Summer Heat Wave Hits Svalbard Archipelago, Far North Of The Arctic Circle

LONGYEARBYEN, NORWAY - AUGUST 01: Metal poles support a building under renovation due to damage caused by the thawing permafrost during a summer heat wave on Svalbard archipelago on August 1, 2020 in Longyearbyen, Norway. Svalbard archipelago, which lies approximately 1,200km north of the Arctic Circle, is currently experiencing a summer heat wave that set a new record in Longyearbyen on July 25 with a high of 21.7 degrees Celsius. Global warming is having a dramatic impact on Svalbard that, according to Norwegian meteorological data, includes a rise in average winter temperatures of 10 degrees Celsius over the past 30 years, creating disruptions to the entire local ecosystem. Svalbard's permafrost is thawing, making the ground farther below the surface softer and wetter. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)