LEO Network

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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

Juneau's Mendenhall Glacier has officially receded from Mendenhall Lake
Scientists confirm Mendenhall Glacier is no longer in contact with Mendenhall Lake, marking a new phase in its long retreat. The shift may slow near‑term ice loss but could alter tourism and views from the visitor center.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Nearly all domestic flights canceled
Most domestic flights in Iceland were canceled due to weather, affecting about 700 passengers. Icelandair cited strong winds aloft causing turbulence and icing; only early flights to Akureyri and Bíldudalur operated, with conditions expected to improve by tonight or tomorrow.
Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland
Vísir

Advocates call for safer waters as B.C. island mourns the loss of Wisp the humpback whale
A 4-year-old humpback whale named Wisp washed up on Keats Island, B.C., after a suspected collision with a tour vessel, prompting advocates to call for stronger protections and safer boating practices. Authorities and locals are urging measures to reduce ship strikes in the area.
Keats Island, British Columbia, Canada
CTVNews

Mass fish die-off in renowned salmon river: ‘Never seen anything like it’
Hundreds of Atlantic salmon and sea trout have died in the Gaula River in Midtre Gauldal, Trøndelag. Researchers suspect a severe outbreak of egg-spore water mold (Saprolegnia) and are investigating the scale and causes.
Midtre Gauldal, Trøndelag, Norway
NRK
Trond Odin Myhre Johansen; Jøte Toftaker

Never before seen in Scandinavia: People jumped in their cars to find it
A Tennessee warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina) was captured and identified at Mølen in Vestfold after Storm Amy, marking the first record for Scandinavia. Ornithologists believe it was carried across the Atlantic by strong jet streams; birders rushed from around Norway to see it, though it is unlikely to survive the Norwegian autumn.
Mølen, Vestfold, Norway
NRK

Storm Amy moves into Sweden
Storm Amy brought hurricane-force gusts at sea and heavy rain to southern and central Sweden, prompting SMHI orange and yellow warnings, transport shutdowns, and widespread power outages. The storm followed severe impacts in Norway and is expected to ease after Sunday, though windy, rainy conditions will persist along the east coast.
Gothenburg, Västra Götaland, Sweden
SVT Nyheter

Still summer here – end of September
Although autumn has arrived across most of Sweden, meteorological summer persists along the coast between Skellefteå and Piteå, including Byske. SVT’s meteorologist says autumn is about two weeks later than the 30‑year average, and locals and tourists are enjoying the unusual warmth.
Byske, Västerbotten County, Sweden
SVT Nyheter

Dirty Ice on Exit Glacier
Dirt on Exit Glacier makes it look very different then the information posters.
Seward, Alaska, United States

Wildfires in E. C. Manning Provincial Park
In September 2025, multiple wildfires were observed near E.C. Manning Provincial Park, BC, highlighting the increasing prevalence and intensity of wildfires in the region.
E.C. Manning Provincial Park, British Columbia

Human Disturbance and Shorebird Decline in the Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary
Human disturbances, such as off-leash dogs and increased tourism, are causing a decline in shorebird populations at the Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary, disrupting their critical stopover habitat and reflecting broader global biodiversity challenges.
Oak Bay, British Columbia, Canada

Not normal: Ashcroft sets record for hottest September day ever in Canada
Ashcroft, British Columbia hit 40.8 C (105 F) on Sept. 3, setting the hottest September temperature ever recorded in Canada. A regional weather observer called the late-season heat highly unusual and linked it to a blocking high-pressure system.
Ashcroft, British Columbia, Canada
Lake Cowichan Gazette

State issues alert for toxic shellfish found in Kachemak Bay
Alaska health officials issued an alert after wild shellfish from Kachemak Bay’s inner bay tested above regulatory limits for paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins. Residents are warned not to harvest or eat untested wild shellfish; monitoring and test results are being posted by the Alaska Harmful Algal Bloom Network.
Homer, Alaska, United States
Homer News

Basking sharks captured on video off Nairn in rare sighting
Up to 10 basking sharks were filmed close to shore off Nairn in the Moray Firth, offering rare, close-up views to tour passengers and beachgoers. The late-summer sightings featured large sharks circling near idle boats in calm water.
Nairn, Highland, United Kingdom
Inverness Courier

Road under water: Dozens of tourists assisted
Rescue teams assisted dozens of travelers in the Fjallabak/Landmannalaugar highlands as heavy rain and high water submerged roads. Advisories to avoid the area appear to have worked, with few vehicles present and all travelers getting through safely.
Landmannalaugar, Southern Region, Iceland
mbl.is

Rare recreational opening on Lower Fraser due to huge sockeye run
Fisheries and Oceans Canada authorized a rare recreational sockeye opening in the non-tidal Fraser River from Mission to Hope (Aug. 22–Sept. 1, 2025) after unexpectedly large sockeye returns; retention is two sockeye per day and four pinks per day, with restrictions to avoid impacts on non-target stocks.
Lower Fraser River (Mission to Hope), British Columbia, Canada
Lake Cowichan Gazette (Black Press Media)

Bat as tourist in Sisimiut
Users at the Sanaluttarfik workshop in Sisimiut found an unexpected visitor after a cruise-ship group left: a bat. The bat spent a night in the workshop and was later thrown away after staff discovered lice in its fur.
Sisimiut, Qeqqata, Greenland
Sermitsiaq

Anglers fear up to 46,000 fish dead after 'devastating' kill on Blackwater in Co Cork
A large fish kill on a 30 km stretch of the River Blackwater in north County Cork has reportedly killed thousands of fish; Inland Fisheries Ireland estimates 8,000–10,000 wild fish, while local angling groups put mortality as high as 46,000. Preliminary sampling indicates fungal infection on many fish, but no evidence to date links the kill to a licensed discharge.
River Blackwater (between Lombardstown and Killavullen), County Cork, Ireland
The Irish Times

How the Mosquito Summer Was: "People Walked in the Mountains Without Being Bitten"
This summer brought unusually few mosquitoes to Norrbotten, allowing many to hike in the mountains without being bitten due to a dry spring and cool early summer.
Norrbotten, Sweden
Norrländska Socialdemokraten (NSD)

King salmon’s disappearance has changed the Kenai River, but a soaring sockeye run is keeping it in business
The traditional king salmon fishery on the Kenai River has collapsed for a third straight year, but unprecedented sockeye runs have buoyed local guides, processors and businesses—while also creating new infrastructure and sustainability challenges.
Kenai River, Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

What's happening with the weather in Tana?
Tana and the rest of Finnmark are experiencing an unusual late-summer heat wave with temperatures around 30 °C, leading locals to swim in the warmed Tanaelva.
Tana, Finnmark, Norway
NRK Sápmi
Ingrid Elise Trosten; Anne Ragnhild Porsanger

Polar Bear near Hornstrandir
A polar bear was spotted traveling on an ice floe near the Hornstrandir peninsula in the Westfjords of Iceland.
Hornstrandir, Westfjords, Iceland
Vísir

Humpback whale found dead in Gastineau Channel
A young male humpback whale calf was discovered dead drifting near Sandy Beach in Gastineau Channel and towed by U.S. Coast Guard and NOAA officials to undergo a necropsy.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

Campground Flooded by Water: "Many Caravans Must Be Moved"
A severe downpour on Öland delivered 47 mm of rain in under 10 hours, flooding parts of Möllstorps camping and forcing relocation of about 20 caravans and purchase of larger water pumps.
Färjestaden, Öland, Sweden
SVT Nyheter

Venomous jellyfish invading west Swedish beaches
A venomous lion’s mane jellyfish has been sighted on several west Swedish beaches between Strömstad and Malmö, delivering powerful stings that can cause breathing problems.
West Coast, Sweden

Algal Bloom in the Archipelago – Municipality Urges Avoiding Swimming
Sustained high temperatures have led to algal blooms at several sites in the Haparanda Archipelago, and local authorities are advising people to avoid bathing.
Haparanda, Norrbotten, Sweden
Norrländska Socialdemokraten (NSD)

Rare Basking Shark in Faxaflói Bay
A rare basking shark was spotted during an Elding whale watching tour in Faxaflói Bay, marking its first appearance in the bay in five years according to the company.
Faxaflói Bay, Southwest, Iceland
Vísir

“Bathe in the sea” – how tourists view the water shortage on Gotland
Tourists on Gotland are adapting to a historic water shortage by bathing in the sea and limiting shower time after Region Gotland warns groundwater levels have fallen to record lows.
Gotland, Gotland County, Sweden

Spotting rare right whale off Newfoundland had this tour guide 'Out of my skin excited'
A local tour guide spotted one of fewer than 370 North Atlantic right whales off the southern Avalon Peninsula this month, thrilling wildlife enthusiasts and providing key data to DFO.
St. Shott's, Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
CBC News

Santa is sweating! Heatwave in Finnish Lapland makes international headlines
Temperatures in Rovaniemi exceeded 30 °C this week, drawing coverage from Reuters and CNN as the Finnish Meteorological Institute warned that Lapland’s all-time heat record could be broken.
Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland
Yle News

Waters Have Warmed Rapidly in Lapland – “I Don’t Remember the Last Time I’ve Seen So Many People on the Beach”
Lake and river surface waters in Lapland have warmed rapidly due to recent heatwaves, reaching up to 5°C above average and attracting more beach visitors than usual.
Lapland, Finland
Lapin Kansa

Lone beluga whale observed in Oslofjord and Sunnhordland – unusual this far south
A solitary beluga whale has been sighted in Norway’s Oslofjord and later in Sunnhordland, far south of its normal Arctic range. Researchers say the animal appears healthy but is likely separated from its group and urge people to keep their distance.
Dimmelsvik, Sunnhordland, Norway
NRK

Severe thunderstorm soaks Juneau, loosens cruise ship mooring
It was a sunny afternoon until the sky abruptly darkened, heavy rain came down and winds gusted up to 60 mph. A cruise ship docked downtown broke free of its mooring and drifted into the Gastineau Channel at the height of the storm.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
KTOO

RCMP investigating as Squamish, B.C., wildfire doubles in size
A wildfire near Squamish, B.C., has expanded to over 50 hectares, prompting the evacuation of Alice Lake Provincial Park as crews battle the Dryden Creek fire.
Squamish, British Columbia, Canada
CTV News

Dead whale near Yakutat
A dead grey whale was discovered near the mouth of the Akwe River, raising concerns about a possible ship collision due to increased marine traffic from cruise ships and fishing boats in the area.
Mouth of Akwe River

Snow shortage in the mountains – guests get refunds from Skistar at three resorts
Faced with unusually mild conditions and a snow-poor season, Skistar has activated its snow guarantee, offering full refunds for bookings at Sälen, Trysil, and Vemdalen ski resorts this week.
Sälen, Dalarna, Sweden; Trysil, Innlandet, Norway; Vemdalen, Jämtland, Sweden

Ketchikan responds to landslide that displaced hundreds Thursday
The City of Ketchikan is recovering from a rock slide Thursday morning that left hundreds of people displaced — no injuries or structural damage was reported, but the slide hit a road that connected the north and south areas of the island.
Ketchikan, Alaska, United States

Anchorage snowpack officially drops to zero, rare for early March
The National Weather Service says the city has had no snow at this point in the season only twice before. On average, that doesn’t usually happen until halfway through April. Last year, which turned out to be the second snowiest on record, more than 2 feet blanketed the ground on March 3.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

2025 Fur Rondy kicks off amid low snow winter
The 90th annual Fur Rendezvous Festival kicked off Thursday around Anchorage and is expected to feature its traditional late-winter celebration, despite a winter season marred by low snowfall.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Black Sea Oil Spill Spreads to Beaches in Annexed Crimea
Oil from damaged Russian tankers has contaminated beaches in Crimea, with significant environmental cleanup efforts underway.
Crimea, Russia
The Moscow Times

Anchorage's low-snow December makes for idle plows and happy skaters
Anchorage experienced an unusually low-snow December in 2024, with only 1.9 inches recorded, contrasting sharply with the heavy snowfall of the previous year and creating ideal conditions for ice skating but challenging ones for skiing.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Green grass on the Anchorage hillside is making for a not-so-white Christmas
An unusually low snowfall has left green grass visible on Anchorage's hillside, making for an atypical non-white Christmas in Alaska.
Alaska's News Source

Krasnodar Declares Regional Emergency as Black Sea Oil Spill Cleanup Stalls
A regional emergency has been declared in Krasnodar, Russia, due to stalling cleanup efforts of an oil spill along the Black Sea coast.
Krasnodar, Russia
The Moscow Times

Russia Declares Federal Emergency Over Black Sea Oil Spill
Russia has declared a federal emergency due to a significant oil spill along the Black Sea coast, affecting 55 kilometers of coastline, following the damage of two oil tankers during a storm.
Anapa, Krasnodarskiy, Russia
The Moscow Times

Male orca's surprise visit causes a splash in Vancouver Island harbour
A 23-year-old male orca named Noah made a surprising visit to Victoria's Inner Harbour on December 14, causing excitement among locals.
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Lake Cowichan Gazette

Not-so snowy start to winter casts a gloomy shadow over Lapland tourism
A lack of snow in Finland's far north has disappointed tourists and snowmobile safari operators alike.
Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland
News

Not-so-snowy start to winter casts a gloomy shadow over Lapland tourism
A lack of snow in Finland's far north has disappointed tourists and snowmobile safari operators alike.
Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland
News

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