Skrevet av: Elisabeth Bergquist
Dato: 11.03.2014 06:46
FRONT OF THE PACK: Juha Hokka arrived at cp Kirkenes as #1. Photo: Zbigniew Wantuch
Matilde Hallerstig at the Met Office says the weather in the Varangerbotn area, where the lead pack of the FL-1000 race are now situated, will vary around 0 degrees Celsius in the coming days. - I do not see any significant changes during the next few days, she says. There will be some precipitation in the form of sleet and snow for a few days ahead. On Thursday it will get slightly colder, she thinks, but it will only just below dip below 0 degrees. In the night to Friday there will be further snow, heavy and wet.
The wind also affects the strains that the dogs and mushers have to go through. The next couple of days will see the wind altering between a southwestern and northwestern breeze of up to 10 m/s. During Tuesday to Thursday there will be stronger winds, before it calms down again in the night to Friday.
SPRING-LIKE: A glimpse from cp Kirkenes back in 2013, when conditions reminded much more of winter. Photo: Kjell O. Brun.
In the Varangerbotn region there were about -40 degrees C during last year's race. This year the temperature has been above zero, and it feels more like spring than winter. Check point manager Nina Karin Skogen in Kirkenes says it has been a windy night at the chekcpoint. - The wind blew up to storm's strength and metal fences were moved several metres. They eventually had to be laid down for safety reasons, she says. The teams that take out their 16-hour mandatory rest in Kirkenes have been secured to a tree.
At cp Kirkenes there is sufficient amounts of snow for securing the snow anchor. After adding more snow yesterday they have not had to re-fill the trails after the mushers started arriving. Last night the temperature dropped below 0, and in the morning hours the wind calmed down.
Checkpoint manager Skogen is an optimist and sees an advantage: - For all the warm weather we have, we fortunately haven't got much mosquitos yet!