An amphibian was seen crossing a ski trail in the Sierra Nevada mountains in January, an unusual sighting that may indicate changing hibernation patterns.

Winter has taken a brief holiday in southern Yukon this week, with a sudden spell of spring-like weather making for wet, slushy conditions — and setting the stage for some slippery roads when winter conditions return later this week.

The unseasonably warm and wet conditions thought to be factor in amphibian sighting.

Unseasonable blooming of goldenrod (Subphylum Angiospermae).

A young Nunavummiut hunter, who's known for providing country food to his community, fell through the ice in late December on a snowmobile route he'd safely traveled just weeks before.

Open water in February.

It has been a rough winter season for many outdoor activities in New Hampshire, but a below-average snowpack is hitting the snowmobile industry especially hard.

"Swallows usually show up in the spring time or when winter months are over in Alaska."

The melt season for Arctic sea ice is underway after the annual maximum extent was reached late last month. Sea ice extent reached its annual maximum on Feb. 25, 15 days earlier than the 1981-2010 average date and one of the earliest dates for that milestone in the four-decade satellite record.

Spring like thaw a week after winter begins: During the 3 days it got warm and the water going its usual route as it does in the spring when it thaws out, but this was a week after winter began.

“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.”

Earlier this week, a pod of about nine Bowhead whales were seen off the northern coast of Savoonga but young ice conditions around St. Lawrence Island prevented hunting. If local hunters hauled a whale out onto young ice, it would break apart.

A humpback whale spotted off Bremer Bay late last week is believed to be the earliest sighting ever of the species on WA’s south coast. Humpback whales are usually spotted of WA's south coast in late March or early April. The whale's early appearance has prompted concerns from scientists about the lack of food stocks in Antarctica.

Pillars of smoke were filmed over the areas hit by last summer’s wildfires despite the current long spell of extremely cold weather.

"This is the earliest I have ever seen a hummingbird in this region."

Scientists measured 16 centimeters of snow in Kilpisjärvi on Thursday, which is far less than the average depth of 39 centimeters for this time of year, according to Siiskonen. Less of the white stuff than usual, creating unusual opportunities for long-distance skating enthusiasts.

It's only late February but already spring has sprung in Stockholm, according to the definition by Sweden's national weather service.

The brown bears hibernated for only two months due to the warm winter conditions, according to zoo officials.

The cherry blossoms along the Aura riverbank are a huge draw for tourists and photo enthusiasts every year around mid-May. The city's head gardener said he was amazed by the sight of the flowers budding this time of year.

Flocks of whooper swans have been grazing in a field in southwestern Finland, although these swans don't typically return to Finland until March or April, according to Finland’s environment administration.