Background Articles

Sitka had an early bloom that led to high shellfish toxins in April, and there is currently a paralytic shellfish toxin advisory across Southeast for recreational and subsistence harvest.

Warming temperatures and declining ice cover at Izembek Lagoon are leading thousands of Pacific black brant to overwinter in the Bering Sea instead of flying to southern wintering grounds.

The Kuskokwim River breakup has reached Sleetmute and Red Devil more than 200 miles downstream in five days—about five days ahead of schedule—with low flooding potential reported for middle-river communities.

Sea ice in Nunatsiavut is forming later and melting sooner, disrupting Inuit travel, hunting and culture; the SmartICE program combines technology and traditional knowledge to help communities adapt.

An expert warns that early snowmelt and increasing ski tourism in vulnerable high‑altitude calving areas on Hardangervidda and Nordfjella are disturbing Norway’s wild reindeer during their critical breeding season.

We have a lot of phenological events, but how much snow and when it falls are not part of that scheme. If you did not mulch last fall, you are going to lose some and maybe many of your perennials.

A warm March has triggered an early spring bloom in Finland with wood anemone and common hepatica appearing ahead of their usual schedule.

A new study finds that polar bears in Svalbard are beginning to leave their dens with cubs one week earlier than before 2016, a trend that may be linked to climate change and the resulting loss of sea ice.

British Columbia’s March snowpack averaged just 79 percent of normal, up from 63 percent a year ago but still low enough to raise the province’s drought risk for spring and summer.

The study, conducted by Canadian and Norwegian scientists, highlights that in the last decade, polar bears have on average started leaving their dens with cubs one week earlier than was recorded before 2016.

A new study by Canadian and Norwegian researchers shows that polar bear mothers in Svalbard are leaving dens with their cubs about one week earlier than before 2016, a shift potentially linked to climate change.

April was 1–2 °C warmer than the 1991–2020 average in Finland, with a high of 22.9 °C in Rauma and a low of –23.8 °C in Kilpisjärvi. Sunshine was above average, while southern areas and Lapland saw increased rainfall.

In recent years, researchers have documented salmon surviving in North Slope rivers, bowhead whales expanding their foraging grounds and humpbacks moving into the Arctic.

Scant snow is giving way to shaggy brown grass normally not seen until spring breakup, raising concerns now that conditions are increasingly ripe for a fast-moving fire at a time of year usually deep in the grip of winter.

The Kuskokwim 300 sled dog race has been postponed by two weeks due to low snowfall and above-freezing temperatures in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.

In Ruby, Alaska, Indigenous families face cultural and nutritional challenges as climate change and fisheries management impact the availability of chinook and chum salmon, central to their traditions.

Alaska is experiencing rapid environmental changes, including record-high temperatures, shrinking sea ice, increased wildfires, and unusual wildlife patterns, such as the decline of salmon and the rise of snow goose populations.

A newly updated report titled 'Alaska's Changing Environment' explores the climatic shifts affecting Alaska, from landslides to late freezes, emphasizing the significant impact of climate change.

Research from the University of New Brunswick indicates that balsam fir trees are at risk due to climate change, with rising temperatures and drought conditions being key concerns.

Alaska's seafood industry is facing significant challenges due to climate change, geopolitical factors, and economic pressures. Efforts to address these issues are underway, but solutions are complex and require substantial investment and policy change.