We are approaching the shortest day of the year on the Northern Hemisphere.
Here at 62.5 Degr. N. Lat. we cannot claim to have Polar Nights, but it gets depressingly dark, especially on cloudy/rainy days.
Today it has been fairly good with clear and dry weather, but sunrise was at 09:52 hrs. and sunset at 15:04 hrs. so it doesn’t leave much time to get a suntan.
Here is a picture my wife took at mid-day with the sun just barely climbing above the mountain as seen from our balcony :
A Norwegian comedian (yes they DO exist) has sent a “Gift to America” on NRK TV.
Since that channel probably doesn’t have extensive viewing in the US I thought it should be posted here for an appreciative audience with a sense of humour:
We are approaching winter solstice and mid-winter blot.
On the northern hemisphere the days are short and the nights long, especially here close to the Artic Circle. (North of the Artic Circle there are no days):
But today we have a warm spell in Ålesund. Present weather (at 1330 hrs.); cloudy, light SE’ly breeze:and14C
If there ever was a Santa lookalike contest for Captains, we sure know who we would nominate! Jan Ove Fredheim is one of Odfjell most experienced Captains, with 44 years as a sailor under his belt, 30 of these with Odfjell. These days, he is preparing for the holidays together with his crew on board BOW FLORA.
Perfect Christmas snow this year.
Started to snow on Christmas Eve and gone again on Boxing Day.
Today we are back at +8-9C and light breeze here on the coast, with the snow limit back at 800-1000 m. asl.:
Situation is still ongoing with 15 people still unaccounted for.
Houses has been taken by the landslide, which is assumed to be caused by heavy rain during the last few days and weeks as well as Quick Clay in the ground.
Several Seaking SAR Helicopter are searching in the gully with heat seeking cameras. They are also lowering rescuers down close to the pieces of houses that is visible in the debris.
At the moment there are abt. 1500 rescuers in activity and evacuation centres have been established. Geologists are on the scene, giving advise on the risk of additional slides.
PS> Continuous reporting on several TV channels, but all in Norwegian. Main TV NRK:
Final number unaccounted for is 10 persons, incl. children.
The injured are mostly out of hospital after treatment for minor injuries.
A dog was found alive in the wreckage of one house. Rescued by helicopter.
Otherwise no sign of life seen in the debris.
Very tragic. Hopefully they can be found alive, they could be in an air pocket.
I wonder if they had already detected from geological information that this kind of event could happen, when these kind of things happen there are usually warning signs like cracks appearing in the ground, but sometimes they can happen totally spontaneously with no warning.
