old ice whenever possible.
Water
"Black skies" or “water sky” are vertical black
shadows in the sky reflecting leads of open water
just below the shadow. "Fata Morgana" or Arctic
mirages are caused by reflections of water and
ice. When combined with temperature inversions,
they create illusions of solid, well-defined
features where there are none. "Extremely high
horizon refraction" is refraction
of sun light
due to cold dense polar air causing an increase
in brightness. Low on the horizon polar sunsets
have sun disks compressed into a flat line! Site
dedicated to the
Aurora Borealis is the Arctic equivalent of
Antarctica’s Aurora Australis, the Northern
Lights, but is only visible in the dark season.
In the summer months the Arctic ice enjoys
perpetual sunlight “midnight sun”.
Phenomenon
The Arctic Ocean sports the same sundogs, halos
and diamond dust of Antarctica, but they look
different in the Arctic’s. Arctic sundogs and
halos often precede bad weather. Clouds are often
none, or low and dark.
Whiteout is caused by fog and white skies over a
snow covered surface. Whiteout causes a loss of
depth perception and serious difficulties
scouting the route from a distance.
At clear days instead, very clear air allows
seeing very far, but causes difficulties judging
distance. Scouting the route is very easy and the
ice is shimmering and beautiful.
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