SCANNET

Contact Details

The Sornfelli Meteorological Station,
The Faroese Geological Survey
Brekkutún 1
Hoyvík
Faroe Islands
Phone: +298 35 7000
Fax: +298 357001
Contact: Lis Mortensen
Email:
Updated meteorological data from the
station can be seen at www.metsupport.dk

Location

The Sornfelli Meteorological Station is located in the middle of the 40000 m2 Sornfelli Mountain top plateau at 725 m asl, which is central in the Faroe Islands, on an island called Streymoy. The distance to the capital Torshavn is only about 12 km.

Climate

Mean annual air temperature: +1.7ºC (2000)
Mean coldest month (April):-2.2ºC (2000)
Mean warmest month (August): 6.5ºC (2000)

Biodiversity

Mountain top plateau very sparsely vegetated mainly by mosses.

Human Dimension

No access by the public.

Species Performance

Biological monitoring in an altitudinal transect reaches the Sornfelli Mountain top.

General Research

The Faroes are strategically placed to detect past, present and future changes in North Atlantic marine currents and atmospheric circulation patterns with little continental influence. The Sornfelli Climate Station was established to detect changes and improve the spatial distribution of climatic observations. Hourly photographic observations are designed to record snow features e.g. snow depth and snowline during winter season. The Museum of Natural History is responsible for a mountain profile vegetation recording plus soil erosion, sheep exclosures and additional climate observations.

Existing Data Bases

There is no database existing with Sornfelli data yet.

History and Facilities

The weather station was installed in 1999 on a mountain plateau at 750 m a s.l. At the same mountain plateau there is a military station that are cooperating and also provides access to electric power when needed.

Transportation

Due to the military station on the mountain top there is a mountain road almost to the summit. The driving distance from the Faroese capital Torshavn is only about 20 km. Vagar airport, the Faroese main airport, is about one and a half hours driving and sailing from the site. There is no public access to the Sornfelli Mountain top.