IWIN: the Isfjorden Weather Information Network

Abstract

In an effort led by the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), with support from the Norwegian Meteorological Institute (MET Norway), the Isfjorden Weather Information Network (IWIN) is under development in the Isfjorden region in central Svalbard. The network substantially expands upon the relatively sparse existing operational network of weather stations and consists of compact and cost-efficient all-in-one weather stations permanently installed at lighthouses around Isfjorden and on board small tourist cruise ships trafficking the fjord from spring to autumn. All data from the network until June 2023, as presented in this paper, can be found at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8137588 (Frank et al., 2023b). New data become freely available in near-real time via MET Norway's data portals (https://doi.org/10.21343/ebrw-w846, Frank et al., 2023a). The IWIN data are highly valuable for scientific purposes such as atmospheric boundary layer research, the validation and development of numerical weather prediction models, and assimilation in these, as well as the planning and safe conduction of outdoor activities in the region.