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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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Thousands of lightning strikes and another 13 fires recorded as Alaska's intense fire season continues
There were 4,500 lightning strikes in Alaska Tuesday — the latest in a run of days with thousands of ground strikes. There were also another 13 new, primarily lightning sparked wildfires in the state Tuesday, mostly in the Interior. The lightning storms have coincided with very dry conditions.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Wildfire breaches north Klondike Hwy in Yukon, burns up power poles
The North Klondike Highway remains closed from Stewart Crossing to Pelly Crossing after fire breached the highway, the Yukon government has confirmed.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
CBC

5 power outages in Yukon caused by lightning storms, hydro unit trips
On July 1, approximately 1,400 people experienced an outage in Dawson City caused by lightning. The community was partially restored after eight minutes, and fully restored after an hour. Five power outages occurred in Dawson City, Mayo and Whitehorse over the Canada Day weekend.
Dawson City, Yukon, Canada
Yukon News

Yukon fire crews fight to contain fires near Finlayson Lake
Yukon fire crews are targetting wildfires near Carmacks and the Finlayson Lake fire, with the hopes of reopening a key highway when fire becomes less extreme and visibility improves.
Carmacks, Yukon, Canada
CBC

Unusual thunderstorms ignite fires around Bristol Bay
Southwest Alaska has had an unusual increase in lighting storms this month. That lightning has ignited at least half a dozen wildfires in the Bristol Bay area.
Dillingham, Alaska, United States
KDLG

Thunderstorms in Southcentral Alaska spark at least 1 structure fire
It’s not often that Southcentral Alaska residents wake to thunder in the middle of the night. But what forecasters are calling an unusual storm moved from the Talkeetna Mountains into the Matanuska Valley and then Anchorage and south to the Kenai Peninsula from Wednesday night into Thursday morning. At least one lightning-caused structure fire was reported.
Palmer, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

2022 derecho storm was stronger, deadlier than first recorded
New data shows the wind speed at the Region of Waterloo International Airport was 147km/h, an increase from the 131km/h first recorded.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
2022 derecho storm was stronger, deadlier than first recorded: Northern Tornadoes Project

Lightning strikes shock Iqaluit
Lightning struck in Iqaluit during a storm on Sunday. Terri Lang, Environment and Climate Change Canada’s meteorologist for Nunavut, said the department's weather system did not pick up how many times lightning struck, but that it did occur in the region.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada
Nunatsiaq News

Unusual Arctic thunderstorms spark rare lightning strikes in Northern Alaska
Thunderstorms in Northern Alaska over sea ice on Monday sparked rare lightning strikes. The Washington Post reported lightning strikes occurred north of Prudhoe Bay, directly over sea ice, a rare phenomena that occurs once or twice a decade.
Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, United States
ArcticToday

Thousands of lightning strikes spark more than a dozen wildfires in Northwest Alaska
On Tuesday night, the state of Alaska saw thousands of lightning strikes. “Most of the 3,800 lightning strikes were concentrated in the Northwest Arctic,” said BLM Alaska Fire Service spokeswoman Beth Ipsen. There are several communities in close proximity to new fires.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
KTOO
Wesley Early, Alaska's Energy Desk - Kotzebue

Lightning gouged channels into Scottish mountain
The suspected lightning strike in the Highlands also dislodged boulders the size of washing machines.
Corrour, Scotland, United Kingdom
BBC News

Disruption after thundersnow hits Scotland
Hundreds of residents reported hearing explosions in the early hours of Friday caused by the weather phenomenon. After receiving a number of calls, Police Scotland took to Twitter to reassure residents that there was no need to be alarmed.
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
BBC News

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

In Kuban, a shepherd was killed by lightning while grazing cows
In the Assumption district of Kuban, a shepherd was killed by lightning while grazing cows. This was reported by the head of the department for go and emergency affairs of the local administration Svetlana Ivanchenko.
Кубань, Гулькевичский район, Krasnodar Krai, Russia
Российская газета

Most electrified storm in years
A large chunk of Alberta, particularly in the south and central regions, were throttled by severe thunderstorm...
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
rdnewsnow.com

Calgary picks up the pieces after massive storm hits city with heavy hail damage, flooding
Calgarians are picking up the pieces after a massive storm brought tennis ball-sized hail and flooding to the city Saturday night. A number of community residential roads have also been impacted. Cars left abandoned on major roadways will be towed throughout the day.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
CBC

Yes, several days of thunderstorms are unusual
After the thunderstorms that moved through Southcentral Sunday evening, Anchorage broke a new record…the most consecutive days with a thunderstorm: three.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
ADN

Stranded Fork-tailed Storm Petrel (Oceanodroma furcata)
Bella Bella 1, British Columbia, Canada
Twitter

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

Heavy lightning and thunder created havoc in Eastern Norway
Several trains have been delayed and canceled due to the storm.
Oslo, Norway
NRK
Anja Strønen, Hilde Nilsson Ridola, Anette Holth Hansen, Victoria Wilden, Henriette Morth, Kaja Staude Mikalsen

Lightning strikes Alaska Airlines jets in Southeast
Alaska Airlines said flights 64 and 65 had lightning strikes from storms that moved through the northern Panhandle and also knocked out power in Juneau.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Hail storms cause 'doomsday' floods in Madrid as cars swept away by huge rapids and vineyards destroyed
La tormenta se ve en el eco del radar que mostrado antes de este tweet … la fuerte tromba caída en el sureste de #Madrid nos deja las primeras imágenes captadas en las calles de #Arganda @PadelKass donde el cielo se ha desplomado en pocos minutos … wow! #lluvia #Tormenta pic.twitter.com/ELI1LFB4sq — Mario Picazo (@picazomario) …
Arganda, Madrid, Spain
Olive Press News Spain

Lightning kills 5, injures more than 100 in popular tourist area on Poland-Slovakia border
Five people, including two children, were killed in a thunderstorm in the Tatra Mountains on the Poland-Slovakia border on Thursday.
Wielki Giewont, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland

Thunderstorm in Repeat Succession
Thunderstorms are unusual in Unalakleet; however, a thunderstorm cell persisted in the area for longer than usual. Hot, dry conditions across Alaska have increased the risk of wildland fire, including that started from lightening strike.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

Anchorage has seen more thunderstorms than usual this year, and the season has only just begun
Records show there were 18 years without any days of thunderstorms in Anchorage. The average is about 1.4 days of thunderstorms a year. This year there have already been four, and more over the Chugach.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Thunderstorms knock out power to thousands
After several warm days, lightning bolts struck Finland about 16,000 times on Saturday. By evening, nearly 20,000 customers were without electricity. More trees may be felled as electrical storms move toward the Russian border.
Tampere, Pirkanmaa, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Record Temps in Goldstream
Warm temperatures are rapidly melting snow and creating ice, which creates difficult conditions for dog mushers. Migratory birds are arriving early, and a mosquito emerged months early. Small owls dead around the Goldstream Valley that looked unusually thin.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Super-cold thunderstorm sets record with -111°C cloud temperature
According to a new study, -111°C is more than 30°C colder than typical storm clouds and is the coldest measurement of storm cloud temperature on record.
near Nauru
The Weather Network

‘Rare September thunderstorm’ brews after fall’s first big windstorm hits Southcentral
Lightning strikes seen Monday in Cook Inlet and on the Kenai Peninsula were heading toward South Anchorage, a meteorologist said.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Deadly lightning kills more than 300 reindeer in Norway
More than 300 wild reindeer have been killed by lightning in central Norway.
Hardangervidda mountain plateau, Norway
CBC News

Sinking Islands and Lost Harvest and Hunger
Climate change is effecting the people of the Solomon Islands in many ways. Sea level rise is a major driver.

Kenow wildfire burns north through park and beyond, but Waterton townsite spared
Lashing at the western boundaries of Waterton Lakes National Park since Friday, the Kenow wildfire’s devastating journey across the continental divide tore a fiery path through the beloved southwestern Alberta park — mercifully sparing much of the townsite but broke north along the entrance highway.
Waterton Park, Alberta, Canada
calgaryherald

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