Norwegian scientists are facing the problem of too rapid warming near the town of Ny-Ålesund, located on the Norwegian archipelago of Spitsbergen. It is becoming increasingly difficult for specialists to access scientific data, as the snow cover began to melt too quickly.

Scientists are having a harder time getting to research centers, since early snowmelt makes snowmobile travel impossible. It is worth noting that last summer was the hottest on record. In August, temperatures in Ny-Ålesund averaged 5.1°C, which is 0.5°C warmer than usual. There was a loss of sea ice, which left the polar bears hungry.

Founded as a mining town in 1916, Ny-Ålesund became a hotspot for international researchers after several fatal mining accidents brought work to a halt in the 1960s.