Trip planning and hazard resources
Below you will find various resources to plan your trip and help minimise hazards related to travel and field work in Svalbard.
Maps
Online map of Svalbard: toposvalbard.npolar.no/
Download mapping data: geodata.npolar.no/
Offline map for your phone (Apps). Can be different in Apple Store and Google Play:
Iphone (ios)
- Here and there Svalbard 1:70000 (NOK 29)
- Here and there+ Svalbard 1:35000 (NOK 39)
- Varsom
- Norgeskart outdoors
Android
- Varsom
- Norgeskart outdoors
For Garmin devices, we recommend TOPO Norway Experience, which has improved details for Svalbard (and also covers mainland Norway).
Weather
Basic forecast: yr.no
Global weather overview: windy.com
UNIS weather stations:
Tides: kartverket.no/til-sjos/se-havniva/resultat?id=966478&location=Longyearbyen
Avalanche
Norwegian Avalanche Forecast (Varsom): varsom.no/snoskred/varsling/
Avalanche observations (Regobs): regobs.no
App: Varsom
Sea ice
Daily ice charts: cryo.met.no/
Satellite images
Sentinel Hub daily photos (need daylight + clear skies): apps.sentinel-hub.com/sentinel-playground
Sentinel-1 SAR imagery: polarview.aq/arctic
Further learning
- Intro to coordinate systems and the UTM projection: youtube.com/watch?v=HnWNhyxyUHg
- Avalanche School: varsom.no/snoskred/snoskredskolen/
- Avalanche information: backcountryaccess.com