"Today we are flying along the coast of Finnmark to measure wind currents coming from the fjords. We have a relatively weak south-easterly wind that is amplified by the landscape and can result in wind speeds in excess of 15 meters per second in certain fjord areas. We are studying the same phenomenon along the western coast of Svalbard. Here, we are also particularly interested in a jet stream that flows through Nordaustlandet, Spitsbergen," explains project leader Jon Egill Kristjansson.

Shortly after 2 p.m., the plane lands for refueling, and according to Andreas Dörnbrack from Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfarht (DLR), who was in contact with the plane, all of the instruments were functioning well during the flight.

While the scientists on the plane study the air space between Finnmark and Svalbard, the rest of the team plans where the plane will fly over the next few days. The weather is somewhat unstable, which makes it difficult to plan. Every flight hour costs about NOK 50,000. The project has paid for only 50 hours of flight time, which means that scientists must prioritize carefully.

"A low pressure system is developing outside Lofoten with strong winds of about 20 meters per second. In addition, winds up around 20 meters per second are forecast outside of Spitsbergen on Saturday. Another option is to fly over Iceland and further to Greenland to look at the strong winds along the eastern coast of Greenland. In any case, however, the forecasts call for cloudiness throughout the whole area, and that limits some of the readings on our instruments," explains Kristjansson.

This type of planning is an important element in carrying out the campaign, and Kristjansson hopes next week will offer a lot of interesting weather.

He might be lucky. On Sunday it looks like a polar low pressure system will be forming west of Svalbard which will pull cold air down Framstredet.