Photo: Mountains of Vestvågøy rise into late summer twilight, Lofoten Islands, Norway. August 28, 2023. 00:02
What a summer Lofoten has had this year! Only a few days of rain and dream weather throughout August. One of these days the first autumn storm will arrive, but even with the fading twilight it feels like this summer might never end.
This night was after last week’s aurora photo (Friday Photo #556), another clear evening but no aurora. The day had been warm, over 20˚, but as the evening came the temperature dropped as normal. Until midnight, when a warm summer breeze arrived and the temperature rose to around 16-18˚c in the middle of the night. It almost felt like the Santa Ana winds of California which would warm up the autumn evenings. I thought about going down to the beach to wait for northern lights, but I opted for my backyard instead. I don’t know how many more evenings I’ll be able to sit outside this year, but this night was a nice one to do so!
Head over to my Instagram account for (almost) daily postings of the local conditions here on Lofoten: @distant.north
Camera Info: Nikon z8 Nikon 14-30mm f/4 30mm ISO 320 f 4 20 Seconds WB Daylight
https://www.68north.com/content/2023/08/friday-photo-557-last-nights-of-summer.jpg10001500Codyhttps://www.68north.com/content/2016/12/68north-logo-V4.pngCody2023-09-08 03:00:002023-08-28 08:35:27Friday Photo #557 – Last Nights Of Summer
Photo: Late August twilight and northern lights – aurora borealis, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. August 27, 2023. 00:15
After a week of mostly cloudy skies from last weeks first northern lights sighting of the year (Friday Photo #555), they were once again dancing in the sky last Saturday night. I was a warm summer evening, and so after a bbq with some neighbours I headed down to my beach to shoot a few images.
The evening sky is growing noticeably darker with each passing day, yet even in the midnight hours the glow of the sun just below the northern horizon is still quite strong. While I typically like these early/late season auroras with a twilight horizon, it is still a week or so early when shooting these images as the horizon was a little too bright – Especially if looking north towards the open sea as I was. And even with a moderately active aurora, the sky will not be sufficiently dark until around midnight, so this time of year misses all of the evenings early aurora activity.
The tide at the beach was in an awkward location, and I struggled to find a good foreground – with the the bright horizon not helping much either. At one point a small corona began dancing across the sky. I first tried to shoot it with more of a foreground, but as it passed directly to the north, I to a couple of images just pointing towards the sky and the horizon just out of frame. While a bit boring, I kinda like the abstract look of the image and the shift of warm to cool tones. It actually captures what it feels like standing out there, alone by the sea, in these last days of summer.
The image below is from when I first arrived at the beach and was still trying to work with a foreground composition to the scene. The sea was nearly flat and the rocks were perfectly in the middle of the tide line. If the tide had been a little higher, or the waves bigger, it would have been better to have the sea washing past to rock to give a little more balance to the dark sand and foreground.
It is not even September and I’ve already photographed the aurora multiple times. A good start to what will hopefully be a good aurora season!
For a bit of self promotion: there are still a few spots open on some of my winter photography workshops here on Lofoten.
Head over to my Instagram account for (almost) daily postings of the local conditions here on Lofoten: @distant.north
Camera Info: Photo 1 Nikon z8 Nikon 20mm f/1.8 20mm ISO 640 f 2.2 1.6 Second WB Daylight
Camera Info: Photo 2 Nikon z8 Nikon 20mm f/1.8 20mm ISO 640 f 2 2.5 Second WB Daylight
Photo: View over Yttersand beach from Yttersandheia, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. July 19, 2022. 17:06
With the summer tourist season well under way on Lofoten the local newspapers have been filled with the yearly articles about the ‘tourist chaos’ and local Facebook groups are full of grumpy ramblings and pictures of motorhomes parked in poorly thought of locations – some of which were quickly closed off. And while this happens every year on Lofoten, one new thing is both Flakstad and Moskenes municipalities now have parking enforcement agents driving around and ticketing illegally parked cars. And from the looks of it, they are collecting quite a lot of money these last weeks!
Anyone who has been to Lofoten during the summer, particularly the popular hiking trails in western Lofoten, has likely seen that is no where near adequate parking to handle the summer tourism bubble. Up to this point, the chaos was generally allowed to take over, and while there were local complaints, there had been little to no actual enforcement of illegal parking. So one could park directly in front of a ‘no parking’ sign or block the road to where an ambulance could not pass through with basically no risk of getting fined.
That has now changed. All the cars marked ‘x’ in this photo from July of last year would now receive 900 NOK parking tickets if having done so this year. And it seems plenty are still doing so, as this parking lot at Yttersand beach has been a good earner for Flakstad recently as people often still ignore the clear ‘no parking’ signs and park in the turning area which is needed for larger vehicles like the trash truck to turn around. A closer illustration from above shows that actual parking area is only a small section beyond the turning area, in which 14 vehicles are parked and would now be ticketed.
Unfortunately, there does not seem to be any solutions to the parking issues on Lofoten in the near horizon. The local governments are not well equipped enough or united in cooperation to run tourism economies, while the national government has been terribly slow to implement much needed funding like a tourist tax in the Lofoten region. So productive measures like shuttle busses to popular trail heads or beaches have been attempted, but ultimately failed without proper funding and promotion. With the inadequate public transport across Lofoten if attempting to leave the E10, cars will still dominate tourism on Lofoten and the popular areas will continue to have insufficient parking to fill demand. In a cynical way, this lack of parking will earn a lot of money from unsuspecting tourists returning from their hikes to find a yellow 900 NOK parking ticket on their windshield…
Head over to my Instagram account for (almost) daily postings of the local conditions here on Lofoten: @distant.north
Camera Info: Nikon Z7 II Nikon 24-200mm f/4-6.3 24mm ISO 100 f 8 1/320 Second WB Daylight
Photo: Mid July sun hangs low over the northern horizon just after midnight, Flakstad, Lofoten Islands, Norway. July 14, 2023. 00:38
It is now the middle of July and the tourism season is still gaining momentum here on Lofoten. Yet, in another way, it feels like we are midway through summer and the long days of the midnight sun are soon behind us. I’ve been lazy thus far and have not hiked much, although this was also due to other necessary commitments keeping my otherwise occupied. But for some reason, even in the nice evening hours when the world is mostly sleeping, I’m content just observing life from my backyard most days.
Looking out my window after midnight last night, the sun has become noticeably low on the northern horizon. After 7 weeks of 24 hour sunlight, it will only last past this weekend before beginning to set into the sea again. Though, from a photography standpoint, this is good! As it means the twilight nights and multi-hour sunset-sunrises are once again here after, the dare I say, ‘boring,’ light of June with its 24 hour blue sky. The coming month is the one I’m always most excited for photographically.
Head over to my Instagram account for (almost) daily postings of the local conditions here on Lofoten: @distant.north
Camera Info: Nikon Z8 Nikon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 100mm ISO 100 f 6.3 1/250 Second WB Daylight
Photo: June wildflowers overlooking Nappstraumen at midnight, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. June 22,2020. 23:53
I often see searches for the best time to visit Lofoten, which, in my opinion, is an almost impossible question to answer in that it entirely personal and there are so many variables. Even beyond the unpredictable and ever changing weather, there are a myriad of other micro elements that may make one person prefer one time and year while the next is looking for something else entirely. So there is not a one size fits all answer to when is ‘best’ to visit Lofoten.
The above being said, if there is a mood or feeling I look forwards to every year, it is walking around the lush, flower filed meadows of early summer sometime late in the evening after I’ve lost track of time, as time no longer matters. Perhaps it is merely because the long and cold winter is still a recent memory, or the fresh green has only been around a couple weeks. Or maybe it is because I know the midnight sun will shine in the sky for another month, so I know I still have many days of summer ahead to enjoy.
A nice and warm summer evening in June is one of my favorite times just the be here and and enjoy the timelessness of it all. Photographically, it is almost impossible to capture essence of it all as it is much more than a frozen moment in time. Much like I don’t think an image of the northern lights can fully capture the experience of seeing them dance overhead. A nice summer evening in the north is something that must be experienced.
So is it the best time of year? I don’t know. But for living on Lofoten, it is a necessary part of the circle of seasons and something I look forward to.
Head over to my Instagram account for (almost) daily postings of the local conditions here on Lofoten: @distant.north
Camera Info: Nikon D850 Nikon 24-70 f/2.8 45mm ISO 100 f 5 1125 Second WB Daylight
Photo: Common Gull swoops in for attack, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. May 31, 2021. 21:53
With summer just around the corner, many of Lofoten’s migratory birds will have chosen their nesting sites and begin laying eggs. In my valley, I can already see dozens of pairs of mostly common gulls spread out across the moorland. Every once in a while when something passes through, they will scatter to the sky in a flurry of noise and commotion.
Most of the migratory bird species on Lofoten are ground nesting: the various gull types, arctic skuas, oystercatchers, curlews, geese, and more. The result is the parents can have various levels of aggression when one passes too closely – particularly the arctic skuas, which might actually physically contact you, while most of the others just do a near flyby.
If you are just passing though an area, then there is not too much to be done, but do keep an eye out of where you are walking to hopefully avoid stepping on a nest full of eggs. The most common nesting areas are in the wild, coastal heather terrain which offers plenty of cover. But not all birds are this smart, and if you’re walking around the villages in late June, its likely you’ll see fresh chicks walking around the sidewalks and harbours at times.
If you are camping however, it is best that you pay attention to any annoyed birds. Camping too close to a nest will cause the parents to keep away, which might cause the eggs never to hatch, or, allow predators like stoats to approach and eat them. I’ve seen a few abandoned nests, still with eggs, in areas where it was obvious people had been frequently camping over the summer.
Just something to keep in mind while out enjoying Lofoten’s nature.
Head over to my Instagram account for (almost) daily postings of the local conditions here on Lofoten: @distant.north
Camera Info: Nikon D850 Nikon 70-200mm f/4 135mm ISO 400 f 4.5 1/800 Second WB Daylight
Photo: Clear blue sky and crisp winter air over partially frozen shoreline of Flakstadpollen at low tide, Kilan, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. March 28, 2023. 11:20
It is the last day of what as been a wonderfully cold and (mostly) calm March. The best extended period of winter weather that I can remember for several years. If you have been traveling Lofoten during the last weeks, you’ve been lucky – especially compared to the terrible weather during January and February this year.
Last year, March saw an extended warm period for most of the month, ending up with an average temperature 2.5˚c above normal, of 0.1˚c. I won’t see the weather average for this March until tomorrow, but I would not be surprised if the average comes in at 3-4 degrees below average. The average temperature on the day of this photo was -5.2˚c, whereas 0.8˚c should be Normal. And while it’s easy for one day to be an anomaly, so far 13 days this march have had temperatures fall below -10˚c, with the coldest temperature recorded at -15.3˚c. So far, only 3 days this March have had an average temperature above 0˚c. Though it has now warmed substantially since yesterday as the cold weather finally seems to have broken with the arrival of April.
Looking over the weather across the years often brings me back to questions about or suggestions for the ‘best time to visit’ Lofoten. The reality is: it is an unanswerable question. Or at least not answerable if you need to make your travel plans more than a few weeks ahead. March 2022 and March 2023 have almost been completely different seasons; with 2022 feeling like early spring and 2023 being a winter wonderland with deep snow from sea to summit. What will next year bring? Nobody knows. And don’t trust anyone who tries to suggest otherwise. With Lofoten’s weather, you won’t know what you get until you arrive here and see…
With that said. I am looking forward to spring and warm sunny days!
Head over to my Instagram account for (almost) daily postings of the local conditions here on Lofoten: @distant.north
Camera Info: Nikon Z7 II Nikon 14-30mm f/4 15mm ISO 100 f 8 1/500 Second WB Daylight
Photo: March sunset over Hornet, Myrland, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. March 12, 2023. 17:01
After what had been a mostly stormy and rainy January and February, March has brought a long winter cold spell to Lofoten – in other words, perfect winter weather! Since March 5, the temperatures have remained below freezing, with generous amounts of snow over the islands. And the forecast for the coming week looks to see this trend continue.
March traditionally should be the most ‘winter’ month on Lofoten. Though the last years have brought a somewhat mild March, especially last year when it felt like spring had already arrived by now. So it is nice to finally have a proper March again, and once I finish up with my last workshop of the winter season this week, hopefully there is still plenty of snow for my ski season to begin!
Beyond the overall nice weather of the last weeks, the days are also becoming quite long as the sun rises higher and higher in the sky. This is the period I generally refer to as ‘light winter – as opposed to ‘dark winter,’ which would be from December until mid February. By now, the days feel more ‘normal’ for those from lower latitudes and the feeling of the short days is over. Ignoring the snow covered mountains rising from the sea, the days now don’t feel any different than at some ski resort in the Alps, for example.
As the light winter progresses and Lofoten gains around one hour of daylight per week, we’ve now also entered the final countdown for aurora season – with about 4 weeks left until the night sky has brightened into the twilight nights of mid April. And then, another 4 weeks from then, the midnight sun!
Head over to my Instagram account for (almost) daily postings of the local conditions here on Lofoten: @distant.north
Camera Info: Nikon Z7 II Nikon 24-120mm f/4 24mm ISO 100 f 8 1/20 Second WB Daylight
Photo: Crashing waves at Myrland beach during winter storm, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. February 8, 2023. 12:56
I powerful storm swept over Lofoten on Wednesday causing damage and road closures across the islands. Included in the damage was a smashed rear window on my van – not sure if caused by wind alone or if something hit it. Either way, it was a shock to walk outside Thursday morning, happing that my road had now opened after several days of closure, only to see my van filled with glass and snow. It then took most of the morning and afternoon to come up with a temporary solution until it can get properly fixed in two weeks.
Some of the highest windspeeds recorded Wednesday were 47.3 m/s at Svolvær airport, 39.2 m/s on Skrova, and 37.5 at Leknes airport. Just for reference, hurricane speed winds are anything over 33 m/s. So it was a windy day on Lofoten! But beyond the wind, the warm southern air also brought torrential rain, with one location on Austvågøy measuring 229.6mm of rain in 24 hours.
For Lofoten and safety, this is considered ‘stay at home’ weather. Ferries, flights, and buses were canceled. And the E10 was closed by rock slides and landslides in several location, isolating parts of Lofoten. Also in such windy conditions, lots of pieces of buildings can be blowing around, making it dangerous for both driving and walking. On my drive to Stamsund this morning to fix my window, I could see a lot of debris near the road which had blown from somewhere.
Even if you can’t speak Norwegian, it can be a good idea to checkout the local newspapers (Lofotposten or Lofot-Tidende) and their facebook groups if you see in your weather forecast that a big storm is approaching. These storms are generally forecast and observed for several days before they hit Lofoten, so the local papers will send out warnings and announcements when necessary. Any road closures with be shown on the traffic information map on Statens Vegvesen’s website.
But, as wild as the storm was in reality, without any visual reference, many the ocean for Lofoten, the storms don’t actually look that stormy in photos. I was on the wrong side of the islands to photograph the biggest of the waves, and I would only consider the waves in the above photo as medium: visually somewhat stormy yes, but not too powerful or high. This image is a complete failure to represent to ferocity of the day.
Additionally, when Lofoten receives such weather, the sky is often just grey. Boring flat grey. And in this case, filled with rain. Had I not included a moderately stormy looking beach in the foreground and just photographed some mountains instead, it would look like it was just taken on a boring rainy day.
Head over to my Instagram account for (almost) daily postings of the local conditions here on Lofoten: @distant.north
Camera Info: Nikon Z7 II Nikon 24-120mm f/4 60mm ISO 1000 f 5.0 1/400 second WB Daylight
Photo: Stortind mountain peak rises over snow covered sand during low tide in inner Flakstadpollen, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. December 16, 2022. 11:16
By ‘normal’ weather standards, this past December was a good one. Starting out dry and cold, a couple passing storms put down a good layer of snow before quickly clearing to calm and cold weather again. It wasn’t until the holidays when a warm spell arrived, bringing windy rain across the islands.
Looking at the weather data below for 2022, you can see the last two Decembers have been abnormally dry, receiving only about 50% of expected precipitation. However, within the two Decembers themselves, 2021 was largely better during the 2nd half of the month, while 2022 was better during the beginning and middle of the month. This is more or less a small look at what happens throughout the year as well.
If one were to seek advice online about when its best to visit Lofoten, summer often gets the top choice – especially among non-photographers. This is sometimes true and sometimes not. Looking at 2022 you can see several spikes of warm weather, but an overall cool summer. You can also see the June and July had slightly above rainfall. And then August, which turned out to be the second wettest month of the year, with nearly triple the normal rainfall. And following with the normally wet and rainy September, it seems like the year1s quota of rain must have fallen in August, making September one of the driest months of the year.
What’s my point to all this? Nothing really. Or simply to illustrate the difference between what the weather should do, and what the weather actually does. Like everywhere else in the world, sometimes the weather is better than average, and sometimes worse. But you won’t know which until you get here and look out the windows.
Though a tip, mostly for those on road trips with a planned stop to Lofoten. Keep an eye on the weather before your planned visit, and this applies to the rest of Norway as well. If you can seen just a constant flow of rain and storms sweeping across Lofoten, try to adjust your plans if possible, or potentially skip Lofoten overall for a destination with improved weather. And the reverse can also be true, with southern Norway having the bad weather and then you should race north to Lofoten’s sun.
I myself use this tactic when planning short road trips around (northern) Norway or longer hiking trips over in Sweden. I generally try to give myself a rough timeframe of when I was to visit a place, and then keep an eye on the weather until the time seems right. In the last years I’ve tried to spend a bit more time down along the Helgeland coast south of Bodø. But the summer’s have left me checking the weather forecasts daily, hoping for a week of good weather. In the last years, I’ve had to settle for maybe 2-3 days of hopefully not terrible weather, between otherwise seemingly endless weeks of rain. Hopefully summer 2023 turn out better!
Head over to my Instagram account for (almost) daily postings of the local conditions here on Lofoten: @distant.north
Camera Info: Nikon Z7 II Nikon 14-30mm f/4 14mm ISO 100 f 10 0.4 second WB Daylight
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