LEO Network

About the LEO Network
The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
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Observations

Something is eating salmonberry leaves
"This season we have observed many salmonberry bushes that appear to be defoliated. It seems something is eating the leaves. We have also noticed the berries look sickly."
Seldovia, Alaska, United States
Jessie Moan, Mike Rasy , Katie Spellman, DeShana York, Stephen Payton

Beluga Whale Spotted in The Yukon River Near Tanana
The marine mammal was seen some 600 miles from where the river empties into the Bering Sea.
Tanana, Alaska, United States
Verena Gill, Barbara Mahoney, Rodney Evans

More than 271 structures impacted by Lahaina fire
More than 271 structures have been impacted by the Lahaina fire, the U.S. Civil Air Patrol and Maui Fire Department reported after flyovers of Lahaina town on Wednesday..
Lahaina, Hawaii, United States
mauinews.com

Insect on cloud berries
Is the abundance of insects unusual? Updates from around the state with picking and weather impacts.
Trapper Creek, Alaska, United States

Cabins lost in wildfire near Tulita, N.W.T., as smoke forces some residents to leave
At last measurement, the fire had burned about 14,000 hectares and remains within 10 kilometres of Tulita, but is on the far side of the Mackenzie River.
Tulita NWT
CBC

A white raven has appeared on the Kenai Peninsula
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge staff say the bird is leucistic, lacking pigment in some feathers due to an absence of cells that produce melanin.
Soldotna, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

With thousands of sockeyes passing Bethel each day, dipnets are catching on
Amid severely restricted fishing on the Kuskokwim River, one bright spot has been abundant sockeye salmon runs at 30,000 fish daily near Bethel.
Bethel, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Oyster catchers return to Nanwalek
Black oystercatchers have returned to Nanwalek, Alaska, and three eggs have been spotted on the beach.
Nanwalek, Alaska, United States

Rocky Mountain spotted fever outbreak in Campinas, São Paulo State
The Ministry of Health confirms the occurrence of three deaths from Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) in Campinas/São Paulo, referring to an outbreak in the municipality.
Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
Outbreak News Today

Avian influenza detected on kittiwakes in Harstad
Kjell Arvid Andersen thought the birds were behaved strangely. Then he and his neighbors found over 30 dead birds.
Nordre Leirvåg - Bjarkøy, Harstad, Troms and Finnmark, Norway
NRK

Drought in the Saanich Peninsula
“We spent the weekend outdoors camping on the peninsula and notices shoreline grasses has dried and shriveled.”
North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada

Invasive Pacific oyster spreading rapidly in Norway
The invasive Pacific oyster is spreading rapidly in Oslofjord, causing injuries to bathers and threatening local ecosystems, with Oslo municipality now offering a reward for their removal.
Oslofjord, Oslo Viken, Norway
TV 2

'We will have to adapt': Record high temperatures in Nunavik pose threat to Inuit way of life
Kuujjuaq, Quebec experienced record-breaking temperatures this week. Locals say hunting practices and the ability to travel on the land are being significantly reduced by the thaw.
Nunavut, Canada
CBC

Cold Bay still on bottled drinking water, 10 months after the wells tested high for 'forever chemicals'
About a year ago, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation tested Cold Bay’s water wells for PFAS, and the results came back well above the levels recommended for human consumption. Cold Bay closed the wells for drinking when the test results came back, and the Eastern Aleutian community has relied on state-provided bottled water ever since.
Cold Bay, Alaska, United States
KDLG

Invasive Elodea in Harding Lake
Elodea was first observed in Harding Lake in 2020 growing in isolated patches and has since been assessed and managed by the Fairbanks Soil and Water Conservation District and its partners.
Salcha, Alaska, United States

Alaska tourism threatened as iconic glaciers melt away
As the world’s glaciers retreat, so does the outlook for the Alaska tourism sector. But the pace of that retreat is still in human hands.
Cooper Landing, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Sinking in
The community of Aklavik, N.W.T., persevered when devastating floods led the government to attempt to relocate it. Now it faces another existential crisis as climate change thaws the permafrost, forever changing the community’s landscape and wildlife.
Aklavik, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

Snow shortage threatens Alps with wet winter season
The word for it here is Schneemangel or snow shortage. There's a phrase for when the snow is plentiful too - das weisse Gold - white gold. It's a reflection of how many alpine communities depend on winter sports for their livelihoods. World Cup skiers will race on artificial snow this Saturday as the Alps see record high temperatures.
Adelboden, Bern, Switzerland
BBC News

No sea ice in Grantley Harbor
December should have sea ice development in Norton Sound. But no sign of ice yet this year. Several storms have moved northward across the western Bering Sea and brought strong winds and bouts of above freezing weather to the Teller area and all of the Bering Strait region.
Teller, Alaska, United States
Richard L Thoman Jr, Kendra Lee, Anahma Shannon, Austin Ahmasuk, Kitrea P Takata-Glushkoff, Hajo Eicken

Harbor seal with patchy fur
Harbor seal looking sick with patches of fur missing.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States
Bryan Reed, Raphaela Stimmelmayr, Barbara Mahoney, Jaclyn Christensen, Kimberlee Beckmen, Gay Sheffield, Gabe Dunham

Thawing causing cemetery to sink
Permafrost thaw in Noatak is causing the condition of the grave site to degrade. A trench has formed and crosses are tipping over.
Noatak, Alaska, United States
Jeffrey Luther, Joanna Barton, Vladimir Romanovsky, Tom Wolforth

In the village of Nutepelmen, a bathhouse was closed due to the collapse of the shore
The issue of moving the public bath to a new place is decided in the village of Nutepelmen of the Egvekinot urban district. Part of the shore, on which the modular structure now stands, was washed away by waves. The social institution was closed for an indefinite period, reports IA "Chukotka".
Nutepelmen, Chukotka, Russia
Chukotka

After September storm, Newtok residents are desperate to relocate
Melting permafrost and severe erosion have plagued the community for decades. The most recent storm brought waves so fierce, the water claimed roughly half of the 80 or so remaining feet of land that stands between the back end of the school and the edge of the Ningliq river.
Newtok, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Winds down but high water just starting as ‘exceptionally strong storm’ batters Northwest Alaska
Forecasters say they are expecting significant coastal erosion from Utqiagvik to Unalakleet from the second severe-weather event to hit the region in three weeks.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Salmon struggle to spawn amid record-setting drought
Record-setting drought conditions have left many of B.C’s streams and waterways too low for salmon to swim up to spawn. Heiltsuk First Nation leaders say hundreds of fish were found rotting in a creek in Bella Bella, B.C., usually teeming by fall with migrating pink and chum salmon.

An Influx in Taraxacum Officinale or the Common Dandelion in Iqaluit, Nunavut
Over the past five years, there has been a steady increase in the number of dandelions spread throughout the surrounding area of Iqaluit.
Crystal Two, Nunavut, Canada

Kivalina neighbors banded together to save a house from falling into the sea amid last week’s storm
Kivalina has long dealt with climate change-driven erosion. While the village didn’t feel the effects of heavy flooding, residents are wary of a future with heavy autumn storms.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States
Kavitha George, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage

‘Some of them just disappeared’: Essential pieces of life in Nome were lost in the storm
Nome's landscape is physically altered, with raw material scattered wildly, the coastline reconfigured, and camps that anchored generations of subsistence either flattened or gone.
Nome, Alaska, United States
KTOO

Storm Merbok causes erosion to cemetary
The erosion of the Old Russian Cemetery from the impacts of the storm Merbokis also an unfinished process. The earth is actively moving, falling onto the beach bit by bit and sometimes in large chunks every day, to reach a state of stabilization after the storm.
St. Michael, Alaska, United States
Tom Wolforth, Michelle Snowball, Darlene Chiskok

Storm unearths ancient tusks
The aftermath of Typhoon Merbok left fuel tanks floating and home flooded, but locals also saw an opportunity.
Newtok, Alaska, United States

Typhoon Merbok in Tununak
On September 17, 2023 Typhoon Merbok hit the coast of Tununak, Alaska. Here are some photos taken by Roseanne Panruk, after the storm caused by Typhoon Merbok
Tununak, Alaska, United States
John Walter Jr, James Benzschawel, Max Neale

Drought is killing the economy in the French Alps
The French Alps region is getting hit hard by drought, most likely exacerbated by climate change. And that's putting the entire economy there in serious jeopardy, because where there's no water, there are no tourists. Summertime in the Alps sees tourists visit for rafting and swimming. In the winter, skiing is what attracts visitors from all over. At least one resort is trying
Les Houches, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
The World from PRX

Sudden lake draining event
"The event occurred on June 29th, on our native allotment near Kotzebue (Illivak). We left home in the morning and when we came back around 8:00 PM in the evening the whole lake had drained! It looked like it was blown up with dynamite."
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
Ken Tape, Richard L Thoman Jr, Gemini , Guido Grosse, Susan Tessier, Benjamin Jones, Anna Liljedahl , Vladimir Romanovsky, Jacqualine Schaeffer, Joanna Barton, Ingmar Nitze, Bruce Forbes

Stickleback fish die-off
There were a plenty of what appeared to be juvenile dead stickle back fish on the top of the embankment of a few ponds.
Elim, Alaska, United States
Gay Sheffield, Jayde Ferguson, Brandon Ahmasuk, Leigh Takak, Scott Kent

Encouraging signs in Huu-ay-aht rivers, despite salmon declines elsewhere
Observations this year from Huu-ay-aht territory see that volume of herring may finally be improving, as the First Nation is reporting a growing number of wild salmon migrating through its rivers.
Anacla 12, British Columbia, Canada
Ha-Shilth-Sa

Challenging pastures for reindeer: Difficult conditions in Nordland and Troms, grazing crisis in Indre Finnmark
Changing weather with a lot of snow, rain and strong frost with icing, has made it difficult for the reindeer to reach lichen and moss on the ground in Nordland.
Indre Finnmark, Troms og Finnmark Fylke, Norway
NRK

‘The salmon will come back again’: First Nations document devastating low returns on B.C.’s central coast
First Nations on B.C.’s central coast are sounding the alarm after once-abundant salmon runs see devastatingly low returns in 2021
Bella Bella, British Columbia, Canada
The Narwhal

‘This new snow has no name’: Sami reindeer herders face climate disaster
“This new snow has no name,” said Lars-Anders Kuhmunen, a reindeer herder from Kiruna, Sweden’s northernmost town, near the Norwegian border. “I don’t know what it is. It is like early tjaevi, which normally comes in March. The winters are warmer now and there is rain, making the ground icy. The snow on top is very bad snow and the reindeer can’t dig for their food.”
Bjurholm, Västerbotten, Sweden
The Guardian

Frac-out of Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project drilling under Fraser River
This happened about 250 m from the shore of the Fraser River in a creek at Colony Farms.
Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada

Harmful algae colours the Oslo fjord green
Scientists now say that the harmful alga will survive the winter and that it will probably turn green in the Oslo fjord next year as well.
Oslofjord, Oslo, Norway
NRK
Lea Girolami Bråthen, Dag Aasdalen, Maren Nan Myrseth

Later Snowfalls are Causing Challenges for Winter Sports
The first event in Lillehammer is in early December, and despite being able to easily prep the hills in the past, Lillehammer athletes must now rely on snow shipped from other parts of Norway.
Lillehammer, Oppland, Norway

25-30 reindeer drowned in the river today
25-30 reindeer drowned in the Kautokeino River today after a herd of reindeer passed through the ice. The accident happened when the herd of reindeer was crossing the fragile ice on the river. This is the third similar incident in the area in a couple of weeks. Yesterday, three reindeer went through the ice. They were all rescued alive. This article is also available in the Sami language at this
Heammogietti, Kautokeino, Troms og Finnmark fylke, Norway

Here winter has become two months shorter
Winter will never be the way it was, according to scientists. Towards the end of the century, the Norwegian Meteorological Institute predicts that the winter weather will gradually disappear from Oslo.
Bodø, Nordland, Norway

Where are the tomcods (Eleginus gracilis)? Chevak
There is usually an abundance of this fish in the fall and early winter season. This is a usual harvest for most YK Delta coastal villages. Note: According to NOAA Bering Sea Bottom Trawl data, there has been an 88% decline reported in the biomass of saffron cod from 2020 to 2021 in the N. Bering Sea.
Chevak, Alaska, United States
Carmen Daggett, Gay Sheffield, Cynthia Paniyak, Jayde Ferguson, Ted Meyers

Southern temperatures in Northern Norway – warmer in Narvik than in Rome
This morning it was as hot in Narvik as in Rome and Istanbul, and far warmer than countries in southern Europe. However, the mild air is on the wane.
Narvik, Nordland, Norway

Chinook salmon returning in surprising numbers to Cowichan River
In 2009, the numbers dropped down to just 500 pairs of Chinook returning. Yet, as of Tuesday, more than 8,000 Chinook had returned to their Cowichan River spawning grounds. The improvement is the result of years of conservation efforts by Cowichan Tribes, who have worked to restore the river to its course before logging operations changed the river.
Cowichan River
CHEK

The field has been giving strawberries for 80 years, but not anymore – it's completely dead
All farmer Arild Stenhaug is left with is tiny berries that cannot be sold. He believes the cause is climate change. "We have to listen to a farmer who has lost everything," says a researcher.
Utskarpen, Rana, Nordland, Norway

Dismal Yukon River salmon returns prompt widespread fishing closures, emergency aid — and tough questions
A decades-long decline in salmon in the Yukon River has reached a crisis this year, forcing harvest closures and prompting emergency shipments of salmon from other regions of Alaska to river residents who are otherwise facing food shortages.
Bethel, Alaska, United States
ArcticToday

Unprecedented salmon declines force fish donations to Alaska’s Yukon River villages
Chum returns are the lowest on record, leaving communities with empty freezers and uncertainty about getting through the winter.
Bethel, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Such was the temperature in July
It's been a hot July. In fact, it was the 10th warmest in 120 years.
Lakselv, Troms og Finnmark Fylke, Norway

Karuk Tribe Declares Climate Emergency
The Karuk Tribe has declared a climate emergency as the Klamath River Basin has seen the worst conditions in history with very low precipitation and...
Yreka, California, United States
North Coast Journal

300 reindeer found dead in Kamchatka
Because of the changeable weather an ice crust arose on the snow and reindeer could not get food on their own. Reindeer herders fed the main herd with compound feed. The dead reindeer, most likely, have strayed from the main herd.
Tigil’, Kamtsjatka, Russia
Reindeerherding.org

Arbutus trees under stress on Gabriola Island
In early April I observed what appears to be widespread disease of Arbutus trees (Arbutus menziesii) on the island. Leaf blight is a known factor affecting Arbutus trees; but I wonder if other factors such as climate change may also be contributing to what is perceived as a general decline of the species.
Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada

Irregular Ponderosa Pine Growth
Ponderosa pines in Eastern Washington are displaying signs of irregular growth.
Spokane, Washington, United States

In Russian tundra tragedy, up to 80,000 reindeer might have starved to death
Locals in the far northern Russian region believe between 60,000-80,000 animals might have died of starvation over the past few months. The tragedy follows the formation of a thick layer of ice across major parts of the Yamal tundra.
Yamal Penninsula
The Independent Barents Observer

Salmon freeze to death in the Skjoma river in Narvik – Statkraft refuses to release more water
The Skjoma River in Narvik is frozen through in several places – and locals fear the salmon population will have to endure a sharp reduction again. Statkraft says it will lose money if they release more water.
Skjoma, Narvik, Norway

Warm winter weather making it a difficult hunting season
From lack of animals on the landscape to safety concerns, to stories of changes in the snow and wind, several northerners discussed the ‘weird’ season and its impact on hunting this year.
Fort Good Hope, Northwest Territories, Canada

Generation of B.C. salmon likely wiped out by landslide
Homalco First Nation to push for special hatchery permits
Southgate River, British Columbia
Campbell River Mirror
Quinn Bender, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The permafrost in Jotunheimen is thawing – We do not know the consequences
Underground, a mighty giant is disintegrating: the permafrost is about to drop its roof. Constantly creeping upwards, the permafrost zone is now 100 meters further up the mountainside than 20 years ago.
Mt. Juvvasshøe, Lom, Innlandet, Norway
Ragnhild Moen Holø, Even Lusæter, Roar Berntsen

Spring phenomenon in November: There goes the ice for the third time this fall
The warmest November in over 100 years has had unusual consequences in Finnmark. The video shows the third breakup this autumn.
Tana, Norway

Philadelphia perching birds fighting over stripped chicken bone
This could point to potential climate or food shortage stressors affecting the feeding behaviors of the House Sparrows.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

30 degrees warmer than last year
On Friday, it was measured 12.8 degrees C in Folldal, over 30 degrees warmer than on the same day last year.
Folldal, Innlandet, Norway

Ábborášša reindeer owners feel that they were forced to move over thin ice
The reindeer owners feel they had to choose. Pay expensive fines or move with the reindeer across the river even if the ice was too thin. On Saturday, a thousand reindeer went through the ice in Vuorašjávri, a mile east of Kautokeino municipality in Finnmark.
Vuorašjávri, Kautokeino, Finnmark Fylke, Norway

No treasure found under the rainbow: The soil is full of plastic garbage
In the pictures, Måøya looks like a pristine natural gem on the coast of Trøndelag. But when scientists and adolescents started digging into the soil, they got shock.
Måøya, Frøya, Sør-Trøndelag, Norway
Solvår Flatås, Stein Lorentzen, Morten Andersen

Salmon and smiles: 30,000 pounds of fish distributed in Whitehorse
The Yukon First Nations Education Directorate gave away 30,000 pounds of free fish as part of its nutritional program in Whitehorse this week. People were particularly happy to receive the donation because salmon are well below the historical average this year.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Yukon River fall chum run the worst on record
About 189,000 fall chum had entered the Yukon River as of Sept. 7. At least 300,000 fish must enter the river before either Alaska or Yukon fishers can begin harvesting.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
Yukon News

Waterfowl Disappearance and Other Lake Ecosystem Changes
Residents note significant changes in the Christiansen Lake ecosystem since 2019. This includes fewer nesting birds, fish, and mammals around the lake, while the leech population has increased along with the occurrence of algal blooms.
Talkeetna, Alaska, United States

Yukon Salmon Sub-Committee recommends halt on fishing for Chinook
The Yukon Salmon Sub-Committee is recommending the complete cessation of fishing for Chinook salmon this year on the Yukon River.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
Yukon News

Storm causes flooding of cemetery
The cemetery in Eggedal has suffered major damage after floods and landslides. "Thank God that coffins and remains have not appeared," says the church guardian.
Eggedal kirke, Sigdal, Norway

Biologists hope dead sea lion will provide insight into endangered Aleutian population
Officials have been receiving reports of Steller sea lions hauling out on beaches in poor condition, but have been unable to retrieve the animals for research — largely because they are in remote areas.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States

Sunken Earth
Permafrost thaw is causing tundra to sink and pool water.
Chevak, Alaska, United States

They're everywhere - but do they pinch?
The changing summer weather has led to a scissor-like boom in Southern Norway. Biologist reassures those who feel threatened.
Vestby, Akershus, Norway
Lise Gro Andersen, Christian Nicolai Bjørke, Lars Håkon Pedersen

Salmon Is Disappearing From Russia’s Amur River. It’s Taking Local Tradition With It
The Amur River, once full of salmon, has seen the fish all but vanish since 2017. The problem started because of over fishing. At first companies were harvesting in the first 100 kilometers of the river, and since they have expanded 700, 800 kilometers upstream.
Khabarovsk, Khabarovsk Krai, Russia
The Moscow Times

Western Red Cedar die-off in Pacific Spirit Park
In the last few years, I have observed a significant die-off of Western red cedar in several high traffic and peripheral areas of Pacific Spirit Regional Park (PSRP). The majority of the cedar trees I saw were noticeably consumed by browning, small, and young, with most likely more shallow root systems. This is consistent with vegetative stress to which young trees have not developed resilience, but older trees may be less impacted
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
David Oswald, Cody Thomas, Lauren Wright

Cloudberry bogs are collapsing - climate change is to blame
In Finnmark and parts of Troms, good and favorite berry bogs have cracked and disappeared. The reason is warmer and more humid climate. "Almost impossible to reverse," says a bog researcher.
Karasjok, Finnmark Fylke, Norway

Planet Alaska: The lool always knows
This summer, fireweed has been telling us to prepare for winter. It's been telling us the season is off kilter, too. Here in Juneau we've had fireweed plants that are blooming halfway up the stalk growing next to fireweed with barely any buds.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Juneau Empire

Major Coastal Erosion near Kotzebue
The rate of coastal erosion seems to be speeding up near Cape Blossom.
Cape Blossom, Alaska, United States
Jimmy Evak, Jacquelyn Overbeck, Vladimir Romanovsky

Early Ripe Blueberries
Moose Mountain, Fairbanks, AK

Miners hunting for metals to battery cars threaten Sámi reindeer herder's homeland
Tuomas Siilasjoki and Minna Näkkäläjärvi say they were taken by surprise when a mobile drill rig one day appeared in the horizon. Nobody had asked them about exploring for minerals inside their siida, a reindeer foraging area, in northern Finland.
The Independent Barents Observer

Haven't expected fewer plums in ten years
You have to be early if you want plums this year. The cause is cold in flowering. It almost snowed when it was flowering. The bees were barely out, and we can see the result here.
Nedstrand, Tysvær
Tale Hauso, Valentina Baisotti, Rosa Iren Villalobos, Mari Rollag Evensen

Measured new cold record in Inland Norway
On Saturday night a new cold record was measured for July at Sognefjellshytta. There is unusually high cold and wind in several places in Norway right now. And little indicates improvement over the next few days.
Sognefjellshytta, Lom kommune
Vibeke Cederkvist, Maria Gran, Even Lusæter

Dead Young Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus)
Young gray whale found dead on the beach.
Pilot Point, Alaska, United States
Maio Nishkian, Gay Sheffield, Barbara Mahoney

Large landslides have passed in Alta
One person was evacuated and brought to safety after the landslide at Kråkneset in Alta municipality. A total of eight buildings were swept to the sea in the 650-metre landslide. Due to a high avalanche risk, police have still not entered the area.
Kråkenes, Alta, Norway
Sofie Dege Dimmen, Ida Loise Rostad, Idun Aalbu Rasmussen, Jo Hermstad Tronsen

The coffins should be safely in the permafrost – now more emergency need to be excavated
Permafrosten på Svalbard kunne gitt dem evig liv. Men nå er historien til hundrevis av hvalfangere i ferd med å tine bort.
Likneset, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen

Colder weather brings Bering Sea ice extent and thickness to near normal, benefiting hunters
Even if a storm does hit Western Alaska, thicker sea ice will always be more resistant than last year’s ice was at this time, a climatologist says.
Nome, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

B.C. First Nations village evacuated after blue-green algae found in water source
About 60 people from the Dzawada̱ʼenux̱w First Nation have been evacuated to Alert Bay after blue-green algae was found in their well water.
Kingcome Village, British Columbia, Canada

Vasaloppet ski race organisers scramble to put extra snow on the course
Sweden's most famous ski race gets underway next week.This weekend's wind and rain has led to puddles on the 90 kilometre-long course, and volunteers are working feverishly before thousands of skiers descend on the course.
Sälen, Dalarna, Sweden
Radio Sweden

Difficult grazing conditions for reindeer
In Karasjok and Kautokeino, there has been greater snowfall than usual on winter pastures. The difficulty in digging down to pasture is effecting reindeer in large parts of Troms and Finnmark.
Ivgobahta, Troms, Norway
Troms og Finnmark

A total of 23 precipitation records have been broken - on Vega it has rained almost every single day
The island of Vega in Helgeland, which has a measurement station from 1999, has not had as much rain in 15 years. They had 27 rainy days in January.
Vega, Nordland, Norway

100 places in Norway are set to set temperature records
The birds are singing, the flowers are germinating and the snow is not visible. January is record-breaking in several places in the country and Oslo sets a new snow-free record.
Oslo, Norway
Tiril Mettesdatter Solvang, Kirsti Haga Honningsøy

Several rainfall records have already been broken - now a warning has been sent out on Helgeland
Several rainfall records in Nordland have already been struck. Now a warning has been sent out for even more of the same. - We are in the top tier of what we have measured by rainfall over the last 100 years, says meteorologist Bente Wahl.
Bodø, Nordland, Norway

Icing in the high mountains produces desperate reindeer
Icy conditions in the mountains have caused wild reindeer to descend towards the hut areas to find food. In several places ski areas are now closed to prevent the reindeer from being disturbed.
Hovden, Aust-Agder, Norway

Worried about the bees this year
During the first weeks of the year, the beekeeper from Tønsberg has registered that several bees have flowed out of the cube. It really shouldn't happen until March.
[Read in
Revetal, Vestfold, Norway
Linn Udnes, Hege Therese Holtung, Magnus Skatvedt Iversen

The tick season is underway - The earliest I've heard of
From April to November, most dog owners are used to checking their dogs for small crawling ticks that have become stuck in the fur of their pets.
Moss, Østfold, Norway

Hundreds of thousands of fish dead in NSW as bushfire ash washed into river
Ecologist fears the Macleay River may take decades to recover, with heavy rains likely to affect other waterways
Macleay River, New South Wales, Australia
the Guardian

Scientists: Winter is shrinking at both ends
It's January 15th and the first signs of spring are here. The biologist found a snail in the garden, and in the flower box of the meteorologist sprout and grow it. Both are concerned.
Røa, Oslo, Norway
NRK, Norsk Rikskringkasting
Ida Theresa Myklebost, Dagny Elisabeth Ulland

Cyanobacteria in a deep well contaminates community water source
In 2020, contamination of the community water well by cyanobacteria caused the community to evacuate for 26 days. How the well was contaminated is unknown.
Kingcome Inlet

New heat record again - 19 degrees on Sunndalsøra
A new heat record for January. Sunndalsøra in Nordmøre measured 19 plus degrees in the morning.
Sunndalsøra, Møre og Romsdal, Norway

Russia’s warm winter has deprived Moscow of snow, caused plants to bloom and roused bears out of hibernation
Residents are lamenting a December without the constant layer of snow that defines Russian winters, when what little light there is typically reflects off the white covering and brightens the days.
Moscow, Moscow, Russia
Washington Post

Erosion Threatening Burial Site
A few years ago, people had to cover up parts of the burial site that were becoming exposed.
Wales, Alaska, United States
Racheal Lee, Max Neale, Erica Lujan, Tom Wolforth, Mike Brubaker, Michael Bruce, Debra Seetook, Vladimir Romanovsky, Louisa Castrodale

In Sweden's Arctic, ice atop snow leaves reindeer starving
Hiila Inga is concerned about the health of his reindeer. His community herds 8000 head each year, between traditional grazing lands in the mountain and the forests further east.
Kiruna, Norrbotten, Sweden
Associated Press

Storms worsened during lifetime
*Dr. Brian Starzomski, Director & McTaggart Cowan Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Victoria, shared an observation by his father that coastal storms have worsened during his lifetime*
Ben Eoin, Nova Scotia, Canada
Twitter

Pallets in the marsh melt in warmer climates
Palsmyr is threatened by climate change. At Ferdesmyra in Finnmark, the characteristic ice-filled pals that protrude from the terrain will be gone in a few years.
Ferdesmyra, Norway
Miljødirektoratet/Norwegian Environment Agency

Utqiagvik whalers still hope to land a bowhead as season wanes
Aerial surveys this September and October show the bowheads aren’t where they usually are.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States

Meshik Village Erosion and the End of Goldfish Lake
Gradual sea ice reduction and reconfiguration of the coast, have increased the rate of erosion near Port Heiden over the course of several decades. Draining of Goldfish Lake brings memories, loss of community landmark, and many emotions.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States

Hill Where Graveyard is Located is Eroding
This year was one of the warmest and wettest in recorded history and permafrost thaw is causing the ground at the community cemetary to thaw and erode. The community is seeking guidance on best practices for relocation of remains.
Brevig Mission, Alaska, United States
Vanessa Tahbone, Anahma Shannon, James Olanna, Tom Wolforth, Johnee Seetot, Racheal Lee, Vladimir Romanovsky, Mike Brubaker

Stoop Pumpkins Rotting Before Halloween
This stoop-pumpkin-rotting event is unusual compared with Dr. Johnson's long-term (lifetime) time series of annual October observations of stoop pumpkins in New York City.
New York City, New York, United States
Twitter

Climate change thaws permafrost
Nils Thomas discovered "sinkhole" in the middle of Finnmarksvidda. Scientists have long warned against this, and now it happened.
Vuohcetjávri, Kautokeino

As Bering Sea ice melts, Alaskans, scientists and Seattle's fishing fleet witness changes on a massive scale
Instead of halibut, fisherman are increasingly catching less valuable Pacific cod, voracious bottom feeders whose numbers in recent years have exploded.
Savoonga, Alaska, United States
Seattle Times

Whitehorse fish ladder sees fewest chinook salmon since 1977
The number of chinook salmon that reached the Whitehorse fish ladder this year hit a 40-year low, and it's not clear why. Just 282 chinook passed through the fish ladder this year, compared to 690 last year. "We did see some large pre-spawn mortality die-offs in a tributary of the Yukon River — the Koyukuk in Alaska. This was for summer chum, and not chinook — but we expect that that higher water temperature also affected the chinook migrating through."
Whitehorse Fish Ladder, Yukon, Canada

Abundance of Hemlock Looper Moths (Lambdina fiscellaria)
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

Outbreak of hemlock looper moth hits North Shore, Metro watersheds
While there is no risk to human health, the species of moth can decimate forests
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Marine Mammal Strandings at 2nd Cape
A variety of stranded marine mammals were observed in the Port Heiden area between August 17 and 26th.
Near Port Heiden
Kathy Burek Huntington, Hillary Burgess, Kris Holderied, Joel Garlich-Miller, Barbara Mahoney, Melissa Good, Gay Sheffield, Jonathan Snyder, Bruce Wright, Kathy Kuletz, Gabe Dunham, Dean Stockwell, Jaclyn Christensen

Sockeye salmon returns plunge in B.C., as climate change mainly to blame
Federal fisheries experts paint devastating picture of the challenges facing Pacific salmon and point to climate change as the main culprit.
Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Laurel wilt in camphor (Cinnamomum camphora) tree?
"Camphor Trees typically seem healthy in this region and are invasive. Massive simultaneous failure of most branches seems unusual."
North Sarasota, Florida, United States
Jeffrey Eickwort, Jono Miller, Jessie Moan

Whitehorse fish ladder sees delayed start to Chinook run
The Whitehorse fish ladder is seeing a slower start to the season than usual, with fewer fish than average having passed through at this point compared to previous years.
Yukon News

Jakolof Creek Fish Die-off
"Jakolof Creek is dry almost all the way up to the switchbacks and continues to recede. The early run of red salmon may have made it to the lake, but that is probably the only run that has."
Head of Jakolof Bay on Jakolof Creek
Brian Berube, Stephen Payton, Glenn Hollowell, Michael Opheim , Ryan Brubaker

Drought increases in SE Alaska while July temps break records
Southeast Alaska has suffered from a drought and warmer-than-normal temperatures for about two years now. The month of July broke more records.
Petersburg, Alaska, United States

Short-tailed Shearwaters (Ardenna tenuirostris) Found on Chukchi Sea Beach
More than 50 birds and a seal were found along the shoreline.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States
Kathy Kuletz, Janet Mitchell, Gay Sheffield, Hillary Burgess

Moldy fish in an Alaskan river threaten a community’s food supply
In early October 2013, local fishers Eli Nukapigak and Edward Nukapigak Jr. alerted wildlife officials to the discovery of “sick fish” in their nets near Nuiqsut. The aanaakłiq had fuzzy grayish-white patches on their bodies, fins, and heads. Cottony masses almost covered the eyes of some fish. None of the fishers in the community recalled seeing this condition before.
Nuiqsut, Alaska, United States
Hakai Magazine

Storm-related Erosion in Shaktoolik
"We were lucky to have the berm in place. The next day, the water levels went down and the erosion was noticeable."
Shaktoolik, Alaska, United States
Anahma Shannon, Racheal Lee, Jacquelyn Overbeck, Richard Buzard, Jolene Auliye, Gay Sheffield, Edward "Ted" Smith

Dead Pre-spawned Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)
During the summer of 2019, warm water temperatures lowered the amount of dissolved oxygen in rivers and caused salmon across the state, including Mountain Village, to die before they were able to spawn.
Mountain Village, Alaska, United States

Toxic Algae Advisory for Klamath River
Caution: Blue Green Algae has been detected in the Lower Klamath River and contact with water is not advised. Samples in the South Slough located in the Estuary of the River and near the confluence of Tulley Creek and the Klamath River recently detected low levels of toxic algae.
Klamath, California, United States
Yurok Tribe Environmental Department

Salmon Die-off
Salmon are dying along the Andreafsky River and Lower Yukon River before spawning out. Water surface temperatures have been unusually warm, at one point reaching 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
St. Mary's, Alaska, United States
Jennifer Dobson, Jayde Ferguson, Eric Alstrom, Brian Lefferts

Lake Is Full of Algae This Summer
"I am worried that unless we do something, the algae will kill the lake, or at least our enjoyment of it."
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Shelley Griffith, Mike Brubaker, Dean Stockwell, Gillian Brubaker , Gino Graziano

Burying Beetle (Genus Nicrophorus) in Southwest Alaska
A burying beetle was seen for the first time by an observer in Tuntutuliak.
Tuntutuliak, Alaska, United States

Dragon Flies Reach the Colville Nigliq Channel
Nuiqsut, Alaska, United States

Warmer Water Means More Parasites In Kuskokwim Salmon
Subsistence families along the Kuskokwim River are cutting open fish to find white balls or white streaks deforming the meat.
KYUK

Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) and Other Fish Dying in Warm Water
Koyuk, Alaska, United States
Gay Sheffield, Chris Dankmeyer, Anahma Shannon, Rebecca Charles, Austin Ahmasuk, Racheal Lee, Jayde Ferguson

Cape Thompson: Gathering Murre (Uria aalge) Eggs
Murres along Cape Thompson are migrating earlier, allowing coastal community residents to collect eggs a few weeks earlier than normal.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States

Dead Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)
This walrus was found by a local fisherman and reported by LEO Network to the US Fish and Wildlife Walrus Hotline. The carcass is thought to be too old for necropsy or sample collection.
St. Michael, Alaska, United States
Louisa Castrodale, Mellisa Heflin, Anahma Shannon, Joel Garlich-Miller, Jonathan Snyder, Barbara Mahoney, Racheal Lee, Gay Sheffield, Michelle Snowball

Little Ice for Bearded Seal (Erignathus barbatus) Hunting
Because of the increased travel distance, only families with larger boats were able to participate in the hunt and bring back enough to make the trip cost effective. With a heavier load in the boat, one family ran out of gas trying to get home and had to be rescued.
Janet Mitchell, Anna Godduhn, Richard L Thoman Jr

Beached Grey Whale (Eschrichtius robustus) near Turnagain Arm
Grey whale (*Eschrichtius robustus*) found beached near the Placer River along Turnagain Arm is one of five grey whales reported dead along the Alaska coast during 2019.
Placer Creek

Unusual Yellowknife Weather "Light Sleet"
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Sleet Storm
Not seen in at least my 15 years in Yellowknife.

Salal (Gaultheria shallon) dying back in coastal BC and WA
Cape Disappointment, Washington, United States

Extreme weather sparks large die off of Cedar on Vancouver Island
A growing die off of native Western Red Cedar trees is becoming visible right across East Vancouver Island now. Experts say its a symptom of climate change and as Skye Ryan reports, its changing the forests we've come to know across this region.
East Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
CHEK

Seaweed invading Essequibo, Demerara, Berbice rivers
Aerial shots of what appeared to be remnants of an oil spill in the Essequibo River has turned out to be huge beds of sargassum seaweed which is now a
Parika, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Guyana
Stabroek News

A nightmare trip, how drivers handled the mud on the Mackenzie Valley winter road
One of the main winter highways in the Northwest Territories turned into a swamp this week following unseasonably high temperatures.
Mackenzie Valley

Northern Canada: mild temperatures cause winter road closure in Northwest Territories
Deteriorating conditions on the Mackenzie Valley Winter Road have prompted the Northwest Territories government to close the winter highway for the season.
Mackenzie Valley Winter Road
Eye on the Arctic

For first time since records began, NWT hits 20C in March
The NWT broke a symbolic temperature barrier as a heatwave continued. There were warnings over ice roads and spoiled meat, and questions about climate change.
Northwest Territories, Canada
Cabin Radio

Mild spell forces temporary daytime closure of Yellowknife's Snowking castle
Despite daytime closures, evening events expected to happen on schedule this week.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Shorefast Ice Breaks Off in Nome
Warm ocean temperatures are keeping ice thin, which become easily moved by the wind. This ice movement separates commercial and subsistence crabbers from their gear, and have led to the loss of both crabbing and mining gear.
Nome, Alaska, United States

That ice was 3300 years old. And now it melts
Thousands of years old ice disappears all over Norway. Dag Inge Bakke (42) is among those struggling to save the frozen archive of the past.
Galdhøpiggen, Oppland, Norway
NRK Norsk Rikskringkasting

Spring flowers bloom very early
The winter holiday offers 15 degrees (C) of heat and spring flowers.
Lavik, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Company) Sogn og Fjordane

We get warmer and warmer later in the year
In Etne in Hordaland, 30.4 degrees of heat were measured at 15 today. Never has it been so hot so late in the year in Norway.
Etne, Hordaland, Norway
Oddleif Løset, Birger Kolsrud Jåsund and Geir Bjarte Hjetland

Icebergs and Open Sea
Very strong south winds took out all the sea ice and created an ice pile in front of the village.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States
Andrew Kakoona, Olivia Lee, Sharon Nayokpuk

Yukon Quest's route shortened this year because of lack of snow
For safety dogs and mushers will be trucked from Braeburn to Carmacks.

Amid environmental grief, finding hope in a graveyard of yellow cedar
One ecologist wonders, for the yellow cedar forests and the people who care about them, what comes after climate change and environmental loss in Southeast Alaska?
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Elizabeth Jenkins, Alaska's Energy Desk - Juneau

Decline of mountain bird populations
Some species have experienced a much greater decline than average. For the snowflake in Scandinavia there is talk of approx. 35 percent, patchwork 25 percent.
Vadsø, Finnmark Fylke, Norway
NRK, Norwegian Broadcasting Company

The changing nature of Canada's forest supply as fires, bugs, and climate bite
Mills in the heart of Canada's timber industry have fallen quieter this winter as wildfires and infestations made worse by climate change have made vast tracts of once valuable forest into barren stands of dead trees.
Fraser Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Alaska Highway News

Smelt (Osmerus mordax) Mortality
Thousands of smelts were found dead during low tide in the Togiak slough. Is there an environmental cause?
Togiak, Alaska, United States

Dirty water may be reason for very strange shortage of fish harvest, says N.W.T. angler
Anglers in Aklavik, N.W.T., are trying to figure out why there was a shortage of fish in local hotspots this year.
Aklavik, Northwest Territories, Canada

California fires: Number of missing soars over 1,000 as Paradise reels from unfathomable losses
The death toll in the Camp fire in Northern California rose to 63 Thursday as President Trump planned to visit California to meet with people impacted by the wildfires in what marks his second trip to the state since his election.
Paradise, California, United States
latimes.com
Alene Tchekmedyian, Nicole Santa Cruz, Javier Panzar

Bacterial Infection in 16 Broad Whitefish (Coregonus nasus)
The skin lesion in the photo is likely caused by a stress-related bacterial infection – possibly trauma initiated. Probably common opportunistic bacteria in the environment such as motile Pseudomonas/Aeromonas Gram-negative organisms.
Nuiqsut, Alaska, United States

Herring (Clupea pallasii) in Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) stomach
Odd time of year for seals to be eating herring.
Haines, Alaska, United States

'Really shocking': Sperm whales spotted near Pond Inlet
The two whales were spotted just 10 minutes outside of Pond Inlet, surprising local guides and scientists, who say it's a sign of shifts in the ecosystem.
Pond inlet, Nunavut

Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) die-off French Beach
Many mature Sitka spruce trees dying off from French Beach south into Sooke along waterfront. Many dead partway up and needles thin.
North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
Elizabeth Graham, Jacob Earnshaw, Robin Mulvey

Canada's dry lakes and dust storms 'warning for planet'
For 300 years, glacial runoff was the major water source for Kluane Lake, flowing in by way of the Slims River. But in May 2016, Kluane Lake levels dropped precipitously. The problem was a case of "river piracy" — incredibly rare, and hugely significant. The terminus or end of the Kaskawulsh glacier had receded enough that a glacial lake that fed the Slims River suddenly drained when the glacier outflow found a new direction to a new river.
Kluane Lake
The Weather Network

Unusual Squid Found on Shoreline
Squid are becoming more common on the shoreline over the past few years.
Aleksandrovsk, Alaska, United States

Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) mortality from drought stress
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Easter Island Is Eroding
Rising ocean levels are causing waves to break on the statues and platforms built a thousand years ago. The island risks losing its cultural heritage. Again.
Easter Island, Chile
New York Times

As permafrost thaws, Western Alaska village cemeteries sink into swampland
In villages like Kongiganak, communities have stopped burying their dead because, as the permafrost melts, the oldest part of their cemetery is sinking.
Kongiganak, Alaska, United States

How debris from rockets launched far away is a risk to Inuit food security
The North Water Polynya, between Nunavut and Greenland, is one of the Arctic’s most biologically productive areas — and an important part of the food supply for nearby Inuit communities.
Pikialasorsuaq North Water, North Baffin Bay
Arctic Today
Tiff-Annie Kenny, University of Ottawa, Tad Lemieux, Carleton University

Simla had probably been stuck here for a couple of days: Shows the dangers of littering along the fjord
Reindeer stuck in local trash. Blue markings can also be seen on body. Mayor Frank M. Ingilæ and his two dogs came to the rescue for this fight Wednesday.
Torhop, Tana kommune, Troms and Finnmark County, Norway
iFinnmark

Rise in reindeer deaths in the Arctic linked with loss of sea ice and extreme weather
Two extreme weather events in 2006 and 2013 caused mass starvation among the reindeer herds, and researchers for the first time have linked these extreme weather events in the coastal mainland in northwest Russia with sea ice loss in the adjoining Barents and Kara seas.
Ямало-Ненецкий АО, Russia
Phys.org

Eroding Arctic coastline reveals human bones
When a storm exposes human remains in Barrow, there isn’t an established protocol. They are usually given to the federally recognized Native Village of Barrow for repatriation.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Eye on the Arctic

Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) Die-off, Jakolof Creek
Drought and high temperatures have dried the creek and caused thousands of pink salmon and Dolly Varden to die before they could spawn. The event raises questions about vulnerability of area salmon streams to climate change, and for local residents food security.
Jakolof Creek, Alaska, United States
Michael Opheim , Stephen Payton, Ryan Brubaker

Infected salmon just another problem for Yukon subsistence fishermen
Yukon subsistence fishermen face challenges with gear restrictions, closures, and reports of salmon potentially infected with ichthyophonus, impacting their summer fishing activities.
Yukon River, Alaska, United States
KTOO

The warm ‘blob’ in Canada’s Pacific Ocean
Last year, 2014, was the hottest year ever recorded on Earth. Unlike other worldwide problems from which Canadians might feel relatively safe and isolated, but Canada is actually ground zero of global climate.
Gulf of Alaska / Northeast Pacific
Times Colonist

Gravesite Erosion
Permafrost thaw and storms are drivers.
Teller, Alaska, United States
Jennifer Demir, Ryan Brubaker, Racheal Lee, Anahma Shannon, Mike Brubaker, Kendra Lee, Tom Wolforth

River Erosion on the Yukon Flats
Yukon Flats community dealing with river erosion and landscape changes that are threatening the loss of traditional harvesting areas.
Fort Yukon, Alaska, United States

Seal with Hair Loss
Seal with hair loss observed in Bering Strait region
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

Powerful Quake and Tsunami Devastate Northern Japan
Japan was filled with scenes of desperation a day after an 8.9-magnitude quake, as survivors called for help and rescuers looked for people buried in rubble.
Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
The New York Times

Fiona's aftermath in Port aux Basques: 'It looks like a bomb went off'
'We did what we could to prepare, and still, we were underprepared'. Harvey’s assessment is much uglier in the daylight. Much of the town looks like it took a point-blank blast from an army tank. The photos do little to capture the sheer shock of local residents, especially those who lost their homes. Some are a bit more stoic than others, focused on rebuilding. Others are understandably much more raw and emotional, dissolving into tears while passerby rush to comfort them.
Channel-Port aux Basques, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Saltwire.com

'We have nowhere': B.C. First Nations, rural residents say storm permanently changed the land
"For our grandchildren and their children, now the devastation has left them nothing": Shackan First Nation Chief Arnold Lampreau.
Merritt, British Columbia, Canada
vancouversun

Dispersed across B.C., the Lytton First Nation aims to come back strong
Like many people in Lytton, council member John Haugen's not sure when he'll be able to settle back home. One thing he is certain about is that his people, those of the Lytton First Nation who have lived in the area for about 10,000 years, will continue living on their ancestral lands.
Lytton, British Columbia, Canada

Humpback salmon have invaded the River Teno
This summer, the number of humpback salmon in the River Teno, the border river between Norway and Finland, has increased enormously from last year. These salmon have been swimming near the shores, with masses of them dying in the river from exhaustion. Local people are extremely worried.
Teno River, Norway/Finland Border
The Independent Barents Observer

Ice Out: How N.H.'s rite of spring has become a symbol of climate change
Ice is a key player not only in the culture of the northern Northeast, but also in its unique lake ecosystems – a determinant of everything from water temperature to aquatic food chains to water quality. And according to long-term climate data, ice-out has been moving earlier and earlier.
Center Harbor, New Hampshire, United States
Yahoo News

‘A lot of salmon died’: Ahousaht Guardians look to watershed restoration amid B.C.’s dangerously dry summer
B.C. drought exacerbating forestry damage to Bedwell River near Tofino as Ahousaht First Nation works to protect salmon, restore watershed.
Tofino, British Columbia, Canada
The Narwhal

With no dam to stop it, the Eklutna River is temporarily reborn. Many people hope to keep it alive for good.
Conservation and tribal groups in 2018 removed a downstream dam in the river northeast of Anchorage. But an upriver dam provides the cheapest energy in Southcentral Alaska. For people from the Native Village of Eklutna the river’s rebirth was an important moment. They want the 12-mile-long waterway permanently restored, along with the salmon their late elders once described as abundant.
Knik-Fairview, Alaska, United States

Spring bounty: Utqiagvik landed 10 whales in less than two weeks
This early in spring, the season usually only starts, but the weather patterns have been changing, and so has been the harvest time, Donovan said.
The Arctic Sounder

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