On 11/03/2013 15:30, Norman wrote:
Dave Cornwell wrote:

Norman wrote:
If snow was a tradable commodity Norway would be a very rich country indeed.
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....... and Will a very poor man :-)
Did you go to Gerainger Fjord on the way to Trondheim? That was stunning
although I imagine they all are! I'm off to Iceland for 4 days on Sunday so
hoping for some clear nights although I am sure it will be interesting. Dave
The ships only go into Gerainger in the summer. I assume that's because of ice
in the winter, though I don't know for sure. For the last mile or so into
Kirkenes we sailed through thin sea ice.

...


When I last visited Geiranger, the local guide told us there were two
reasons for this.

1) Avalanche danger! The fjord is very narrow and the slopes above
it rise to 4000' in places. A substantial avalanche off one of these
slopes would go right across the fjord, taking out any ships in its path.

2) Air pollution. Even in summer when the air tends to be more
mixed, it is common on quieter days to see decks of smoke from the
cruise ship engines lying at various levels above the fjord near
Geiranger itself. A prolonged anticyclonic spell in winter with cold
air trapped in the fjord could produce quite an air pollution episode.

The west coast remains ice free as it is in the direct path of the North
Atlantic Drift. The sea surface temperature on the west coast of the
Lofotens (which are north of the Arctic Circle) is currently about the
same as that off Skegness. This relatively warm water will make its way
into the fjords which I understand would only ice over in extreme
conditions.

Kirkenes is "round the top" of Norway, close to the Russian border and
is that much further for the NAD waters to travel to, so sea surface
temperatures are lower, especially in winter. Even so, it is normally
ice free, which is why the "Russian convoys" ran to Murmansk, just a
little further along the coast.

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- Yokel -

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