Join us in Tromsø: Together on forecasting the movements of water

How do we know where water comes from, where it is today, and where it might be tomorrow?

On 21 September, UiT The Arctic University of Norway and the ISOSCAN research project invite you to an evening seminar in Tromsø about water, hydrological models, and forecasting.

We will follow the journey from a snow sample collected in the landscape to scientific observations, models, and forecasts. Together with ISOSCAN researchers and people working with weather and hydrological forecasting in practice, we will explore how hydrological forecasts are produced, communicated, and used – and what makes us trust or question them.

During the winters of 2025 and 2026, hundreds of citizens, tourists, and outdoor enthusiasts across Norway, Sweden, and Finland collected snow samples with ISOSCAN. At the seminar, we will share some of what we have learned and show how these contributions form part of a larger effort to understand how water moves through the landscape and improve forecasts of future water conditions.

Whether you contributed snow samples to ISOSCAN or are simply curious about the science and people behind forecasts, you are warmly invited to join us.

When: Monday 21 September 2026
Where: Bakrommet, Grønnegata 83, Tromsø
Doors open: 18:00 – come early and enjoy some snacks
Programme: 19:00–21:00
Admission: Free, no registration required
Language: The seminar will mainly be held in Norwegian, with some contributions in English.

Interested in joining us? Please click “Going” on this Facebook event to help us better prepare for the evening and receive updates about the evening.

ISOSCAN at Researchers’ night 2026 –  September 25th 18–21, VilVite Bergen

ISOSCAN will host a stand at Researchers’ Night, part of Forskningsdagene in Bergen, where visitors can learn more about the project and watch the documentary. Everyone is welcome to meet the ISOSCAN scientists, ask questions, and satisfy their curiosity.

Get a free ticket to join the event here

Harald Sodemann giving a presentation before viewing of the documentary

The ISOSCAN project recently premiered a short documentary at the Bjerknes Centre in Bergen. The film highlights the project’s citizen science campaign and shows how public participation can help improve hydrometeorological forecasts.

Project leader Harald Sodemann introduced ISOSCAN and explained the important role of citizen science. During the 2026 campaign, citizens collected and submitted an impressive 326 snow samples for laboratory analysis. These samples give researchers valuable data that would have been difficult to collect through traditional fieldwork alone.

The filmmaker also shared experiences from the production, and the audience learned more about VitenTV, a free and trusted platform for sharing research.

The documentary captures the enthusiasm of the participants and follows the journey from collecting snow to creating new scientific knowledge in the laboratory.

Watch the documentary on VitenTV.

Text and photo: Mandy Kong

The ISOSCAN approach is quite unique: collecting snow samples from all over Scandinavia with the help of citizen scientists to help improve forecasts of water moving through the landscape. We thought the experience is worth sharing with a wide audience – and so we made a movie! Together with the experienced team from Meyer Film, we’ve been filming in our offices in Bergen, in Tromsø, and in Finse in southern Norway, involving both members of the ISOSCAN team, citizen scientists, and the beautiful natural scenery of Norway. It was quite a unique experience to be part of making such a short documentary, also at times demanding, but highly rewarding. After intense final polishing, the movie is now ready for the premiere! The first public screening is planned for 24 August at the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Science in Bergen.

Text and photos: Harald Sodemann/UiB