Weather
+2 °C at noon, wind 11 m/s, gusts 16, dry. 00:00 +2, 03:00 0, 06:00 +1
Flights
No flights listed for 31 October. Next DY390 from Oslo, 1 November 11:25.
Ships
Booked: no calls on 31 October or 1 November. Next listed: MV Captain Arctic, passenger boat, 7 March, 08:00.
In Isfjorden at 21:00 on 31 October, 6 ships: Alexia, cargo, at anchor in Isfjorden, 20:52; Kronprins Haakon, at the quay in Longyearbyen, 20:52; Polarsyssel, law enforcement, at the quay in Longyearbyen, 20:52; Elling Carlsen, pilot, at the quay in Longyearbyen, 20:52; Advent Supplier, port tender, at the quay in Longyearbyen, 20:52; Longyear 2, port tender, at the quay in Longyearbyen, 20:51.
Saturday 31 October 2026No. 6Updated 23:59
Polar night, day 5 of 112. The sun returns 16 February.
Longyearbyen lokalstyre (the local council) is taking applications until 11 November for NOK 95,000 from Regionale kulturfond (the regional culture funds), a state grant scheme for local cultural life.
Longyearbyen's culture fund: NOK 100,000 in 2025, NOK 95,000 in 2026
The figures and their sourcesLokalstyre, 30 October, 08:46
Sysselmesteren (the Governor of Svalbard) reported on 30 October that the Norwegian Meteorological Institute has put out a yellow rain alert for Longyearbyen on Saturday.
Longyearbyen, Weather, Avalanche
Governor of Svalbard, 30 October, 15:38
Numbered discs: the day's listed events.
Saturday 31 October
Children's Halloween activities at Nordover
Culture. Nordover kunstsenter og kino.
Culture. Nordover kunstsenter og kino.
Kåre Tveter: An Artist's View of Svalbard
Exhibition. Nordover kunstsenter og kino.
Cinema: Lille spøkelset Laban skøyer igjen
Culture. Nordover kunstsenter og kino.
Culture. Nordover kunstsenter og kino.
Cold Coasts short film, 2 November
Culture. Nordover kunstsenter og kino. in person; ticket included in the admission price, or sold separately.
No news on 31 October or 30 October.
Earlier, from 28 October
The council closes Svalbardhallen pool for national swim meet
On Saturday 31 October the water will be colder than normal, and baby swimming is cancelled. On the weekend of 6-8 November a national swimming competition is held in Svalbardhallen, and the swimming pool is therefore closed from 2:00 pm on…
Lokalstyre, 29 October, 17:08. Original title: Viktig informasjon fra Svalbardhallen-kaldere bassengvann og nasjonalt svømmestevne
Longyearbyen fire and rescue urges Halloween fire safety
Halloween is a fun and exciting evening for many children and adults, but Longyearbyen lokalstyre urges everyone to give fire safety some extra thought during the celebrations.
Lokalstyre, 29 October, 16:04. Original title: Halloweenhilsen fra Longyearbyen brann og redning
The Governor of Svalbard has decided to introduce a traffic ban on Road 300, from the junction with Road 501 all the way up to and including Sverdrupbyen. This measure is due to the risk of rockfalls or rock avalanches from Platåberget.
Governor of Svalbard, 29 October, 14:00
Local council invites business to forum on 5 November
What is happening in Longyearbyen, and what does the development mean for the business community?
Lokalstyre, 29 October, 10:02. Original title: Velkommen til næringsforum 5. november!
UNIS holds an avalanche evening in Møysalen on 17 November
Tuesday 17 November Møysalen, UNIS 19:00-21:00 / 7 PM to 9 PM (UTC+2) The lecture will only be held in-person and in Norwegian. During the avalanche evening you will learn more about, among other things:, What is avalanche terrain?, How do you make safe route choices?, What is Varsom Regobs and how do you use the Avalanche Warning?, What equipment must […]
UNIS, 28 October, 08:54. Original title: Skredkveld i Møysalen
Hotellneset power plant: streets dug up from 2028, plant ready in 2031
Governor of Svalbard, 28 October, 05:00. Original title: Høring: Utredningsprogram for hovedkraftstasjon og tankanlegg på Hotellneset | Sysselmesteren på Svalbard
Registration deadline for the business forum, 4 November
4 days left, 24 October to 4 November. Registration through the link on the page, deadline Wednesday 4 November at 16:00. Speaking time can be requested at registration.
For: Local business community.
Deadline for temporary installations applications, 2026-2027 winter season
15 days left, 24 October to 15 November. Applications are sent to firmapost@sysselmesteren.no.
For: Those applying to set up temporary installations for camping by the general public for one week or more during the winter season.
Extra air freight flight to Longyearbyen, 7 November
7 days left, on 7 November. Contact Pole Position Logistics directly for capacity, prices and booking.
For: Businesses and other parties that need to send goods by air.
Svalbardhallen: colder pool water, baby swimming cancelled
Today, on 31 October.
For: Swimming hall guests, baby swimming participants.
Application deadline: regional cultural fund grants
11 days left, 30 October to 11 November. Application form linked on the Longyearbyen lokalstyre page.
For: Teams, associations, businesses and other actors registered in the Central Coordinating Register for Legal Entities (Enhetsregisteret) and active in Longyearbyen.
Registration deadline for the UNIS, hva nå? seminar, 10 November
10 days left, 3 November to 10 November. Register via the website of NVP (NVPs nettside).
Governor's office closed to the public
6 days left, on 6 November.
Water shut-off near the Customs House and Fire Station
9 days left, on 9 November. Owners and businesses are asked to register contact information for the property at Varslemeg.no.
For: Subscribers and owners of properties, commercial buildings, shops and businesses affected by the work.
Swimming hall closed to public swimming from 14:00, 6 November
6 days left, on 6 November.
7 days left, on 7 November.
Swimming hall closed to public swimming all day, 7 November
7 days left, on 7 November.
Swimming hall closed to public swimming all day, 8 November
8 days left, on 8 November.
Environmental station closed on Friday
6 days left, on 6 November.
For: Household and business customers.
Application portal opens for experienced Svalbard guides
13 days left, on 13 November.
For: Experienced guides applying for approval as a Svalbard guide.
Sysselmesteren (the Governor of Svalbard)
Northern Lights Chase by car
Departures, prices and places from each operator's own booking system; where an operator has none, from the Visit Svalbard booking system.
This day, 31 October
1932
The Dutch owners sold Barentsburg to the Soviet state company Arktikugol in 1932. That autumn the steamer Tawaritsch Stalin, bringing workers and machinery for the Soviet mine, ran aground at the mouth of Isfjorden and was pulled off by a Soviet ship and British trawlers.
History Store norske leksikon
From the timeline, Hunting and expeditions
1715
Russian fur trappers overwintered on Svalbard from the early eighteenth century: Store norske leksikon gives 1704 in one article and 1715 in another. Their hunting faded out around 1850, while Norwegian sealing vessels and wintering expeditions carried on.
History Store norske leksikon
The timeline by era
Svalbard 
