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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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Observations

Thin ice and deep slush making for unsafe conditions in Iqaluit, warn hunters
Popular hunting spots, such as Frobisher's Farthest, Pink Lady Island and Ward Inlet should be avoided, says the chair of the Amaruq Hunters and Trappers Association.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada
CBC

2 dead near Bethel when four-wheelers fall through river ice amid warnings to stay off
The tragedy came after several days of dire warnings about the dangers of river travel due to an unusually early warm-up. Search and rescuers crawled onto weak ice, open water all around, to help retrieve the survivors.
Bethel, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

'Stay off the ice' BSAR warns as two die from four-wheelers falling through ice
Two four-wheelers carrying five men leaving Bethel broke through needle ice on the upper end of Church Slough on Sunday night. Two of the men died, while three others were treated for hypothermia in Bethel.
Bethel, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Snow is going Fast at Glen Alps
The snow cover in Anchorage and the Chugach is disappearing very quickly. Go out and get it while you can!
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Changing face of the Arctic: one significant island vanishes from the map but a dozen appear
Scientists confirm loss of ‘Pearl’ island, while schoolchildren using satellite maps identify one of the new icy Russian isles.
Graham Bell Island
Siberia Times

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
CBC

Strong winds may have been a factor in avalanche that killed skier in Kenai Mountains, report says
Jeffrey Cheng, 33, died in the slide. One of his friends managed to hold on to a tree as waves of avalanche debris washed over his head. The third member of their group wasn’t caught.
Moose Pass, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Drought nearly eradicated due to the bomb cyclone
Huge snow over the past few months has provided incredible relief to the drought situation that has plagued Colorado throughout the last year.
Colorado, United States
KOAA.com

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

Still-closed winter road to Wekweeti has community frustrated, says chief
A late start means the community of just over 130 must rely more heavily on air transport, which adds to the cost of goods brought in town.
Wekweètì, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

Man rescued from ice drifting in Bering Sea describes hours jumping from floe to floe
“It started breaking into pieces beneath us,” said Phillip Rode.
Nome, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Avalanche destroys home in southwestern Colorado, injuring sheriff and his 2 daughters
A sheriff and his two daughters were injured near Lake City in southwestern Colorado after an avalanche destroyed their home Tuesday morning.
Gunnison, Colorado, United States
The Denver Post

A Warming Arctic Hits Iditarod: Open Water Along the Trail Where There’s Normally Ice
Usually, in March, the Bering Sea ice is reaching its thickest extent. But from the beach in Unalakleet, the full horizon is blue ocean water, punctuated infrequently by lone icebergs.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States
KNOM Radio Mission

Traffic jammed in ice as three URAL trucks blocked on winter road
Stuck in ice, two trucks of a local silver mining company got trapped more than a month ago. Drivers have to live nearby as they keep trying to remove their vehicles.
Promyshlennyy, Komi Republic, Russia
Siberia Times

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

Avalanche danger extreme in Colorado
An agency in Colorado that tracks avalanches hiked its danger level to "extreme" for a swath of the state, the highest level on its scale.
Vail, Colorado, United States
CNN

Multiple cars buried in avalanche on Highway 91
Crews are working to free multiple cars that are trapped by an avalanche on Highway 91 near Copper Mountain, the Colorado State Patrol has confirmed.
Leadville, Colorado, United States
KMGH

103rd Ice Classic: warm weather, thin ice are hot topics in Nenana
NENANA — Early warm spring weather is adding a lot of excitement to the Nenana Ice Classic this year, resulting in a surge of last-minute ticket sales.
Nenana, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Wales Loses Shorefast Ice
Wales lost shorefast ice early in the season. Ice along the shore has been crushed and broken. This is a very unusual event for Wales as many of our hunters rely on great ice conditions for whale and other sea mammal catch for food.
Wales, Alaska, United States

Bering Sea ice is at an ‘unprecedented’ low right now
“You could take your sailboat and sail from Dillingham all the way to Little Diomede and never see much more than an ice cube.

Back-to-back storms cripple business as usual in Nome
Back-to-back blizzards with tons of snow and high winds have hammered Nome since late January and the accumulation of a total of 76 inches of snow is now beginning to take a toll on residents.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Freezing winds encase house in a shell of ice
Strong winds and freezing temperatures left an upstate New York lake house encased in a shell of ice.
Lake Ontario, Ont., Canada
CNN

‘Februburied’: Record snowfall stacks up in Sierra Nevada at Truckee Tahoe resorts
The snow began falling in early February and hardly let up until the last day of the month, setting records at local ski resorts and causing havoc across the
Truckee, California, United States
Sierra Sun

30 year temperature record broken
Warm temperatures break 30 year record.
Svelgen, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
NRK Sogn- og Fjordane

Walls of ice bulldoze ashore from Lake Erie
Extreme winds from a huge weekend storm over the Great Lakes pushed huge walls of ice on the shores of Lake Erie.
Hoover Beach, New York, United States
CNN

Snake has woken early from winter hibernation
Snake wakens early from winter sleep. He is a sure spring sign, but is not happy in February. If you see a viper at this time of year, then there may be several snakes in the vicinity.
Berle, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
NRK Sogn- og Fjordane

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

Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) Entering Breeding Grounds Early
Swans have arrived early in Southeast Alaska this year, with most lakes still frozen and no green grass anywhere. Most lakes are frozen; the swan is sticking to a small patch of water surrounded by ice.
Metlakatla, Alaska, United States

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

Ash turns Siberia snow black triggering acute pollution concerns from locals
Blame for pollution is focused on failure of coal plant to filter emissions.
Прокопьевский, Кемеровская область, Russia
Siberia Times

Snow closes Haleakala National Park and creates social media buzz
Snow on Haleakala?
Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Coastal Flood Advisory
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States
Olivia Lee, Richard L Thoman Jr, John Henry

Leads in Ice After Warm Storm
Leads appeared following a warm storm, in areas with usually stable, shorefast ice. The leads separate many crabbers from their pots, and are illustrative of how Norton Sound's recent erratic sea ice patterns are altering subsistence opportunities and patterns.

Snow on Haleakala
Launiupoko, Hawaii, United States

Yukon ice cave definitely changing geologist says
The spectacular natural formation near Haines Junction has become a big draw for visitors.
Haines Junction, Yukon, Canada

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

Heavy snowfall stalls inter-city trains until Thursday
The state rail company VR has said that it will substitute buses on some of the cancelled rail trips.
Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Yukon ice conditions unusual this year, says snowmobile association
'This year especially there's been lots of reports of thin ice and open water in places where there hasn't been in previous years,' said James Connor of the Klondike Snowmobile Association.
Drury Lake, Yukon

Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) Spotted Walking with Cubs in Mid-Winter
Weather had been pouring rain and 45-degree temps for several days leading up to the sighting.
Haines, Alaska, United States

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

State investigates Prudhoe Bay wells after a second North Slope well ‘jacked up’ and leaked oil and gas
The incident appears similar to an oil and gas release in 2017 blamed on thawing permafrost and hot production fluids.
Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, United States

Russian military sent to assess giant rockfall blocking Bureya River
Urgent measures underway to evacuate residents of remote villages after flood threat caused by rising water above new ‘dam’.
село Усть-Ургал, Верхнебуреинский район, Хабаровский край, Russia

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
Alaska Public Media
Elizabeth Jenkins, Alaska's Energy Desk - Juneau

Residents along Lake Erie spending thousands to protect homes from erosion
An Amherstburg couple has been dealing with shoreline erosion along their waterfront property, and they've invested thousands of dollars in an effort to protect it.
Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada

Late Freeze up in Lower Kuskokwim
Late freeze on the Lower Kuskokwim produced ice conditions unsafe for travel in November.
Oscarville, Alaska, United States

Drivers Need To Stick To Marked Trails On Lower Kuskokwim River
Drivers need to stick to marked trails on the Lower Kuskokwim River, according to the latest update from Bethel Search and Rescue’s Earl Samuelson. There is a spot in front of Oscarville that has only 9 inches of ice, which Samuelson says is too thin to drive a truck on.
Oscarville, Alaska, United States
KYUK

She lives where the soil heats up the fastest
People in Longyearbyen have replaced parkas with a shell jacket. They must calculate with rainfall in January and February. Both snowmobiles and dogs must be parked. People are annoyed and disappointed. Others are very concerned.
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
NRK

After 6 days, still no trace of couple who went missing at Big Lake
Hundreds of people have combed the terrain near Big Lake, but there’s still no sign of LaVerne and Van Pettigen.
Big Lake, Alaska, United States

Open Water Disrupting Winter River Travel
Ice conditions on the Yukon have changed since the 1980's. Now, open water is more common in spots along the river, which impacts winter travel.
Koyukuk, Alaska, United States

Vegetation in Barents Region disturbed by mid-autumn thaw
After frost comes spring, but when it happens in mid-November plants get confused. That is not good news.
Kirkenes, Finnmark Fylke, Norway
The Independent Barents Observer

Study finds healthy group of polar bears in sea near Alaska
The first formal count of polar bears in waters between the United States and Russia indicates they are doing better than some of their cousins elsewhere. However, in the longer term, it doesn't mean the Chukchi Sea bear population will not be affected. Fewer cubs were surviving into their second year and adult males weighed less and had smaller skulls, the U.S. Geological Survey found.

130+cm of snow has fallen here and winter hasn't even begun
Bundle up, sit by the fire and warm your hot chocolate before reading this. It's only November 12 and one spot in the country has already picked up four and a half feet of snow! And that lucky (or maybe unlucky) winner is...
Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
The Weather Network

Fairbanks snowpack thin in least-snowy year since 1926
The Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy calculated that, as of Wednesday, a total of 0.7 inches of snow had fallen at Fairbanks International Airport, making this the least snowy year here since 1926.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

White Mountain man missing after falling through ice
Stormy weather stalled a search and rescue effort on Monday for a man from White Mountain, whose 4-wheeler broke through thin ice at the edge of Golovin Bay on Sunday.
White Mountain, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

'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

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

Possible green Halloween on the horizon in Fairbanks
With Halloween just over a week out, Fairbanks is looking at the potential of a third straight year with minimal snow cover, and a possible first ever green Halloween.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Arctic communities won't get crucial supplies after barge cancelled due to excess sea ice
Three Arctic communities fear they've been cut off from crucial winter supplies and other necessities after a government-owned company cancelled an annual barge run.
Paulatuk, Kugluktuk, Cambridge Bay
Global News

Edmonton on way to new snowfall record for Sept. 21
Edmonton is on its way to the snowiest Sept. 21 since 1968, perhaps not what people wanted to see on the last full day of summer, says Dan Kulak, meteorologist with Environment Canada.
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

'Absolutely abysmal': Alberta farmers lament early arrival of snow in harvest season
Farmers in Edmonton and into northern Alberta, still have plenty of crop out on the fields and the early arrival of winter conditions does not bode well for harvest season.
Gibbons, Alberta, Canada
Edmonton Journal

Changing ice conditions clear way for historic fuel delivery by barge to Alaska's North Slope
An Alaska company says changing ice conditions in the North Slope area have allowed it to make a bulk fuel delivery to Prudhoe Bay by barge for the first time.
Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, United States

16th Arctic-based emergency of the year involved, fog, ice, and a sinking sailboat
The men became trapped on August 29th in the ice and their vessel began to sink. They activated their emergency radio beacon and abandoned the sailboat.

High River Water Overflow
Heavy spring precipitation leads to strong river flow, sweeping away cabin and fish rack.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

Arctic’s strongest sea ice breaks up for first time on record
The oldest and thickest sea ice in the Arctic has started to break up, opening waters north of Greenland that are normally frozen. This phenomenon – which has never been recorded before – has occurred twice this year due to warm winds and a climate-change driven heatwave in the northern hemisphere.
Northern Greenland
the Guardian

Rare snowfall reported in Uruguay
Brazilian and North American meteorologists both agreed it was snow that was seen falling in parts of Uruguay on Sunday, August 19, 2018. Since Uruguay is located within the temperate zone of the tropic of Capricorn, the country has warm summers and ...
Uruguay
The Watchers - Daily news service | Watchers.NEWS

Sweden’s Tallest Peak Shrinks in Record Heat
Soaring temperatures are melting snow and ice from Kebnekaise’s southern peak, making the northern part of the mountain Sweden’s highest point.
Kebnekaise, Kiruna, Sweden
New York Times

Snow and hail blanket southern Alberta highway — in July
Highway 22 in southern Alberta was blanketed in what looked like snow but was probably hail, making roads slick and slow.
Sparwood, British Columbia, Canada

Melting of glacier causes flash floods in Pakistan's north
Pakistani officials say the melting of a glacier has unleashed landslides and floods in the country’s northern district of Ghizer, inundating dozens of homes and displacing hundreds of people. Mohammad Khalid, a local police official, said Friday that authorities are sending relief supplies to the flood-hit villages.
Peshawar, N.W.F.P., Pakistan
AP News

Polar Bears Appear Where They Never Were Before
Polar bears have been rummaging through science camps at the top of Greenland's ice sheet far inland, where they were never expected, and Polar bears are coming into communities more often these days, says Kristin Laidre, a marine biologist at the University of Washington’s Polar Science Center, and an authority on polar bear populations in Greenland. “It’s happening all over the Arctic, and it’s something that’s only going to be an increasing problem as we continue to lose sea ice,” she says.
Summit Camp, Greenland
National Geographic

Glacier melt creates artificial lake in Gilgit
A small glacier melt has swollen Barsuwat Nullah in the Ishkoman valley of Ghizer district, Gilgit-Baltistan, creating an artificial lake and blocking the flow of the Immit River. Water has submerged more than 30 houses, cultivated land, a link road and cattle farms.
DAWN.COM

Authorities, residents brace for record flooding
Weather authorities and residents are getting used to responding to glacial floods in the Mendenhall Valley.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Juneau Empire

Hundreds of Arctic glaciers shrinking, disappearing into 'city of icebergs'
The statistics in her recently published paper say it all: hundreds of glaciers in Canada's High Arctic are shrinking and many are likely to disappear completely.
Slidre Fjord, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut

Watch a glacier half the size of Manhattan break off Greenland
All was quiet on June 22 as Canadian scientists David and Denise Holland settled in for the night off Greenland’s Helheim Glacier. But within minutes, five to eight billion tons of ice had broken off into the water.
Southeast Greenland

Greenland community on high alert as massive iceberg looms
Innaarsuit, an island community in northwestern Greenland, is on standby for evacuation because a giant iceberg is looming over it.
Innaarsuit, Greenland

Family that fell through ice with 3-month-old baby rescued by passersby near Igloolik
It was a terrifyingly close call for a family with a three-month-old baby last weekend, when their sled plunged through the ice.
Igloolik, Nunavut, Canada

«We have a difficult ice situation around the oil platform»
At this time of year, there has never before been such a complicated ice condition around Russia’s offshore Arctic oil platform «Prirazlomnaya».
The Independent Barents Observer

Summer snow falls in parts of Newfoundland
Never seen it this late in June
Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
The Telegram

Summer snow falls in parts of Newfoundland: 'Never seen it this late in June'
Two centimetres had fallen in parts of Newfoundland
Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Lake Cowichan Gazette

As the Arctic warms, a changing landscape on the Chukchi Sea
"These ridges that we’re standing on, there would have been more of them, and they would have been bigger," ice researcher Andy Mahoney said. "The features that we now see, they’re something of a shadow from the past." Listen now
Barrow, Alaska, United States
Ravenna Koenig, Alaska's Energy Desk - Fairbanks

Not a dream: Eureka Lodge awakes to ‘very unusual’ late-spring dump of snow
The lodge at above 3,000 feet altitude on the Glenn Highway measured 6 to 8 inches of snow as of Monday morning -- and it was still falling.
Glennallen, Alaska, United States

Its June, but one Alaska community just got half a foot of snow
Summer slowly arrived in Alaska this month, but if you live in Glennallen, you may be having very different emotions regarding June weather.
Glennallen, Alaska, United States
KTUU

Some Parts of B.C. Just Got Hit With 20-40cm of Snow
Snow arrived in certain parts of British Columbia over the last 24 hours, providing citizens with up to a whopping 20 cm.
Silver Star Mountain Resort, British Columbia, Canada
604 Now

Huge chunks of ice afloat in northern B.C. lake, as glacier retreats
Atlin-based helicopter pilot Jamie Tait says a kilometre-long piece of ice recently broke off the Llewellyn Glacier, at the south end of Atlin Lake.
Atlin, British Columbia, Canada

Wasatch Mountains are Snow Free in June
Wasatch Mountains near Payson, Utah are snow-free about a month earlier than normal.
Payson, Utah, United States

Concerned About Discoloration of Snow Along North Slope Roads
Questions raised about the impacts of vehicle exhaust and soot on snow deposition as well as dirt and dust from roads.
Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, United States
Raphaela Stimmelmayr, Mike Brubaker, Eunice Brower

Power of the Ob - drifting ice on clogged river breaks metal railings and drags people away from their hi-tech lives
By this time of year, boats are usually plying the ice-free Ob, but in 2018, while the winter covering the river has begun to move, it has not cleared.
Сургут, Ханты-Мансийский АО, Russia

State of emergency as ice-choked Lena River spills its banks in remote settlements
Thick ice and heavy spring floods combines to cause severe flooding in Yakutia. Specialists numbering around 100 have been moved from Baikal Search and Rescue Unit (Irkutsk region) and the Siberian Rescue Centre (Novosibirsk region) have been moved the the stricken region.
Якутск, Республика Саха, Russia

Railroad traffic still stalled as Talkeetna flooding recedes
Flooding that halted Alaska Railroad trains north of Talkeetna Saturday, has receded, but train traffic remains shut down. Listen now
Curry, Alaska, United States

‘Wall of ice’ from Susitna River damages railroad tracks
A 7-foot "wall of ice" from a Susitna River ice jam slammed into Alaska Railroad tracks north of Talkeetna on Saturday, pushing the rails 25 feet off course, the railroad said Monday.The Alaska Railroad is racing to make repairs in time for the start of its tourist season on Wednesday.
Talkeetna, Alaska, United States

No damage, just wet roads after flooding
Residents of Jean Marie River can rest easy now, as rising water levels from the Mackenzie River have now receded.
Jean Marie River, Northwest Territories, Canada

This winter saw second highest snowfall in recorded history
The snowfall in Nome over the winter didn’t break the all-time record but it came close. According to the National Weather Service, 115.5 inches of snow fell, making the winter of 2017/18 number two for snowfall since modern weather reporting began.
The Nome Nugget

Eastern Washington flooding reaches emergency levels
Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee proclaimed a state of emergency Saturday for counties in the eastern part of the state
Omak, Washington, United States
CBS/AP

Spring breakup causes fish to fly on Hay River
As the ice breaks up on waterways across the North, the spring river breakup has come to a close in Hay River but not before it created a feast of fish for local birds.
Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada

North Slope whalers bring in a spring bounty
The ice conditions are similar to last year (with) lots of young ice and close leads," said Captain Frederick Brower. "We all went out and broke trail to the edge, but a high west wind came along and added about three-quarters to 1 mile of ice and (we) had to break trail through that and began whaling from the new edge ... . The conditions were not favorable but we made due with what we had and continued on with our whaling season."
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder
Alaska Media, LLC., Steve Keller designer and application developer

Residents drive north on winter snow roads
The roughly 300 miles of hard-packed snow roads were constructed under the Community Winter Access Trails (CWAT) project, headed by the North Slope Borough.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder

Nature follows its own break-up calendar
Looking seaward over the last week from almost all points along the coasts of Norton Sound, folks have been dazzled by bright blue horizons colored by open water.

Severely iced-over cellular tower causing service disruptions in Western Alaska
A GCI cell tower in Western Alaska encapsulated in unusually thick ice and snow has caused service disruptions in villages.
Scammon Bay, Alaska, United States

On thin ice, North Pole camp folds after only 12 days
The ice became too thin and the cracks too many. This year’s Barneo North Pole base existed only 12 days.
Barents Observer

Rising rivers prompt flood warnings in central Sweden
The national weather service SMHI has issued warnings for 8 different counties where this winter's unusually heavy snow is now melting and flowing downstream. ...
Söderhamn, Gävleborgs län, Sweden
Radio Sweden

Climate change could leave Californians with 'weather whiplash'
Climate change will make for more frequent wild swings in California weather, with both more extremely dry and extremely wet years and 'weather whiplash' in between.
California, United States

Ski centres eye uncertain future as winters warm
Finland's ski centres are coping with shorter, milder winters by making and storing snow – costly short-term solutions that may worsen the problem in the longer term.
Kittilä, Lappi, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Satellite image show mystery holes in Beaufort Sea ice
The image above shows curious holes in Arctic sea ice, located about 50 miles northwest of Canada’s Mackenzie River Delta. Guesses from readers included everything from ice broken by marine animals to breathe, to ice that had been thawed by methane hydrates. It’s a challenge to know the source of the features based on a photograph or satellite image alone, but several scientists offered their hypotheses in our April 21 Image of the Day.
NASA Earth Observatory

'Catastrophic' overland flooding shuts down southern Alberta highway, threatens Taber homes
We have experienced since Oct. 2 a very unseasonable Alberta winter. High snowfalls, a few Chinooks and certainly we knew some time ago we were in for an interesting spring ... but this is unprecedented...
Taber, Alberta, Canada

Nunavut hunter believed drowned after falling through ice during polar bear hunt
According to an RCMP news release, the hunter was part of a group of five men hunting for polar bears. The group was 65 kilometres southeast of Clyde River when the man fell through the ice at about 9:30 p.m.
Clyde River, Nunavut, Canada

No slush cup this year at Eaglecrest
Eaglecrest is forgoing its annual Slush Cup competition due to low snow levels. The event was canceled in 2015 and 2016 for the same reason, but made a return last year.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Juneau Empire

2018 Weather, climate disasters already costing record amounts
So far in 2018, there have been three climate and weather disasters that have cost $1 billion or more.
United States
Newsweek

Ask a Climatologist: Snow melt around the state is right on schedule
An early melt-out date can make for an especially bad wildfire season, but this year, it’s right on schedule for much of the state. Listen now
Annie Feidt, Alaska's Energy Desk - Anchorage

A respected outdoorsman, this 26-year-old was traveling to get firewood when he disappeared
When Jazmin James hadn’t returned to Tununak by Easter Sunday as planned, the family reported him missing. His snowmachine was found on sea ice, partly submerged in water.
Tununak, Alaska, United States

'Extreme' Changes Underway in Some of Antarctica’s Biggest Glaciers
Antarctic Glaciers
Inside Climate News

Drone footage shows impact of climate change off east coast of Newfoundland
Footage shot across the North Atlantic captured a stunning view of accumulating sea ice over Brighton, Newfoundland, but, according to researchers, also serves as stark reminder of the impact of climate change.
Global News

Thin Sea Ice, Permafrost Thaw, and Earth's Rotational Axis
Thinner sea ice and melting permafrost. Is it related to changes in the Earth's axis?
Wainwright, Alaska, United States
Mike Brubaker, Erica Lujan, Moses Tcheripanoff

Water Pooling Around Houses and Flooding Ice Cellars
Permafrost thaw is affecting houses, roads, and ice cellars.
Wainwright, Alaska, United States

Study reveals startling new evidence of effects of climate change in the Arctic
New research led by U of T Mississauga geographer Igor Lehnherr provides startling evidence that remote areas in Canada's Arctic region—once thought to be beyond the reach of human impact—are responding rapidly to warming global temperatures.
Lake Hazen
Phys.org

Third ringed seal found in Unalaska sent for rehabilitation
After admitting a sick ringed seal from Unalaska, veterinarians at the Alaska SeaLife Center are cautiously optimistic about his chances for recovery.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States
KTOO

Vessel saves stranded boy – Coast Guard gives ice tips
Sea ice around Helsinki becomes more precarious as spring draws near.
Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Avalanche Danger: Homes, Factory Evacuated
Considerable danger of avalanches in East Iceland has led to evacuations in the town of Seyðisfjörður.
Seyðisfjörður, Austurland, Iceland
Iceland Review

Tribes plow longest Kuskokwim ice road ever
The Kuskokwim River now has its longest ice road ever, despite having the warmest winter on record.
Crooked Creek, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media / KYUK Bethel

More than 230,000 remain without power in Mass.; could take days to restore - The Boston Globe
The storm dropped more than a foot of snow overnight in some places, making for a messy Thursday morning commute. And the nor’easter isn’t gone yet.
Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States
BostonGlobe.com
Felicia Gans, John R. Ellement, Andy Rosen and Travis Andersen

Sask. researchers say they can now better predict storms caused by rising temperatures
Researchers say they've come up with a way to better predict severe storms and protect infrastructure from damage caused by increasing temperatures in Western Canada.
Western Canada

Scientists don't know why ice seals are appearing in ice-free Unalaska
There are plenty of seals in Unalaska, but ringed seals -- who make their homes on the ice -- are rare.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States
KTOO

At least six dead as nor’easter slams East Coast with violent wind, rain, snow and floods
From Massachusetts to Virginia, the East Coast was pounded by a storm that threatened to break records. Nearly two million people lost power.
Baltimore County, Maryland, United States
Washington Post
By Karen Weintraub, Bill Hewitt, Amy B Wang, Eli Rosenberg & Keith McMillan

Open water wreaks havoc at Little Diomede
Last Tuesday, February 20, residents of Little Diomede have seen the impossible. Instead of looking out at a frozen seascape of ice, they witnessed open water and high surf crashing onto the shores and coming up beyond the high water line.
Little Diomede, Alaska, United States

Climate Change Could Ruin California's Farming Industry
As its vital snowpack shrinks and droughts intensify, Californias giant $50 billion agricultural industry is at a crossroads: how to keep feeding the nation while adapting to the reality of …
California's Central Valley, United States
Courthouse News Service

Snow Falls in Rome, and the Eternal City Takes a Holiday
With schools and parks in the city closed for the day, and hundreds of shops shuttered, many Romans took the unexpected blanket of white in cheerful stride.
Rome, Latium, Italy
The New York Times

Svalbard’s ‘Doomsday’ seed vault marks 10th anniversary with upgrades to protect it from climate change - Arctic Today
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault celebrates its first decade in operation by accepting its millionth sample—and a grant for work to keep those samples safe despite melting permafrost.
Svalbard, Norwegian Archipelago, Arctic Ocean
Arctic Today

Rome covered in rare snowfall
Roma, Roma, Italy
ABC News

In Western Alaska, there's water where there should be ice
Last week, social media across Western Alaska lit up as residents posted photos and videos of open water where, normally, there's ice.
Diomede, Alaska, United States
KTOO

Most King Penguins Could Vanish by the End of the Century
As global temperatures rise, the lives of countless plants and animals are changing in response. That includes king penguins, which a new study predicts will see profound, climate-driven changes in their numbers and the location of their breeding grounds over the next century.
Possession Island, Crozet Archipelago
Earther

Sudden stratospheric warming linked to open water in polar ice pack
In the depths of the long night that cloaks the Arctic in frigid darkness for three months each winter, a surprising patch of open water appeared, just to the north of Greenland.
Wandel Sea
Phys.org

Subsistence hunters are adapting to a warming Alaska with new, high-tech tools
The weather was warm and the ice was late in coming, so Dennis Davis set up a piece of equipment unknown to his Inupiaq forebears: his drone.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States
TheWorld

Skimpy snowpack drags down winter economy in West & changing climate could make it worse
Winter sports tourism pumps about $11 billion in direct spending into the U.S. economy each year but is at risk of being decimated by climate change, according to the advocacy group Protect Our Win…
Ski Resorts, Colorado, United States
The Denver Post

Revolutionary NASA technique captures melting Antarctic ice like never before
The seven-year-long work on the system shows that West Antarctic ice sheets are melting at a rapid rate.
Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf
International Business Times UK

Ocean Ice Is All Gone
Rough seas and moving sea ice.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States
Sharon Nayokpuk, Hajo Eicken, Richard L Thoman Jr

Canada’s Outdoor Rinks Are Melting. So Is a Way of Life.
Canada loves its ice, and outdoor hockey is part of the nation's cultural identity. So what happens when winters get too warm for backyard rinks?
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
New York Times

Animals have stopped turning white for winter in alarming climate change trend
When there's no snow, there's no need for their winter whites.
The Yukon Territory
Newsweek

An unfrozen North
The world’s permafrost holds vast stores of carbon. What happens when it thaws?
Toolik Lake Field Station
High Country News

Changing climate forces mushers to break new trails
The route of the Yukon Quest traverses Lake Laberge for the first time in decades, and that's not the only dog sled race affected by the changing climate.
Dawson City, Yukon Territory, Canada
CBC News

Large Earthquake Detected In Öræfajökull
The area around Öræfajökull glacier continues to show increased activity as the largest earthquake detected in the area, M3,6 on the Richter scale, occurred there this morning.
Öræfajökull Volcano, Iceland
Iceland Review

Sounds of Skating on Thin Ice
This small lake outside Stockholm, Sweden, emits otherworldly sounds as Mårten Ajne skates over its precariously thin, black ice.
Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
National Geographic

Thawing Arctic permafrost could release massive amounts of mercury - Arctic Today
New research shows that permafrost soils hold massive quantities of mercury — nearly twice as much as is held in all other soils in the world, plus the mercury in the oceans and the atmosphere —
Arctic Today

Saimaa seal population on the rise in Finland
Recent heavy snowfall and large drifts have created ideal conditions for the dens where the endangered Saimaa ringed seal raise their young, and a record number of pups may be born this year. The freshwater Saimaa ringed seal is one of the most endangered seal species in the world.
Lake Saimaa, South Karelia, Finland
Eye on the Arctic

How the Antarctic Sun Creates Breathtaking Optical Effects
A fine haze of ice particles transformed this landscape into an otherworldly scene
South Pole
Smithsonian - SMARTNEWS

Ice roads and tundra travel: Rural Arctic access complicated by warmer winters
While industry has had to adapt to changes, many locals are still struggling to find a new normal amidst the shifting seasons.

Arctic sees temporary return to colder temperatures
The Arctic Sounder - Serving the Northwest Arctic and the North Slope
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
The Arctic Sounder

Snowstorm beats European record
Half a meter of snow fell in the Vasternorrland region of Sweden, Thursday, the largest snowfall measured in Europe yesterday.
Näsåker, Västernorrland, Sweden
Radio Sweden

Amid Shrinking Sea Ice, Hunters Race To Adapt
As snow machines zoomed past, Dennis Davis set up his new drone. According to Davis, blue ice is more solid than white. Those are areas hunters can travel across more safely as they search for marine mammal prey.

Is There A Ticking Time Bomb Under The Arctic?
Just what exactly is permafrost? And what is happening now that it's warming up? To find out, we enter the Arctic Circle's secret world of ice and frozen history.
Northern Alaska, United States
NPR

Fierce storm drops a foot of snow on Anchorage in 24 hours
The storm that walloped Southcentral Alaska also left about 32 inches of snow in Moose Pass and 30 in Seward.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

4 mushers scratch due to icy conditions in Kuskokwim 300 sled dog race
Four teams had scratched as of 7 p.m. Saturday because of the icy conditions, said Kuskokwim 300 race director Madelene Reichard. "It's the same thing for all of them," Reichard said. "The dogs aren't used to running on the ice, and people were wanting to keep their dogs healthy."
Bethel, Alaska, United States

Warm Weather And Lady Bugs
The weather was the warmest I’ve ever seen for this time of year and never seen insects like ladybugs out this time of year.
Haines, Alaska, United States

High winter winds and warm temperatures
We've had so much wind this winter, on the 15th of January, the winds were warm!!!!!!
Golovin, Alaska, United States

Detah ice road ties record for latest opening
The ice road between Detah and Yellowknife is opening Friday, a date that ties a decades-old record.
Yellowknife Ice Road, NWT

State report details potential health impacts of climate change
How will climate change affect health in Alaska? Dangerous travel conditions could cause more accidents, warmer temperatures could spread new diseases and the topsy-turvy weather could worsen mental health. Those are some conclusions from a new state report released Monday. Listen now
Newtok, Alaska, United States
Rachel Waldholz, Alaska's Energy Desk - Anchorage

There Are So Many Open Holes, Search And Rescue Ran Out Of Blue Tape To Mark Them
The warm winter has made traveling on the river ice more hazardous than Bethel Search and Rescue ever remembers.
Oscarville, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Rain on snow event in the French Alps
Photograph illustrates the impact of a rain-on-snow event during the winter of 2018.
Courchevel, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Roads, cars submerged: Storm rages with snow, floods - The Boston Globe
The powerful winter weather storm was slamming into Massachusetts by mid-morning Thursday, bringing blizzard-like conditions in some areas, torrential rain in others, power outages and hurricane-strength winds on Cape Cod and the Islands.
Quincy, Massachusetts, United States
The Boston Globe

After two-week delay, sled dog racing season kicks off on the Kuskokwim
Sled dog racing season officially began on the Kuskokwim this weekend. Listen now

Father's Body Recovered, Five Rescued After Family Falls Through Kuskokwim On New Year's Eve
A father’s body has been recovered from the Kuskokwim River after he and his family fell through a marked, open hole the night of New Year’s Eve. Bethel

Open Water Adds to Winter Chill - Part 2
While taking photos this afternoon of the snow ice on various objects near the Native Village of Unalakleet, which was on the approximate order of 4 minutes and with very little wind (playground, grass, powerlines), my hands were cold due to the "wetness" in the air and the ambient air temperature.

Amid warm winter, scientists say Alaska sea ice conditions are ‘shockingly bad’
That hurts coastal communities that hunt on the ice. But colder weather may be coming, at least to some portions of Alaska.
Gambell, Alaska, United States

Amid warm winter, scientists say Alaska sea ice conditions are ‘shockingly bad’
That hurts coastal communities that hunt on the ice. But colder weather may be coming, at least to some portions of Alaska. Ice should be hugging the coast near the village of Gambell, perched on St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea, said Mayor Susan Apassingok, on Tuesday. But ice isn't there.
Pacific Ocean-Bering Sea, East Coast, Alaska, United States

High winds knock out power, damage buildings in Kuskokwim Bay
Winds of up to 85 mph ripped up the Southwest Alaska coast on Friday, upending smokehouses, tearing electric lines and flinging a house across the road.
Quinhagak, Alaska, United States

Lineup of Storms and Unseasonable Weather
Multiple storms and warm weather in St. Mary's.
Saint Mary's, Alaska, United States

After responding to 3 vehicles that broke through ice so far this year, N.W.T. gov't asks public to be careful
The number of vehicles reported to have gone through the ice around Yellowknife continues to rise. According to the N.W.T. Department of Environment, its spill response team has responded to three vehicles through the ice so far this year.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC News

Suspected stolen vehicle falls through thin ice on Chena Lake
A borough employee who went to measure ice at Chena Lake got first-hand evidence that the lake ice ready for vehicles. “Lo and behold, there was a truck upside down on the bottom in about 25 feet of water,” Haas said. “No one was in it.”
Chena Lakes, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

For Alaskan Coastal Village, Erosion Hits Home
Melting permafrost and major storms are eating away at the coastal Alaskan village of Newtok. Residents are desperate to move, but the U.S. has no climate change policy that could help them.
Newtok, Alaska, United States
NPR

Slow River Freeze Up and Difficult Travel Conditions
Unusually warm temperatures for an extended period this winter has affected the ability to travel because the river isn't freezing over.
Galena, Alaska, United States

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

Warm, Windy, Snowy, Wet, Cool Days!
"Our roads are slippery when there would be snow to where the children were out with their sled. Planes never cancelled as much as this year to where the flights were backed up to 3 or 4 days. Lately, we've been seeing grasses regrowing after it warms up out there."
Lower Kalskag, Alaska, United States

At least 4 people, and 1 snowmobile, have broken through the ice in Yellowknife Bay
Darcy Bourassa was just walking around his house on Tuesday when 'I must have stepped right in the perfect spot and went through.' "What I think was happening here is there's a lot of snow built up it's really insulated in the snow and it hasn't been cold this fall or this winter so there's not a lot of ice penetration underneath that snow."
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC News

National ski championships still a go at Kincaid Park
Though snow is scant in Anchorage, organizers are confident they will be able to host the Jan. 3-8 race series.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

High temperatures in Utqiaġvik confuse NOAA algorithm
This November in Utqiaġvik was the hottest on record, averaging 17.2°F. It was so warm that NOAA's quality control algorithms flagged the data. “When we look out on the ocean right now we see a few icebergs,” Thomas said. “Normally we would see white to the horizon in the past, and in this case we’re seeing dark water to the horizon.”
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Ravenna Koenig, Alaska's Energy Desk - Fairbanks

How Global Warming Fueled Five Extreme Weather Events
Scientists analyzed 27 extreme weather events from 2016 and found that global warming was a “significant driver” for most of them. We look at five cases.
The New York Times

Arctic saw 2nd warmest year, smallest winter sea ice coverage on record in 2017 | NOAA
A NOAA-sponsored report shows that the warming trend transforming the Arctic persisted in 2017, resulting in the second warmest air temperatures, above average ocean temperatures, loss of sea ice, and a range of human, ocean and ecosystem effects.
Arctic Region, World
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

It's snowing in south Texas! Yes, you read that right
Big and fluffy snowflakes fell across parts of south Texas on Thursday, including San Antonio and Austin.
San Antonio, Texas, United States

Richardson Highway closed following avalanche and extreme snow
Crews are working to clear snow off of the Richardson Highway near Valdez, after excessive snow has not relented, and an avalanche has poured over the isolated highway stretch.
Valdez, Alaska, United States
KTUU News

Fast Weather Change: Snowfall
Rapid weather change, with snowfall.

Ice jam causes flooding in Peters Creek area
A National Weather Service employee spotted an ice jam that's causing some minor flooding northwest of the Starner Street bridge, along Peters Creek.
Eagle River, Alaska, United States
KTUU

In Peru’s Deserts, Melting Glaciers Are a Godsend (Until They’re Gone)
Accelerating glacial melt in the Andes caused by climate change has set off a gold rush downstream, letting the desert bloom. But as the ice vanishes, the vast farms below may do the same.
Virú, La Libertad, Peru
The New York Times

Sea life beneath Antarctic ice shelf is changing, and warming may be why
In dives to the seafloor, scientists have noticed big differences in only a few years.
McMurdo Station, Antarctica
Washington Post

Global Warming Might Cause Increased Volcanic Activity in Iceland
When glaciers covered larger parts of Iceland, there was less volcanic activity in the country, a new study has found.
Iceland Review

Warm & Rainy Fall Season
The past couple years have been warmer than normal contributing to where the river is still flowing ice and with some of the plants still green.
Lower Kalskag, Alaska, United States

Thawing permafrost causes $51M in damages every year to N.W.T. public infrastructure: study
An advocacy group has put a price tag on the heaving roads and leaning buildings ubiquitous to the Northwest Territories.
Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, Canada

Walloping of snow in Yellowknife on Tuesday a record-breaker
It’s a winter wonderland in Yellowknife Wednesday, as the city cleans up after 24.2 centimetres of snow fell on Tuesday— a record breaking amount.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Aftermath of the Storm
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

Warm Winter Weather Patterns along Kuskokwim River
This is the second year in a row that people from Chuathbaluk are able to use boats (skiffs) on the Kuskokwim River in November.
Chuathbaluk, Alaska, United States

Polar bears in Churchill face bleak future, researchers warn
Shorter periods of sea ice on Hudson Bay as a result of climate change translate into fewer polar bears in Churchill region.
Churchill Falls, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Ask a Climatologist: Why do some lakes freeze faster than others?
One important factor is the depth of the lake. But there are other variables too.
Annie Feidt, Alaska's Energy Desk - Anchorage

Wild Ice - Backcountry Skating Alaska
If the winter gives you ice, then it's time to go ice skating! Backcountry skating is the practice of hunting for wild ice, whether on on a river, lake, glacial lagoon, or inside an ice cave. Filmed in Southcentral and Southeast Alaska.
Girdwood, Alaska, United States
Vimeo

Weather in the Beaufort Delta Just Like Spring
Freda Alunik says it looks 'just like spring' at her camp near the Mackenzie River.
Mackenzie River, Northwest Territory, Canada

Huge, 'mysterious' hole appears in sea ice near Antarctica
There’s a giant hole in Antarctica and scientists aren’t sure why. The hole, which was detected about a month ago, is roughly 30,000 square miles or the size of the state of Maine. It's the largest hole spotted in the Weddell Sea since the 1970s, scientists say.
King Haakon VII Sea, Southern Ocean, East Antarctica
USA Today

Citing safety concerns, airlines refuse to fly to permafrost-damaged Tununak Airport
About a year ago, Tununak opened a $19 million, state-of-the-art airport, but shifting permafrost is buckling the runway.
Tununak, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

The crater that is growing in Siberia is a climate time bomb
Melting permafrost, which some attribute to climate changes, is creating huge craters in Siberia. The craters are appearing as layers of ice melt, and larg
Batagajka
The Vintage News

As permafrost thaws, village cemeteries sink into swamp
Climate change is thawing the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta’s permafrost, and it’s doing more than cracking foundations, sinking roads and accelerating erosion.
Kongiganak, Alaska, United States

This "flock of sheep" was actually an unprecedented gathering of polar bears
Zoom in on this supposed image of sheep on a hillside and you'll be in for quite the surprise.
Wrangel Island
MNN - Mother Nature Network

Plastic waste now polluting Arctic Ocean, scientists find
Plastic waste in the ocean is now so widespread it is polluting remote ice floes in the Arctic, scientists have discovered.
Arctic Ocean
The Telegraph

A glacier dam bursts and creates minor flooding on the Kenai
Sport fishermen are struggling to reel in the rainbow trout and Dolly Varden that usually are so abundant in fall.
Snow River Bridge, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

Snow Falls In The Sierra Nevada On Summer's Last Full Day
Hurricanes have dominated weather news lately. When it snowed on Thursday in the Sierra Nevada, it not only added a new weather element to the news mix, it got resorts thinking about ski season.
Kirkwood, California, United States
NPR.org

Up to 71″ of Snow Forecast on Mt. Rainier This Week
NOAA has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the Mt. Rainier area of Washington State for today including Crystal Mountain ski resort. The Winter Storm Warning is calling for 6-10 of snow by 5…
Crystal Mountain ski resort, WA
SnowBrains

Millions at risk of water shortages as Asian glaciers melt
Asian glaciers are set to shrink by at least a third by 2100 due to climate change, researchers said on Thursday, threatening the millions who depend on their meltwaters for drinking and farming.
Himalayan Mountains
Mail Online

Video shows methane leaking from beneath an Arctic river after spectacular eruption
Gas bubbles from waters filling crater hole on Yamal peninsula two months after volcanic-style explosion in thawing permafrost.
Yamal-Nenets District, Russia
Siberian Times

Large Iceberg Spotted Off The Coast of Látrabjarg
A large iceberg was spotted approximately 93 km (57 miles) to the west of Látrabjarg, which is located in the north-west of Iceland.

Hot summer ends with cold blast and 'abnormal' August snow
Yakutia in a white blanket as temperatures dip to minus 6C as winter 'comes too soon'.
Udachny, Sakha, Russia

Alaska’s Permafrost Is Thawing
The loss of frozen ground in Arctic regions is a striking result of climate change. And it is also a cause of more warming to come.
Y-K Delta Southwest, Alaska, United States

Study shows increasing snow-free season on Slope
Snow is melting sooner and coming in later on the North Slope, and that, in turn, is having an affect on other ecological variables.
Arctic Slope, Alaska, United States
The Arctic Sounder

Walrus haulout in Northwest Alaska forms at earliest date ever recorded
Several hundred Pacific walruses have started to gather on an island off the northwest coast of Alaska — the earliest the animals have been observed leaving the water for the annual ritual, according to federal wildlife officials.
Point Lay, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

Loss of sea ice leads walruses to early appearance in Alaska
Hundreds of Pacific walruses came ashore to a barrier island on Alaska's northwest coast, the earliest appearance of the animals in a phenomenon tied to climate warming and diminished Arctic Ocean sea ice.
Point Lay, Alaska, United States

Permafrost cost: Long-term fix at Ross River school could require constant power
A Yukon school could soon require constant electricity during the summer merely to avoid sinking. The 'active refrigeration system' would freeze ground under the Ross River school. The device would be the first of its kind in Yukon.
Ross River, Yukon Territory, Canada

Thawing permafrost forces closure of Dawson City's rec centre
Permafrost underneath the structure is believed to have melted since last fall and key parts of the building might not be able to withstand strong winds or an earthquake, according to a professional engineer hired by Dawson City.
Dawson City, Yukon, Canada

Global ocean circulation appears to be collapsing due to warming
Researchers have found a correlation between melting Arctic sea ice and changes in the planet's largest water circulation system that could lead to the collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC).
North Atlantic Ocean
Digital Journal

Retreating Exit Glacier has become an icon of climate change
The celebrity glacier on the Kenai Peninsula, though relatively small and getting smaller, looms large in the public consciousness.
Exit Glacier, Alaska, United States

Experts warn gas pipes are in real danger from exploding tundra
Gas pipes supplying Europe run right over swelling Yamal tundra which is deeply unstable to the release of underground methane.
Yamal Region, Russia
The Independent Barents Observer

Gas pipelines supplying Europe 'in real danger from exploding tundra' - top scientist
Pipes are built over bulging and unstable Arctic pingos prone to violent eruptions caused by 'thawing methane gas', as seen twice on the Yamal peninsula this year.
Yamal Region, Russia
The Siberian Times

A trillion-ton iceberg the size of Delaware is about to break off Antarctica
Scientists are divided about the impact of climate change on this particular break in Antarctica's ice shelf.
Weddell Sea, Antarctica
ChicagoTribune.com

M 5.8 Earthquake
USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, responsible for monitoring, reporting, and researching earthquakes and earthquake hazards
Montana Mountains NW of Helena
USGS Earthquake Hazards Program

Coastal Shore Erosion
Coastal erosion occurring near Cape Blossom, outside of Kotzebue, Alaska.
Cape Blossom, NW Alaska, United States

Extreme heat keeping Kings River at flood levels
Because this extreme heat will last for several more days, the floodwaters aren't going away anytime soon. The higher the truck, the better for residents evacuating flooded homes in the River Bend RV Park.
River Bend RV Park, Minkler, California, United States
ABC30 Fresno

Snow cancels Yukon-Alaska bike race for 1,300 riders
For the first time in 25 years, the Kluane Chilkat International Bike Relay has been cancelled - unexpectedly due to snow, 'black ice and slushy sections.'
Haines Junction, Yukon, Canada

As the North Slope of Alaska warms, greenhouse gases have nowhere to go but up
Thanks to warming winters and thawing permafrost, Arctic soil microbes are churning out carbon dioxide well after the end of the growing season ends. This extra source of atmospheric carbon may accelerate a regional warming trend that is already twice as fast as the global average.
Climate.gov

At Denali base camp, unseasonable warmth creates dangers for climbers
The fall of a climber into a crevasse highlighted this season's risky combination of crumbling snow bridges and splintered climbing teams.
Kahiltna Glacier, Mount Denali, Alaska, United States

Climate change researchers cancel expedition after climate change makes conditions too dangerous
A team of scientists had to abandon an expedition from Quebec City to Churchill, Man., on Sunday because of hazardous ice conditions caused by climate change.
Strait of Belle Isle, Newfoundland, Canada

Summer surprise: Snow in Lapland prompts ski resort to reopen
The skiing season ended in Northern Lapland in mid-May, but the weather there is still so cold and snowfall so frequent that the Saariselkä resort will temporarily reopen its slopes, which are currently up to a metre deep in snow.
Inari, Lapland, Finland

Oceanfloor Craters Hint of Potential Arctic Methane Explosions in the Future
Hundreds of craters caused by methane explosions were discovered underneath Barents sea. Further research finds evidence that the violent explosions could happen again in the future.
Barrents Sea
Tech Times

Video: Savoonga residents describe changes in spring sea ice
As spring walrus hunting season gets underway, residents of St. Lawrence Island talk about sea ice changes and how they affect the village.
Savoonga, Alaska, United States

Melting sea ice causing 'eco-anxiety' in remote Labrador community
The annual ice melt in Canada's North is occurring earlier and earlier, and some researchers say that and other climate-related changes are affecting the mental health of populations in Inuit communities. CBC's Sabrina Fabian reports from Rigolet, Labrador.
Rigolet, Labrador Canada

Greenland Glacier Melt Actually Warped Earth's Crust
A massive wave of ice and water in 2012 caused the amount of ice lost from the Rink Glacier to increase by more than 50 percent
Rink Glacier, Greenland
Scientific American

For two Alaska villages, walruses remain essential. As sea ice disappears, can it last?
Thinning sea ice puts walruses nearly out of reach. The federal government may list walruses as an endangered species. And ivory bans elsewhere are making it hard for walrus-tusk carvers to sell their art.
Gambell, Alaska, United States

Fast Moving Hail Storm
Observed fast moving weather system... as quickly as it came it abated.

Fast Sea Ice Movement

Don't panic, humanity's doomsday seed vault is probably still safe
A lot of water went into the start of the tunnel and then it froze to ice, so it was like a glacier when you went in,” Statsbygg spokeswoman Hege Njaa Aschim told the Guardian of the water breach.
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Washington Post

‘Doomsday’ seed vault meant to survive global disasters breached by climate change
The seed bank designed to preserve the world’s crops and plants in the event of global disaster isn’t prepared to withstand the greatest global disaster facing our planet: global warming. Melting...
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
The Verge

Sinkhole pops up at Ft. Wainwright
A sinkhole has opened up on Ft. Wainwright in Fairbanks. The 3-foot diameter void discovered Monday near a housing unit, is suspected to be the result of thawing permafrost.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

The worst may be yet to come as the flood risk rises in the Okanagan - NEWS 1130
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
NEWS 1130

Glacier National Park is Losing its Glaciers
Over the past 50 years, some of Glacier National Park's namesake glaciers have shrunk by as much as 85 percent.
Boulder Glacier, Glacier National Park
Climate Central

Water rising in Interior
With warmer temperatures in the forecast, the province has issued a high streamflow warning for streams and rivers across the Interior. Currently, Nicola Lake is about one metre below the minor flooding point, and it's forecast to continue climbing over the next 30 days.
Castanet

Weather is Confused!
It's still snowing in early May.
King's Cove, Alaska, United States

Climate Change Drives Up the Cost of Canada’s Northernmost Highway
Chris Burn at Carleton University is tracking the growing cost of maintaining Yukon’s Dempster Highway as warmer weather brings more landslides, washouts and other challenges.
Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada
Arctic Deeply

After the last sigluaq
Sixty years ago there were 12 of these such cellars in Kaktovik.Today there is only one left. All the other family cellars have been flooded and have collapsed.
Kaktovik, Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder

Canada's 'Iceberg Alley' Is Spectacular This Year For A Sad Reason
Ferryland, Newfoundland, Canada
The Huffington Post

Climate change is a boon for Santa Claus with April snowfall
Kirov, Kirov, Russia
Russia Beyond The Headlines

Iceberg Alley: Newfoundland's new tourist attraction
Over 600 icebergs have already floated into the North Atlantic this year, compared to an average of 687 over the whole season. Experts believe that this year’s bumper crop is down to strong counter-clockwise winds, as well as global warming.
Ferryland, Newfoundland, Canada
INDEPENDENT

Ice roads ease isolation in Canada's north, but they're melting too soon
The country's 3,300 miles of ice roads are a lifeline for marooned communities during frigid winters, but climate change is making the roads unsafe much earlier.

Scientists have discovered vast systems of flowing water in Antarctica. And that worries them.
Nansen Ice Sheet, Antarctica

Slow Fairbanks snowmelt slows Canada Geese migration
Sunshine is abundant this time of year, but cooler temperatures this week have slowed the melting of a well above normal snowpack in Fairbanks. That’s affecting migratory bird’s arrival at a local refuge.

Springtime in Anvik Alaska
What are the weather conditions for Anvik in mid-April?
Anvik, Alaska, United States

Receding glacier causes immense Canadian river to vanish in four days
Kaskawulsh Glacier, Yukon Territories, Canada
the Guardian

'It scares me': Permafrost thaw in Canadian Arctic sign of global trend
For years now, buildings in Inuvik have been sinking due to thawing permafrost. It's part of a worrying trend across the Arctic, writes David Michael Lamb.
Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada

A new crack in one of Greenland's largest glaciers
Petermann Glacier, Greenland

7,000 massive methane gas bubbles under the Russian permafrost could explode anytime
Yamal Penninsula, Siberia, Russia
ThinkProgress

California wildflowers erupt in super bloom
Southern California is enjoying a wildflower "super bloom" after years of extreme drought.
Cardio Plain National Monument, California, United States

First seismic sensor installed to give early warning on new 'exploding pingos'
The aim is to give warnings over seismic activity that could lead to the sudden formation of new craters, which could potentially damage key industrial infrastructure.
Sabetta, Yamalo-Nenets

Warnings of new Arctic explosions at some 700-plus sites in Yamal due to thawing permafrost
Scientists rush to site of latest tundra eruption - which formed a crater 50 metres deep - amid fears for homes and key industrial sites.
Bovanenkovo, Yamal Peninsula, Russia

Poor Grazing Conditions for Reindeer in Varanger
Harsh grazing conditions have been reported this winter due to some rainy days that have lead to ice cover on the ground.
Varanger Halvo, Norway

Ice Shelf Off of St George Island
Coastline along town had sheets of ice pushed against it, maybe 20 to 30 yards deep, this has not happened since 2012, 5 years ago.
Saint George, Alaska, United States

Here’s the dirt on the melting permafrost in Fairbanks
The unexpected appearance of sinkholes or groundwater flooding is something to which residents have grown accustomed.
Arctic Deeply

Paddle boarders hijack ice floe
March brings a gathering of paddle boarders on a big ice floe in Ussuri Bayk. The air temperature didn't go above 10C and water was at maximum of 5C.
Vladivostok, Primorskiy, Russia

Blizzard-bound Churchill awaits supply train
Northern Manitoba town's grocery shelves are bare as residents face another blizzard.
Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Pintail ducks (Anas acuta) early
Norther pintails observered early in the Mat-Su Valley near the Glenn Highway-Parks Highway overpass.
Gateway, Alaska, United States

Open Water Adds to Winter Chill - Part 1
Unusually wet winter weather activity observed. Traveling in early February (AFE) disrupted travel due to weather conditions.

Huge winter storm cuts power to 100,000 across eastern US
Avis, Pennsylvania, United States
the Guardian

Disturbing melody of melting permafrost crater
This tadpole-shaped gash in the Earth's surface - around one kilometre long, and 800 metres wide - is enlarging by up to 30 metres a year.
Yakutsk, Sakha, Russia
Siberian Times

Warm winter can be deadly for snowmobilers and ice fishermen
The unusually warm winter has proven deadly in the northeast. More than a dozen people, including snowmobilers and ice fishermen, have died when they fell through thin lake ice.
Gilford, New Hampshire, United States
NPR.org

Photo series shows glacier disappear
A series of photos, taken by Guðmundur Ögmundsson, Skaftafell National Park manager in the past five years, shows in a striking way how Skaftafellsjökull glacier, an outlet glacier from Vatnajökull glacier, has receded.
Kálfafell, Iceland

1 year later, no answers on why truck broke through ice on Deline winter road
A year after a fuel-carrying truck broke through the ice on the Deline winter road, the N.W.T.'s Department of Transportation has yet to release the results of an investigation into why the accident happened.
Déliné, Northwest Territory, Canada

Pictures Reveal How Climate Change Affects Glaciers in High Peru
"A photographer and environmental anthropologist explores melting glaciers in Peru."
Peru

First Ever Junior National Ski Jumping Event Without Snow
Sports are innovating and adapting to hold competitions even in absence of winter.
Fox River Grove, Illinois, United States

Eklutna Glacier, a source of Anchorage drinking water, is disappearing drip by drip
A new study quantifies the rate at which Eklutna Glacier is losing its icy mass. Between 1957 and 2010, the loss of glacier mass averaged 5 percent a year.
Eagle River, Alaska, United States

Waiting for winter: ice roads mean the North Slope can get to work
Every winter, a massive infrastructure project takes place on the North Slope one thats designed to disappear. Ice roads are built to minimize the oil industrys footprint on the sensitive tundra, and melt away in spring. Many of the oil industrys multi-million dollar projects on the North Slope cant be built until the ice roads are finished each year.

Warm, wet weather prompts road closures
Record-breaking warm temperatures had some people in Whitehorse basking in the sun. In Haines Junction it was raining so hard the sand was washing off the road.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
Yukon News

City councils spending millions on creating snow
Sweden is having another winter without much of the white stuff, but local councils are taking the matter in their own hands.
Östersund, Jämtland, Sweden
Radio Sweden

Ice cover at sea exceptionally low this winter
Ice cover over Finlands sea areas is very low. Experts warn that the ice is now very thin over sea, and with spring slowly arriving, the situation is not likely to improve.
Tornio, Lapland, Finland

Miserable stretches of trail prompt Iditarod to move race start to Fairbanks
For the second time in three years, the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race will move its official start from Willow to Fairbanks due to poor trail conditions that race officials determined unsafe.
Willow, Alaska, United States

Sheriff: Car, Truck Plunge Into Lake Minnetonka Within Hours Of Each Other
The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office reported that two vehicles had plunged into Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota within hours of each other.
Minnetonka Beach, Minnesota, United States
CBS Minnesota (WCCO 830)

Heavy snow fears as Fraser Valley prepares for another big dump
With up to 70 cm of snow already on the ground, the Fraser Valley is bracing for another dump of snow and heavy rain as early as Wednesday.
Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Winds challenging Finland’s icebreakers despite record low Baltic ice
Meteorologist Niko Tollman of the Finnish Meteorology Institute confirms that counting up the number of stormy days this past month made January one of the windiest first months of the year over sea areas since 1994.
Oulu, Northern Ostrobothnia, Finland
Yle

People of the sea ice see cracks forming
In Nain, a coastal village in Newfoundland and Labrador, the approximately 1,400 residents rely on sea ice for transportation and traditional activities.
Nain, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Hakai Magazine

Ice of Change - Amid Waterfowl Sightings
No sea ice; hunters say it should not be like this today.
Diomede, Alaska, United States

Canadian Arctic faces threat of coastal erosion
Darren Nasogaluak has an unusual problem.As the mayor of Tuktoyaktuk, a small Inuvialuit hamlet on the coast of the Beaufort Sea, he has had to watch bits of his community wash away over the years.
Herschel Island - Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park, Beufort Sea, YT, Canada
ND Arctic Deeply

Vandalism of mammoth graveyards in Siberia
Unique paleontological sites are facing destruction from gangs seeking to sell prehistoric remains. The hunters are especially active in late summer, when the permafrost retreats leaving mammoth remains more visible.
Zhokhov island

Kenai Peninsula permafrost thawing rapidly
A recent study estimates permafrost coverage on the peninsula has decreased by 60 percent since 1950. Permafrost is usually associated with Northern and Interior Alaska, but it also occurs in isolated pockets in wetlands on the Kenai Peninsula.
Ridgeway, Alaska, United States
KBBI Homer

Fog and cold have created perfect conditions for a frosty Anchorage
After years of low snow and higher winter temperatures, Anchorage once again looks like a real northern city thanks to a heavy layer of frost.

Ski Jumpers Finally Compete
It has been three years since the Anchorage ski jumping club has been able to hold our New Year competition.

Warm winter sets back construction of Dettah ice road
Construction is beginning today on the ice road connecting Yellowknife to Dettah on the N.W.T.'s Yellowknife Bay, but a warm November means that it will open in January for the second time since the 2006/2007 season, and the second year in a row.
Yellowknife Ice Road, NWT

Winter Storm Disrupts Village Communication
Winter storm shuts down communication services for the community.
Gambell, Alaska, United States

Winter Storm Brings Surge of Water and Ice
The storm raises local concerns about food security and preparedness for transportation emergencies.
Golovin, Alaska, United States
Edward "Ted" Smith, Carol Oliver, Tonya James, Anahma Shannon

Storm Left Only a Few Inches of Snow
Fast moving winter storm left about 4 to 5 inches of snow in the Hunter Creek area, a tributary of the Knik River.
Butte, Alaska, United States

Coastal Erosion Damaging Boat Launch
Without sea ice, our beaches are eroding.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States

Open Water in Our Ocean
This fall freeze-up was somewhat delayed, not just in the Bering Straits region, but all the way up to Barrow.

Polar Bears’ Path to Decline Runs Through Alaskan Village
The bears that come to the northern village of Kaktovik are climate refugees, on land because the sea ice they rely on for hunting seals is receding.
Kaktovik, Alaska, United States
New York Times

Unstable River Ice - Lack of Snow
From an average freeze-up to rewarming and a lack of snow. The winter weather is now gone making the river ice unstable enough to go across to the community of Togiak for groceries household goods, bad situation.
Twin Hills, Alaska, United States

Healthy Snowfall is Back
Three healthy snowfalls with progessively more snow each time.

Warm Fall Weather

Late Freeze-up of Koyuk River
Koyuk River foze solid by Oct-14 by the 28th there was open water.
Koyuk, Alaska, United States

Sea Ice - No Sea Ice!?
Sea ice is here and then disapears.
Elim, Alaska, United States

Warm Weather Delaying Winter
Winter is near, but, it is unusually nice outside these days.
Evansville, Alaska, United States

Greenland ice holds Cold War peril
It sounds like something from a science-fiction novel or a disaster movie.
A hidden city under ice, housing 200 people, complete with hospital, cinema, church and research labs – and powered by a mini nuclear reactor. In fact it is reality and lies below the ice of north-west Greenland. The building of Camp Century was started in 1959, by US army engineers.
Nuuk, Sermersooq, Greenland
Deutsche Welle

High waves damage shoreline, road and community freezer in Grise Fiord
Some unusually high waves hit Grise Fiord, Nunavut, early Saturday morning, damaging the community's shoreline, part of a road and the community freezer.
Gise Fiord, Nunavut, Canada

Huge Thaw Crater
Downriver from Arctic Village
East Fork Chandalar River, Northeast Interior, Alaska, United States
Carter Brubaker, Vladimir Romanovsky, Ray Hander, Richard L Thoman Jr, Janet Jorgenson

The Alaskan Highway Is Literally Melting
A critical artery is threatened by thawing permafrost.
Tok, Alaska, United States
Bloomberg.com

An Anthrax Outbreak in Siberia Kills a 12-Year-Old Boy and Sickens Eight
Thawing ground that revealed an infected reindeer carcass is believed to have resulted in a case of anthrax that killed a 12-year-boy and sickened eight others.
Salekhard, Yamalo-Nenetskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia
The Atlantic

Crack in the Tundra
Possibly an effect of thawing permafrost.
Kipnuk, Alaska, United States

Melting permafrost is turbocharging global warming
It’s a vicious cycle: As the weather warms, the Earth’s permafrost is melting, releasing greenhouse gases that are going to make the planet even hotter.
Central - Interior, Alaska, United States
Newsweek

Across much of the Arctic, a thawing landscape is sinking
Because ice makes up a good portion of the underground foundation of northern Alaska, thawing has dropped the landscape as much as 3 feet in some places.
Kaktovik, Alaska, United States

Floodwaters recede after Deering declares disaster
For one day last week, the village of Deering needed to use a boat to get to the airport.
Deering, Alaska, United States
The Arctic Sounder

Why Alaska's Arctic tundra is slowly sinking
Alaska’s tundra landscapes carpet a good portion of the state, from the North Slope to the elbow of the Alaska Peninsula. Researchers say it's slowly sinking in places -- as much as a fifth of an inch each year.
Teller, Alaska, United States

Early breakups seen on Kenai Peninsula
The rivers on the Kenai Peninsula are shucking their ice much sooner in the past few years than they have in decades, some flowing freely as early as
Soldotna, Alaska, United States
Peninsula Clarion

Unalakleet River Goes Out Early
Unalakleet River goes out early

Early Birch (Betula papyrifera) Tree Leaves
Early green up following a very mild winter with little snow.
Chuathbaluk, Alaska, United States

Flood and drought extremes in southeastern Alberta
Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada

Early Break-up, Low Water
Early river break-up and low water
St. Mary's, Alaska, United States

Earliest River Break Up Ever
Earliest Tokositna River break up ever in Denali State Park.
Denali National Park, Alaska, United States

Stage 3 Water Restrictions in Shawnigan Lake, BC
Shawnigan Lake, BC

No Permanent Winter Ice and Early Break Up For Nome

Dry winter and low water table in Southern Alberta
Okotoks, Alberta, Canada

Early Kuskokwim River Breakup at Chuathbaluk
We have had an extremely warm winter, and the river had many open holes that never froze completely.
Chuathbaluk, Alaska, United States

Early Spring / Early Waterfowl
Early spring and early waterfowl
St. Mary's, Alaska, United States

A large wet snow avalanche cycle in West Greenland quantified using remote sensing and in situ observations
On 11 April 2016 we observed high slushflow and wet snow avalanche activity at the environmental monitoring station Kobbefjord in West Greenland.
Nuuk, Sermersooq, Greenland
Natural Hazards
Jakob Abermann, Markus Eckerstorfer, Eirik Malnes, Birger Ulf Hansen

Second year of unusual seasonal temperatures: affects black bears and native plant growth?
Whistler, British Columbia, Canada

Fuel tanker plunges through ice road in N.W.T., ice road
An ice road near Deline, N.W.T. is closed after a fuel tanker plunged through on Saturday.
Déliné, Northwest Territory, Canada

Lack of snow shortens Iditarod start
Persistent warm temperatures the last few weeks have melted much of the snow, including stockpiles the city tried to set aside.

Living in Ice Land
Winter transformed from time of snow to time of ice.

Still No Sea Ice
Open water interferes with subsistence practices.
Toksook Bay, Alaska, United States
Hajo Eicken, Anna R John, Moses Tcheripanoff

Early thaw around Mukluk Slough
Early thaw of sloughs in and around Nulato
Nulato, Alaska, United States

No Ice on Iliamna Lake
Iliamna Lake is not frozen, very unusual for midwinter conditions.
Lake Iliamna, Alaska, United States

Early Iceberg Season - Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador
Canada and U.S. Coast Guard Monitoring Conditions
Ellsiton, Newfoundland, Canada

Winter Beluga Whale (Delphinapterus leucas) Sighting
The lack of sea ice in Toksook Bay, has allowed for a uniquel sighting - a January beluga whale!
Toksook Bay, Alaska, United States

Glide Cracks In Turnagain Pass
Glide Crack in Turnagain Pass
Turnagain Pass, Alaska, United States

Delayed Winter River Travel
Poor ice quality on the Teedriinjik (Chandalar) River
Venetie, Alaska, United States

Unusually Warm In Northwest Arctic
Above normal temperatures in the Northwest Arctic region
Kivalina, Alaska, United States

Unseasonably Warm and Rainy
Nome was hit by unseasonably warm temperatures and strong winds.

Delayed Freeze-Up
Delayed freeze-up on Lake Iliamna.
Iliamna, Alaska, United States

Late Sea Ice Freeze Bring Together Seals and Caribou
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

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

Sheen on Water in Shishmaref
Photos and observations of the sheen thought to be caused by a fuel leak in the village of Shishmaref.

Spring River Ice Change
Spring river ice change - Unalakleet, Alaska, USA

Late Snow
4/20.15 Late snow - King Cove, Alaska, USA
King Cove, Alaska, United States

Low Snow Pack
Normally, we have so many feet of snow throughout the village and the mountains would be packed with snow.
Nanwalek, Alaska, United States

Tourist Killed by Ice fall, Knik Glacier Alaska
The victim, identified as 28-year-old Alexander Hellweger, was part of a group of eight friends from Italy and Belgium vacationing in Alaska.

No Sea Ice
South winds blew out most of the sea ice. Going to be bad ice if it refreezes for spring hunt.

Wet Snowgo Race
Warm weather has made for unsafe traveling conditions, including a snowmachine race.

The Last Skiers
The physical poetry of skiing well can make you feel like a spiritual being. It feels like meaning. That's why we teach our kids to ski. Not because we want
Girdwood, Alaska, United States
The Anchorage Press

Coastal Erosion
Weekend storm eroded the face of the sea wall.
Togiak, Alaska, United States

Light on snow, high on risk, Turnagain Pass stays closed to snowmachiners
More than two weeks after the area typically opens for snowmachiners, the pass remained closed Tuesday as lower elevations continued to see below-average snow levels.
Turnagain Pass, Alaska, United States

No Sea Ice Yet
By this time of the year, we usually have 2-3 miles of shore-fast ice that sticks to our beach. We as a village have not done our winter harvest of seals and walrus, and we are worried that we will not be able to bowhead whale hunt.
Wales, Alaska, United States

Unseasonably Warm
11-13-14 Unseasonable warm - Unalakleet, Alaska, USA

Unseasonably Warm and No Sea Ice
The ocean is still open, and have not even begun to freeze yet.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States

Summer Snow
7-27-14 Summer snow - Wasilla, Alaska, USA
Wasilla, Alaska, United States

Extreme Shore Erosion
Loss of shoreline and subsistence camps.

Unusually Cold and Snow
5-30-14 Unusually cold and snow - King Cove, Alaska, USA
King Cove, Alaska, United States

Sea Ice Rescue
4-29-14 Sea ice rescue - Barrow, Alaska, USA

River Ice Treacherous
4-13-14 River ice treacherous - Bethel, Alaska, USA

Heavy snow kills at least 15,000 reindeer in northern Siberia
Animals cannot forage for lichen under the snow crust on the Yamal peninsula.
Salekhard, Yamalo-Nenetskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia

Finally Snow in Golovin
There has been a lack of snow in the Golovin area ever since the January 2014 warm spell.
Golovin, Alaska, United States

Mountain Snow and Ice Declining
Mount Sanford has been losing its ice cover for decades around its base.
Gakona, Alaska, United States

Climate Change Threatens the Future of the Winter Olympics
By mid century, past Olympic venues like Squaw Valley, California; Oslo, Norway; Chamonix, France; and—of course—Sochi, will be too warm to ever host the Winter Games again.
Sochi, Krasnodarskiy, Russia
National Geographic

Very Little Snow
2-20-14 Very little snow - Bethel, Alaska, USA

Heavy Rains and Flooding
Heavy rains and flooding.

Heavy Sea Ice
Heavy sea ice observed in southeast Alaska.
Haines, Alaska, United States

Bad Ice Disrupts Subsistence
1-26-14 Ice disrupts subsistence - Unalakleet, Alaska, USA

Lack of Snow
1-24-14 Lake of snow - Nanwalek, Alaska, USA
Nanwalek, Alaska, United States

No Sea Ice
No sea ice alone the northside of the Alaska Peninsula.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States

Where is the Snow?
1-3-14 Where is the snow - Solomon, Alaska, USA
Solomon, Alaska, United States

Wind Blew Out the Ice
12-19-13 Wind blew out the ice - Elim, Alaska, USA
Elim, Alaska, United States

With warm December winds, shaken faith in Arctic weather
Folks here are famous for being able to handle the cold, but anything wet in December has always made us nervous. Especially wet falling from the sky. Lately, weather, our favorite nemesis, has broken the rules. Our confidence in the most-trustworthy feature of the Arctic -- winter -- has been wounded.

Starvation killed 80,000 reindeer after unusual Arctic rains cut off the animals’ food supply
Sixty-one thousand reindeer starved to death in the northwestern reaches of the Russian tundra in November 2013 in the largest recorded mortality event of its kind.
Ямало-Ненецкий АО, Russia

Ice Fishing Hazardous
11-4-13 Ice fishing hazardous - Golovin, Alaska, USA

Boats Still on the River
11-1-13 Boats still on the river - Koyukuk, Alaska, USA
Koyukuk, Alaska, United States

Sinkhole Appears Along Road
Sinkhole appears along road
Quinhagak, Alaska, United States

No Ice Fishing Yet
10-17-13 No ice fishing yet - Shishmaref, Alaska, USA

Extreme heat wave shrinks Sweden's tallest peak by 13 feet in a month
Kebnekaise mountain in Sweden will no longer be the tallest in the country as the glacier on its highest peak melts rapidly in an unprecedented heat wave.
Kebnekaise Mountain Peak, Sweden
NBC News

Risky Ice Conditions for Whaling
6-26-13 Risky ice conditions for whaling - Barrow, Alaska, USA
Utqiagvik, Alaska, United States

Ice dam break suspected as cause of Rabbit Creek flooding
Rabbit Creek jumped its banks Friday morning on the Anchorage Hillside, washing over a bridge and prompting police to knock on doors asking people inside to evacuate.

Risky Ice for Whaling
6-5-13 Risky ice for whaling - Barrow, Alaska, USA
Utqiagvik, Alaska, United States

Erosion Disrupts Swallows
6-3-13 Erosion disrupts swallows - Evansville, Alaska, USA
Evansville, Alaska, United States

Another record-setting year for snowfall
For the second year in a row, the Anchorage area set a new snowfall record. This year it wasn’t the amount of fluffy stuff that went down in the history books — last year Anchorage had more than 11 feet — but the days between the first and last snowfall.
The Alaska Star

Poor Sea Ice - Our Sea Garden
The sea is our garden for food and other things.
Wales, Alaska, United States

Late Winter Storm
We are having an unseasonable snow storm in southcentral Alaska.

Changing Sea Ice
3-5-13 Changing sea ice - Unalakleet, Alaska, USA

Creeks Choked by Ice
There is a lot of overflow and flooding happening in Anchorage area streams, as a result of the recent record rain fall.

Poor Sea Ice Changes Hunt
Lack of sea ice affects seal hunting.

Trapped on Sea Ice
A snowmachiner was trapped on the quickly moving floe and he was rescued later by a helicopter.

Weather Shifting Sea Ice Flow
Unusual weather patterns are pushing the sea ice away from the coast.

Still No Snow or Yukon River Ice
11-27-12 Still no snow or Yukon ice - Fort Yukon, Alaska, USA
Fort Yukon Alaska, United States

Lake Froze Weird
Aleknagik, November 26, 2012 (ice) Our lake froze weird again this year.
Aleknagik, Alaska, United States

Air Pockets in River Ice
11-21-12 Air pockets in river ice - St. Marys, Alaska, USA
St. Marys, Alaska, United States

Anchorage Snow Totals Well Below Average
November is usually the second snowiest month in Anchorage, but this year, snow totals are well below average. So far, only about three inches of snow has fallen in the city. November usually sees an average of seven inches by now, with a total of a little more than 13 inches for the month. National Weather Service Meteorologist Dave Snider says total snowfall for the season is also well below normal.

No Snow on the Seward Peninsula
Despite the time of year, there is still no snow on the Seward Peninsula.
Elim, Alaska, United States

Late Snow Fall
Late snow seasonal snow fall
Koyukuk, Alaska, United States

Heat wave across Interior
6-17-12 Heat wave across Interior - Galena, Alaska, USA
Galena, Alaska, United States

Ice Departure Delayed
Sea ice conditions making it difficult for community to harvest seasonal fish.

Anchorage, Alaska sets new snow record
To say Alaska has been snowy this winter is an understatement. Anchorage broke a 57 year old snowfall record Saturday when a storm produced 4.3 inches of snow on Saturday, April 7, 2012.
EarthSky

Falling ice traps driver, closes highway
A woman was trapped in a pickup on the Seward Highway on Friday after falling ice crushed the vehicle just south of Anchorage.

Aleutian Avalanche
3-20-12 Aleutian avalanche - Akutan, Alaska, USA
Akutan, Alaska, United States

Unusually large ice formation next to highway
The ice formation along the Seward Highway grabbed my interest because it stood out and was rather unusual.
LEO Network

Ice formation on cliffs
3-17-12 Ice formation on cliffs - Anchorage, Alaska, USA
Anchorage, Alaska, USA

Pressure ice ridges
2-22-12 Pressure ice ridges "Vuneqs" - Kwigillingok, Alaska, USA
Kwigillingok, Alaska, USA

Late Freeze-up
Late freeze-up of sea ice along the shoreline

Worst blizzard in years blasts Saskatchewan
Blizzard conditions paralyzed Saskatoon and many other communities Wednesday as a fierce storm scoured the central part of the province, closing roads, airports and schools.
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Rain falls at Greenland ice summit for first time on record
Rain fell at the highest point on the Greenland ice sheet last week for the first time on record, another worrying sign of warming for the ice sheet already melting at an increasing rate, scientists said on Friday.
Summit Camp
Reuters

UK's 'longest-lasting' snow patch melts away
Dubbed the Sphinx, the snow on a remote Scottish mountain has in the past survived for decades at a time.
Aviemore, Scotland, United Kingdom
BBC News

Climate change: Lapland reindeer gone astray in search for food
Herders are struggling to find thousands of reindeer that have run away in search of food. "We are driving for hours and hours to locate our reindeers and to herd them back, but it has been very difficult in these wintry conditions. So, we are also using helicopters and this is very unusual - and very expensive too."
Muonio, Lapland, Finland
BBC News

Tundra is ablaze in Magadan region in out-of-season wildfire, complicated by wind and zero snow
The wildfire started in a temperature of minus 20C, and is proving hard to extinguish because firemen cannot get water from frozen lakes and rivers. Normally the ground would be under thick snow by this time of year; this November several areas of eastern Russia, like its coldest territory Yakutia, say they are short of snow.
Arman', Magadan, Russia
Siberian Times

Ice thickness below normal for early January while temperatures and snowfall are above normal
While ice thickness normally measures between 11 and 22 inches on local lakes and ponds, ice thickness recently ranged between 9 and 19 inches, according to the National Weather Service’s ice thickness measurements.

No one hurt after second Anchorage roof collapses in a week
The incidents happened after another bout of heavy snow, and as municipal building officials mailed out warnings to owners that their buildings could be at risk.

Canada's AG warns Nunavut about dangers of not having a climate change action plan
Nunavut is not prepared to deal with the impacts of climate change and doesn't have a plan to deal with them, according to the latest report by Canada's auditor general.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada

Snow on strike in the world’s coldest region, as temperatures in Siberia go 4 to 12C above the norm
Locals in southern Yakutia share surprise over bare ground, as Russia’s leading meteorologist says some areas of Siberia are 12C too mild.
Olyokminsk, Sakha, Russia

High winds cause Alaska Airlines jet to slide on icy Dillingham runway
On Sunday, a gust of wind unexpectedly hit an Alaska Airlines jet on the Dillingham runway as it was preparing to taxi from the terminal, causing it to slide on the icy tarmac.
Dillingham, Alaska, United States
Bristol Bay Times

Climate change forces removal of historic mountain hut
A historic site in Yoho National Park will be dismantled and removed this spring because of effects caused by climate change, Parks Canada announced Thursday.
Abbot Pass Refuge Cabin National Historic Site

‘Receding before our eyes:’ Vancouver Island glaciers likely to be all gone by mid-century
Retired logger Fred Fern has been taking photos of the Comox Glacier every year since 2013, and the receding ice mass is easy to see in the images. Using Google Earth, Fern has calculated the Comox Glacier lost 15 vertical feet after this summer’s heat — and as much as 120 vertical feet since his first photo in 2013.
vancouversun

Lack of snow adds to training challenge for Yukon Quest musher
In less than a month, the Yukon Quest will get underway in Whitehorse. But one first-time entrant says she hasn't touched her dog sled at all yet, because of the unusual weather conditions.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Yukon Energy wants to lower Marsh Lake to reduce summer flood risk
Yukon Energy is again asking for permission this year to lower the level of Marsh Lake, in anticipation of possible flooding this summer.
Marsh Lake, Yukon, Canada

North Slope communities are seeing more polar bears this year
From Point Hope to Kaktovik, North Slope communities saw anywhere from 10 to 15 bears in each village this winter. For the most part, bears are not going into the villages, but in some cases, they come close enough for people to take photos and sometimes, people come too close.
Point Hope, Alaska, United States
Alaska Media, LLC., Steve Keller designer and application developer

Avalanche leaves up to 80 feet of snow on upper Hiland Road in Eagle River but no homes hit
About 145 customers in the area were without power on Friday due to damaged equipment, according to Matanuska Electric Association. It’ll likely be at least several days before the road may be cleared.
Eagle River, Alaska, United States

Norman Wells and Tulita, N.W.T., won't get barge deliveries this year
The N.W.T.'s Marine Transportation Services has announced it is cancelling barges to Norman Wells and Tulita due to low water levels.
Norman Wells, Northwest Territories, Canada

What Greenland’s record-breaking rain means for the planet
For three days this month, 7 billion tonnes of rain fell across Greenland — the largest amount since records began in 1950. It’s also the first time since then that rain, not snow, fell on Greenland’s highest peak.
Greenland Summit Camp
ArcticToday

Unusually Thick Sea Ice to Make for Challenging Shipping on Northern Sea Route This Summer
Unusual amounts of multiyear ice in the Laptev and Siberian Sea could lead to difficult summer navigation along parts of Russia’s Northern Sea Route this summer, says the country’s Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute.
Siberian Sea, Russia
High North News

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

Up to a foot of snow could fall on Anchorage Hillside through Friday morning
Snowfall amounts in the Anchorage Bowl could range from 3 inches on the east side to nothing on the west side, the Weather Service said.

Researchers try packing down snow to preserve permafrost in N.W.T.
A permafrost scientist in the N.W.T. is leading an experiment that compacts snow near the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway to see if that will slow down permafrost thaw and protect buildings and roads built atop it.
Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada

Heavy snow in Interior Alaska this winter has bison hanging out on plowed roads and digging up farmland
Bulldozer crews have cleared trails and fields for the bison in hopes of reducing the danger of collisions and damaged fields. There's a layer of ice up to two inches thick within the snowpack that has further complicated foraging.
Delta Junction, Alaska, United States

Fort McPherson, N.W.T., declares emergency as flooding threatens access to drinking water
The hamlet said it's declaring a state of emergency because flooding from the Peel River cut off access to the community's airport, and because access to fresh water could be "inaccessible in the imminent future."
Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories, Canada

Ice jam floods Buckland
The Arctic Sounder - Serving the Northwest Arctic and the North Slope
Buckland, Alaska, United States

As Fort Simpson, N.W.T., ferry crossing opens for the season, low water levels worry mayor
Sean Whelly the mayor of Fort Simpson is worried that low water levels could impact the ferry’s ability to operate, potentially leaving the community isolated in the summer months.The water levels are the lowest he's ever seen at this time of year.
Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories, Canada

Yukon Southern Lakes residents in 'emergency mode' as water levels rise
Residents in Yukon's Southern Lakes region are bracing for the worst as water levels continue to creep dangerously high.
Marsh Lake, Yukon, Canada

North Saskatchewan River Turns Blue
The river, which starts at the Saskatchewan Glacier in the Columbia Icefields and flows through to central Saskatchewan, is usually murky brown by the time it reaches Edmonton in summer. In recent weeks, however, the water has taken on the hues of Alberta's glacial lakes, thanks to dry, hot weather combined with maintenance at a major dam.
North Saskatchewan River, Alberta, Canada

Winter storm lashes East Coast with deep snow, high winds
Parts of 10 states and some major population centers — including Philadelphia, New York and Boston — were pummeled by the storm.
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Associate Press

Warm weather in Alaska highlights risk climate change poses to future Arctic Winter Games
After a warm Arctic Winter Games in Alaska, some officials and coaches have suggested moving the games up from March to February in an effort to ensure that temperatures are cold enough for winter sports.
Palmer, Alaska, United States

Russian Mission airport partly reopens after Yukon River flooding triggers emergency helicopter mission
In the village of about 400, outgoing winter ice dams triggered flooding tha shut down the low-lying runway for 11 days.
Russian Mission, Alaska, United States

Another year of shrinking glaciers predicted in Sweden's far north
But first tests show very little new snow cover on the glacier from this past winter: ”The snow depth was only 1.2 metres — we had at least double that amount in previous years,” says Nina Kirchner, director of the Tarfala research station.
Kebnekaise Mountains

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