Author Topic: Freya Glacier webcam (Read 5593 times)

grixm · « **on:** April 07, 2023, 09:16:46 AM »

This is one of my favorite webcams to follow and it's pretty famous on this forum, so I thought it deserved a dedicated thread.

https://www.foto-webcam.eu/webcam/freya1/
https://www.foto-webcam.eu/webcam/freya2/

The webcam has been back up from hibernation for over a month now, and there seems to be less snow at this point than last year. And already there is forecast a few days of above-zero temperatures starting April 9th. Maybe we're in for a dramatic webcam season this year.

grixm · « **Reply #1 on:** June 21, 2023, 08:37:37 AM »

Well, an update. After the interesting start to the year with little snow, the situation is now opposite. We have more snow than usual. Glacier surface is pristinely white, while on most other years it have started turning brown in many places.

For some reason, we just never got any days of strong heat so far, so the melting never got a kickstart. Of the webcam history, only 2017 has as much snow as this year at this date. Below is a comparison with 2021, for example.

However, looks like the melting will finally take off soon. After a bit more snow today, forecasts are hot and sunny for a whole week.

gerontocrat · « **Reply #2 on:** July 04, 2023, 07:53:28 AM »

Freya glacier @ 3rd July

You need to click and maximise the image to see all the surface melt appearing
A big screen is best

gerontocrat · « **Reply #3 on:** July 06, 2023, 11:21:18 AM »

Another sunny day on Freya glacier

gerontocrat · « **Reply #4 on:** July 11, 2023, 12:01:10 AM »

Freya Glacier looking very wet

click and then click maximise for best image

Coffee Drinker · « **Reply #5 on:** July 12, 2023, 07:05:27 AM »

Thats pretty much the worst it looked for this date. Especially the higher parts. A dying glacier.

HapHazard · « **Reply #6 on:** July 12, 2023, 08:09:04 PM »

Wet, indeed:

gerontocrat · « **Reply #7 on:** July 13, 2023, 05:46:01 PM »

I've made a gif to show the melt in July at 2 day intervals July 1 to 13.

Runs 6 times, needs clicking to start and enlarge and maximise.

gerontocrat · « **Reply #8 on:** July 17, 2023, 10:40:00 PM »

I've updated the gif to show the melt in July at 2 day intervals July 1 to 17.

The areas of dark colour expand quickly in the later images - presumably with large reduction in Albedo.

Runs 6 times, needs clicking to start and enlarge and maximise.
[/quote]

gerontocrat · « **Reply #9 on:** July 21, 2023, 02:43:36 PM »

I've updated the gif to show the melt in July at 2 day intervals July 1 to 21.

Runs 6 times, needs clicking to start and enlarge and maximise.

gerontocrat · « **Reply #10 on:** July 25, 2023, 07:36:27 PM »

I've updated the gif to show the melt in July at 2 day intervals July 1 to 25.

Runs 6 times, needs clicking to start and enlarge and maximise.

grixm · « **Reply #11 on:** July 25, 2023, 08:41:05 PM »

This here is the edge of the glacier, right? Or are the flat strips further to the right also dirty ice?
I wonder how the terrain looks underneath, how deep the glacier is in the middle.

HapHazard · « **Reply #12 on:** July 25, 2023, 09:46:28 PM »

Quote from: grixm on July 25, 2023, 08:41:05 PM

I wonder how the terrain looks underneath, how deep the glacier is in the middle.

Probably something like this: That trail there goes along the former edge of the glacier seen below (so much melt!) They generally carve out a deep U-shape.

(I took that pic during one of the most beautiful & simultaneously saddening backpacks I've been on.)

Stephan · « **Reply #13 on:** July 25, 2023, 10:31:50 PM »

Quote from: grixm on July 25, 2023, 08:41:05 PM

This here is the edge of the glacier, right? Or are the flat strips further to the right also dirty ice?

I would also say that the arrow-marked line is the edge of the glacier. The terrain seems to be somewhat flat there as the stream of meltwater runs in parallel to this edge until it takes a left turn, followed by a right turn at this edge.
I invite everybody to scroll back year by year to see how the glacier loses thickness.

gerontocrat · « **Reply #14 on:** July 31, 2023, 03:44:37 PM »

Quote from: Stephan on July 25, 2023, 10:31:50 PM

I invite everybody to scroll back year by year to see how the glacier loses thickness.

It's on the to-do list. But meanwhile here is July 2023 melt in 2 day intervals.

Map also attached for those (like me) not sure as to its location.

gif runs 6 times. Click to start and click max for full-screen image

gerontocrat · « **Reply #15 on:** July 31, 2023, 03:58:44 PM »

Webcam only goes back to 2016, and 2018 photos stop from May.

So gif (each year as at 31 July or nearest day with clear image) does not show so much

gif runs 6 times

gerontocrat · « **Reply #16 on:** August 08, 2023, 11:17:40 PM »

Here is July 1 to Aug 8 2023 Freya Glacier in 2 day intervals.

Note in the last few frames (slowed down a bit) how shadows are increasingly lengthening as the midday sun gradually lowers altitude. The Arctic summer is fading away...

gif runs 6 times. Click to start and click max for full-screen image

gerontocrat · « **Reply #17 on:** August 20, 2023, 08:11:26 PM »

Here is July 1 to Aug 20 2023 Freya Glacier in 2 day intervals.

Note in the last few frames (slowed down a bit) how shadows are increasingly lengthening as the midday sun gradually lowers altitude.

The Arctic summer is fading away fast ... on the 20th it snowed. But maybe a late summer suprise in the next few days (or maybe not).

click gif to start - runs 6 times

grixm · « **Reply #18 on:** August 23, 2023, 10:11:10 AM »

It's currently warmer on the Freya Glacier than in my own city. Will be very interesting to see the webcam over the next few days. An exciting end to the already exciting season

gerontocrat · « **Reply #19 on:** August 23, 2023, 02:34:56 PM »

Freya Glacier is at 1000 metres altitude.
At midday of 22 August temperature was 8.9 C.
At midday of 23 August temperature was 12.6 C.
That means serious melt (and warming of the ice at depth?)

Somewhere is supposed to be a continuing measurement of Freya glacier mass.
But the most up-to-date data source I can find is to 2017-18 ....
https://www.polarresearch.at/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Hynek-Binder_10-years-of-in-situ-glacier-monitoring-on-Freya-Glacier.pdf

I attach images - the gif comes tomorrow

gerontocrat · « **Reply #20 on:** August 24, 2023, 06:18:51 PM »

Quote from: gerontocrat on August 23, 2023, 02:34:56 PM

Freya Glacier is at 1000 metres altitude.
At midday of 22 August temperature was 8.9 C.
At midday of 23 August temperature was 12.6 C.
At midday of 24 August temperature was 11.4 C.

That means serious melt (and warming of the ice at depth?)

I attach the gif in 2 day intervals - except for last 3 days

gerontocrat · « **Reply #21 on:** August 28, 2023, 09:22:29 PM »

It looks like Winter has arrived at 1,000 meters altitude on Freya Glacier

click gif to start, runs 6 times

gerontocrat · « **Reply #22 on:** August 31, 2023, 09:22:12 PM »

The sun came back but the snow is still there. But being 31 August not a surprise.

Freya Glacier may well se a big dump of snow in a day or two as a big deep low passes up the East coast. I reckon the melting season is over so here is what may be the final gif for the 2023 melting season.

click gif to start - runs 6 times

grixm · « **Reply #23 on:** November 27, 2023, 10:01:17 PM »

Today, despite being almost December, there was above freezing temperatures (2.9 C) at Clavering Ø, and on the webcam you can even see a little bit of legit melting compared to yesterday.

grixm · « **Reply #24 on:** February 21, 2024, 02:30:21 PM »

The Freya glacier webcam woke up from its slumber early this year. There is an average amount of snow.

News:

Author Topic: Freya Glacier webcam (Read 5593 times)