Atypical weather conditions for the season

At the office in Arctic Command's headquarters in Nuuk, meteorologists Trine Pedersen and Lene Dolmer from DMI's weather service sit in front of screens with maps, figures and satellite images. From here, they follow the weather throughout Greenland with a particular focus on air traffic and airspace safety.

-  We primarily work with weather forecasts for the airports and pilot briefings. It is a close collaboration with, among others, Air Greenland, and this means that we must be staffed around the clock, explains Trine Pedersen.

At the office in Arctic Command's headquarters in Nuuk, meteorologists Trine Pedersen and Lene Dolmer from DMI's weather service sit in front of screens with maps, figures and satellite images. From here, they follow the weather throughout Greenland with a particular focus on air traffic and airspace safety.

-  We primarily work with weather forecasts for the airports and pilot briefings. It is a close collaboration with, among others, Air Greenland, and this means that we must be staffed around the clock, explains Trine Pedersen.

Data on a long journey

Although the meteorologists are physically based in Nuuk, a large part of the technical work takes place far away. DMI's supercomputer is located in Iceland. From here, data is sent to Copenhagen – and only then on to Nuuk.

- Our biggest bottleneck is actually getting data up here. Therefore, we have to sit somewhere with a stable infrastructure where we can work 24 hours a day, says Lene Dolmer

DMI previously wanted to place the weather service at the airport in Nuuk, but this was not possible. Alternative premises would require a completely new structure to be built.

Shifting shifts – and a lack of meteorologists

Usually there are about four meteorologists at a time in Nuuk. They switch between working in Nuuk, Copenhagen and Karup in Denmark. Some are in Greenland for a year, others for three months – depending on what fits into their lives.

- It's a bit of a shift, and it has to be linked to privacy. We would really like to have more permanently up here, but it has been difficult to find meteorologists who want to work in DMI in Greenland, says meteorologist Lene Dolmer.

Monitoring around the clock

The working day – and the night – is carefully planned. In the morning, there is an overlap between the night shift and the morning shift, so that all prospects can be dispatched on time.

- We also have international obligations. If hazardous weather occurs in the airspace, alerts must be sent immediately. You can't just shut down at night and continue the next day, says Lene Dolmer.

Satellites, weather balloons and webcam

Meteorologists use many different data sources. As, for example, observations come from, among other things, the individual airports. And satellite images also play a big role.

- The geostationary satellites hang over the equator, and the further north you look, the worse the quality. That is why we also use satellites that orbit closer to the North Pole. They give great pictures, but only at intervals, explains Trine Pedersen.

In addition, the meteorologists use web cameras from the airports - for example via YouTube.

- When there is light, it gives us an enormously good supplement. It's one thing to see codes and numbers – it's another to see the weather with your own eyes, says the meteorologist.

Unusually warm winter weather

When you look out the window in Nuuk at the beginning of January, the landscape is far from as white as you might expect.

- December has been significantly warmer than the average for the last 30 years, explains Lene Dolmer, who has looked at figures over the last 30 years.

In Nuuk, the average temperature in December was minus 2.5 degrees, while the highest temperature reached 8.5 degrees. In comparison, the average temperature has usually been around minus 5 degrees, and the maximum temperature around minus 3 degrees.

- So it is significantly warmer than normal, emphasizes Lene Dolmer.

Blocky weather over the North Atlantic

The explanation must be found high up in the atmosphere.

- There has been a strong high pressure over Iceland and the British Isles, which has blocked the low pressures that normally move up along the east coast of Greenland. Instead, we have received warm air directly up the west coast, explains Trine Pedersen.

The result is mild and sometimes rainy weather in Greenland - while Denmark has experienced cold and snow at the same time.

- There is an old rule of thumb that when it is cold in Denmark, it is warm in Greenland - and vice versa. It often fits, especially on the west coast, says the meteorologist.

The entire west coast affected

The mild weather has not only affected Nuuk.

- Several places along the west coast have had temperatures of 5–6 degrees. This morning Upernavik had 4 degrees, and in Ilulissat it is around 6 degrees. It is unusual for the time of year, says Lene Dolmer.

In South Greenland, there have been periods of up to 10 degrees and heavy rain, which has melted the snow. On the east coast the weather has been different, with more snow.

Looking only a few days ahead

Although the figures clearly show that the weather is atypical, it is not the job of meteorologists to assess climate trends.

- We primarily look at tomorrow and up to 10 days ahead. It is the climatologists who analyze the long time series, says Lene Dolmer.

In the coming days, the weather is expected to continue on the same track, albeit with slightly colder temperatures and the possibility of snow showers at the weekend.

- But when we are out for more than 10 days, it becomes very uncertain. The weather can easily change, emphasizes the meteorologist.

A weather that locks in place

According to the meteorologists, the situation is an example of how the weather can increasingly lock into certain patterns.

- Instead of the more naturally changing weather, we see periods where one type of weather dominates for a long time. This is not normal winter weather for Greenland, says another meteorologist.