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The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
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Weeks after snowstorms, some Anchorage bus stops remain inaccessible
Six weeks after a series of snowstorms dumped more than three feet of snow, bus stops along a handful of state-maintained roads remain buried, forcing transit users to navigate deep, slippery drifts and towers of snow.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

'The ocean is their garden': Initiative aims to make whaling safer
Backyard Buoys project will give residents real time data such as wave height to whaling crews and communities throughout the North Slope. A system of buoys will be displaced across the slope this summer.
North Slope, Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder

Local Alaska egg producers fill cracks during shortage
Local farms help provide eggs with statewide shortage during avian flu outbreak.
Soldotna, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

NOAA denies emergency request to close red king crab savings areas
Federal officials denied an emergency request to close crucial habitat for Bristol Bay red king crab to all commercial fishing.
Bristol Bay, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

More than $13 million in federal funding earmarked for Bristol Bay
Bristol Bay will receive 13 million in Federal Funding to help with projects such as safe drinking water.
Bristol Bay, Alaska, United States

There's a lot of talk about what we would gain from the Ambler Road. But what would we lose?
The potential impact on caribou and the way of life in Northwest Arctic if Ambler Mining District is opened.
Ambler, Alaska, United States

Rare attack in Alaska renews interest in polar bear patrols
For isolated communities at the top of the world, keeping the planet’s largest land predators -- polar bears -- out of town is key to coexistence.
Wales, Alaska, United States
AP NEWS

Ice lies thick over Russian Arctic waters, but this winter might be record warm
Ship captains are battling with major volumes of sea-ice across the Russian far north. Temperature data show that the Arctic has almost never before been this hot.
Russian Arctic
The Independent Barents Observer

Hard rain
Rain began to fall on the already snow-covered Yamal Peninsula, an Arctic region of northwest Siberia, in November 2013. Rain fell for the next 24 hours.  As rain saturated the snow, the temperature dropped below freezing, turning the precipitation into a thick, icy crust.
Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Russia
Boulder Weekly

How far can $25 million go to relocate a community that’s disappearing into Alaska’s melting permafrost?
A recent Interior Department grant aims to help residents in Newtok move to higher ground, but it’s just a sliver of what’s needed.
Newtok, Alaska, United States
High Country News

Alaska's cold climate 'luck' with three consecutive La Niña years is about to run out
National Weather Service says Alaska has been lucky to have three La Niña years. Due to climate change we could see a shift into warmer La and El Nino's.
Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

More industry must be placed where power is produced
Mayors of power municipalities in Norway want new industry in the villages where electricity is produced, instead of sending it away to the city. Local power is very efficient.
Dalen, Telemark, Norway
NRK

Possible record year for arctic fox in Nordics with 762 cubs counted in 2022
The arctic fox population across the Nordic region has declined for decades, but recent data suggests cross-border cooperation between Finland, Norway and Sweden is helping turn things around. Arctic Fox dens and cub population is highest in all three countries.
Lapland, Finland
Eye on the Arctic

LKAB discovers large rare earth metals deposit in northern Sweden
The state-owned Swedish mining company LKAB says it has found a deposits containing more than one million tons of rare earth oxides near Kiruna in Northern Sweden.
Kiruna, Norrbotten, Sweden
ArcticToday

Congress approves development of national One Health coordination plan, other veterinary funding priorities
Language supported by the AVMA in new legislation will coordinate federal activities aimed at combating zoonotic disease outbreaks. The measure was among other provisions relevant to animal health that Congress passed before the end of the 2022.
United States
American Veterinary Medical Association

A real scramble: State suffers an egg shortage
Avian flu outbreak in Washington prompts cull of over 1 million eggs. This has led to a shortage of eggs in urbans areas such as Anchorage and rural communities in Alaska. The egg-shortage adds to the Covid-19 supply chain issues.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

It's warmer than normal in many parts of the North — and it's going to stay that way for awhile
The Yukon, the N.W.T. and western Nunavut are experiencing above-average temperatures. According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, it's going to stay that way for the month of January.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

December was Anchorage’s wettest and second snowiest on record
Climatologist Rick Thoman says climate change is driving this more extreme winter snowfall. As the oceans warm, more moisture evaporates into the air. Then, when the atmospheric conditions are right for a storm, that increased evaporation results in “heavier and heavier precipitation,” Thoman said. That’s in part why Anchorage saw 41.2 inches of snow last month, capping off its wettest year on record, according to the National Weather Service.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Why Are Alaska's Rivers Turning Orange?
Streams in Alaska are turning orange with iron and sulfuric acid. Scientists are trying to figure out why
Kiana, Alaska, United States
Scientific American

In northernmost Alaska, a battle is on to limit the damages of permafrost thaw
Warming soils beneath Utqiagvik are triggering erosion that threatens homes, infrastructure and cultural resources. The North Slope has seen some of the fastest changes in coastal erosion in the nation.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
KTOO

Anchorage is still struggling to remove snow, weeks after a trio of winter storms
City officials say crews have made progress. But there are challenges. Crews are currently focused on hauling snow from main streets that are near schools, said Kohlhase’s Thursday email. He said he hopes to get every school cleared by the time classes resume on Monday, Jan. 9.

After 30 years in decline, Yukon's Finlayson caribou herd may be on the upswing, gov't says
For the first time in decades, Yukon's Finlayson caribou herd appears to be growing in number. That's according to recent population survey data from the territorial government.
Pelly Mountains, British Columbia
CBC

The hidden underwater forests that could help tackle the climate crisis
Underwater forests, such as kelp forests, have been found to cover a large area and have the potential to absorb significant amounts of carbon dioxide, making them important in addressing the climate crisis, although more research is needed to understand their long-term carbon sequestration capabilities.
Bodega Bay, California, United States
the Guardian

Climate change seen as suspected factor in Western Arctic Caribou Herd decline
Alaska’s Western Arctic Caribou Herd population is lower than at any time in over four decades. Climate change is the leading cause of the decline in the herd.

Researchers discuss more salmon appearing in Arctic
The Arctic Sounder - Serving the Northwest Arctic and the North Slope
Kaktovik, Alaska, United States

In the district capital, the estuary did not freeze, in Pevek it warmed up to +4
Three temperature records this week were broken in Chukotka. Forecasters recorded abnormally high temperatures for this time of year in Pevek and Omolon.
Pevek, Chukotskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia
prochukotku

An Unmistakable Stain in America’s Most Pristine Rivers
Dozens of once crystal-clear streams and rivers in Arctic Alaska are now running bright orange and cloudy, and, in some cases, they may be becoming more acidic. This otherwise undeveloped landscape now looks as if an industrial mine has been in operation for decades, and scientists want to know why.
Noatak River
The Atlantic

Ancient moose antlers hint of early arrival on Alaska's North Slope
The North Slope offers a marginal place for a moose because far fewer willow shrubs grow there than in the boreal forest. Moose are recent invaders of the North Slope due to climate warming and expanding willow growth.
North Slope, Alaska
Arctic Sounder

State downsizes bison hunt after a third of Delta herd starves to death
Alaska’s longest and most popular hunting season ended early this year. The Delta Junction bison hunt usually extends from October to March, but the state limited this year’s season to just two weeks, and only 50 animals were taken, because last winter’s heavy snow and ice buildup wiped out nearly a third of the Delta bison herd.
Delta Junction, Alaska, United States
KUAC

Washing away
The Arctic hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T., is collapsing into the ocean as it loses up to a meter of coastline each year. The people who live there are in a race against time to preserve their way of life — and their community — before it is washed away.
Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

Garbage collection from the coast and tundra after the storm was completed in the village of Rytkuchi
Garbage and wood were removed by the municipal services of the village of Rytkuchi of the Pevek urban district from the coastline and tundra near the settlement. This was the final stage of a large-scale clean-up, which began in the summer after a strong storm.
Prochukotku

Dead bowheads in Beaufort and Chukchi point to increased killer whale presence in Arctic
There are new signs that killer whales, which are swimming farther north and staying for longer periods of the year in Arctic waters, are increasingly preying on Alaska’s bowhead whales. A newly published study found that 2019, an especially warm year in the region, also seems to have been an especially dangerous year for bowheads.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
ArcticToday

Dungeness crab summer harvest drops $10M from previous season
Some Southeast fishermen skipping fall season entirely, other’s say season has been “hit or miss”
Homer, Alaska, United States
Homer News

As climate change progresses, trees in cities struggle
As the driest summer in Seattle’s record books ended, trees across the city were sounding silent alarms. It was the latest in a string of Seattle summers in the last decade, including a record-breaking heat dome in 2021, to feature drier conditions and hotter temperatures that have left many trees with premature brown leaves and needles, bald branches and excessive seeding –- all signs of stress.
Seattle, Washington, United States
AP NEWS

St. Paul government declares emergency in attempt to get ahead of looming crab crash
The recent closure of the Bering Sea snow crab and Bristol Bay red king crab fisheries has some Western Alaska towns taking a hard look at their futures, including St. Paul.
Saint Paul, Alaska, United States

Nome-Council Road passable again after suffering significant damage from severe September storm
Three weeks after ex-typhoon Merbok hit Western Alaska and breached the Nome-Council Road, Department of Transportation crews and local contractors finished their repairs.
Nome, Alaska, United States
KNOM Radio Mission

Climate change driving narwhals to change migration timings
Researchers have detected striking changes in narwhal migration times driven by climate changes in the North. "Our long-term dataset identified that passage boundary crossing dates were associated with changing sea ice dynamics as a result of climate change," the researchers said in their paper p
Eye on the Arctic

Bering Sea king and snow crab seasons canceled amid population declines
For the first time ever, the Bering Sea snow crab fishery will not open for the upcoming season. The Bristol Bay red king crab fishery will also be closed for a second year in a row.
Bering Sea

Haines’ changing alpine permafrost
Alpine permafrost is thawing, according to an article by the National Science Foundation. This is bad news because thawing releases carbon dioxide and methane and because it can cause destabilization of the land, as a couple of northbound drivers found out last week when their car was buried in the slide at 23 miles, as reported in a Chilkat Valley News article.
Haines, Alaska, United States
KHNS Radio | KHNS FM

Under threat of thaw, some North Slope ice cellars will get tech upgrades to stay frozen
Iñupiat communities have been looking for alternatives to traditional ice cellars. Some households switched to using manmade freezers, which can be effective but they affect the taste and the quality of the food, Nelson said. Additionally, power outages, frequent in the villages, can make this storage method unreliable. So the search is on for creative ideas to preserve traditional ice cellars.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States

Southeast Alaska wolves eat over 60 prey species, study finds — including sea otter
A study – now in its eighth year – has found a remarkably diverse diet among the region’s wolf population. Sea otter has become a primary source of food.
Petersburg, Alaska, United States
KTOO

Southeast Alaska wolves eat over 60 prey species, study finds — including sea otter
Southeast Alaska’s wolves tend to favor deer and moose at mealtime, but in a pinch they won’t say no to black bear – or even sea otter.
Petersburg, Alaska, United States

NASA Warns Methane Is Being Belched From Newly Formed Lakes
These lakes form because warm temperatures in the Arctic are melting the permafrost.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Newsweek

As support streams in, one village still accounting for what was lost in Western Alaska storm
Golovin was hurt worse than other places in the Norton Sound region by the remnants of typhoon Merbok as it swirled up through Bering Sea last weekend. Repairing the damage is going to take time — and the clock is ticking on winter’s arrival.
Golovin, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Wildfire smoke may have amplified arctic phytoplankton bloom
Smoke from a Siberian wildfire may have transported enough nitrogen to parts of the Arctic Ocean to amplify a phytoplankton bloom.
EurekAlert!

Typhoon Merbok pounded Alaska’s vulnerable coastal communities at a critical time
The powerful remnants of Typhoon Merbok pounded Alaska’s western coast on Sept. 17, 2022, pushing homes off their foundations and tearing apart protective berms as water flooded communities. Storms aren’t unusual here, but Merbok built up over unusually warm water. Its waves reached 50 feet over the Bering Sea, and its storm surge sent water levels into communities at near record highs along with near hurricane-force winds.
Bering Sea
ArcticToday

Western Alaska braces for strong storm and possible floods
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

Kebnekaise's southern peak has not shrunk any further this year
Sweden's highest mountain Kebnekaise's southern peak has not shrunk further over the last year, scientists say. "I think the explanation is that it was quite a cold summer up here in the Kebnekaise Mountains and at the Tarfala research station so it has not melted away so much" says Nina Kirchner, director at Tarfala research center.
Mount Kebnekaise

As Yukon River chinook disappear, so does a way of life
Yukon River chinook salmon runs have been steadily declining, with 2022 the smallest run on record. As the fish disappear, Yukon First Nations fear the cultures and traditions built around the salmon over countless generations will too.
Pelly Crossing, Yukon, Canada
CBC North

With record use, Chugach State Park feels new pressures
Anchorage’s backyard wilderness is experiencing a surge in users that shows no signs of letting up. Driven in part by social media and location tracking apps, more people are recreating in historically less-used parts of the park than before.

Store-bought milkweed plants can expose monarch caterpillars to harmful pesticides
Researchers found pesticide-contaminated plants in nurseries in 15 states
United States
University of Nevada, Reno

Saxitoxin detected in regional clam
A six-inch butter clam harvested on August 28 three miles north of Savoonga tested positive for saxitoxins, or paralytic shellfish poison, Norton Sound Health Corporation Environmental Coordinator Emma Pate said.The clam itself showed high levels of saxitoxin present: it had 450 micrograms of toxin per 100 gram of body tissue. The Food and Drug Administration’s safety limit is at 80 micrograms/100 g. Pate, via the SEATOR lab, on Sept. 23 issued a paralytic shellfish toxin advisory to Savoonga and Gambell.
Savoonga, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Authorities warn subsistence users about potentially harmful algal blooms
Researchers have found a high level of potentially harmful algae in the waters near Teller, Brevig Mission, Wales, Little Diomede and Shishmaref. They are now advising that residents of those areas…
Nome, Alaska, United States
KNOM Radio Mission

Alaska’s snow crabs have disappeared. Where they went is a mystery.
King crab legs for $199 a pound? There’s a reason for that.
Saint Paul, Alaska, United States
Washington Post

Grain Farmer Fights Off Swan Invasion with Falcon-Shaped Kites
A farmer in South Iceland is resorting to a unique method to combat a unique threat to his grain crops. RÚV reports that Björgvín Þór Harðarson, a pig and grain farmer in Laxárdalur, is using falcon-shaped kites to scare away the whooper swans that are consuming and causing significant damage to his crops.
Iceland Review

As Arctic Temperatures Rise, Polar Bears Are Eating More Garbage
A new paper warns that a growing reliance on trash is leading to more human-bear conflict
Churchill, Manitoba, Canada
Smithsonian Magazine

Avian flu outbreak affects wide range of species
A new outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza is spreading among wild birds in North America. While there are only a few confirmed cases in Western Alaska, the scope of the outbreak still has…
Alaska, United States
KNOM Radio Mission

Recent Increase in Seal Deaths in Maine Linked to Avian Flu
NOAA Fisheries working with partners to determine the causes of death, and assess impacts.
Southern Maine Coast
NOAA

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