LEO Network

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

Lake Erie water level at its all-time high
Lake Erie, the fourth-largest of the five Great Lakes, has broken the water level record set in 1986.
Lake Erie
CBC

Arctic Russian town records highest ever temperature at 38 C
The temperature in Verkhoyansk hit 38 degrees Celsius on Saturday, according to Pogoda i Klimat, a website that compiles Russian meteorological data.
Verkhoyansk, Sakha, Russia
Global News

3rd body found after landslide in Norway; 7 still missing
Rescue teams searching for survivors four days after a landslide carried away homes in a Norwegian village found no signs of life Saturday amid the ruined buildings and debris. Three bodies have been recovered but searchers are still looking for seven more people believed to be missing. The landslide in the village […]
Ask, Akershus, Norway
NBC4 WCMH-TV

Jumbo squid invade San Diego shores, spook divers
La Jolla, California, United States
The Christian Science Monitor

Alaska salmon stream hits high temperature during heat wave
The science director for Cook Inletkeeper, a nonprofit organization that monitors the health of Cook Inlet, wrote a paper two years ago on what salmon streams might be like in the future with climate change.
Willow, Alaska, United States
The Seattle Times

Freak hailstorm buries part of western Mexico in ice
Officials in Mexico's second largest city say a storm that dumped more than a metre of hail on parts of the Guadalajara area damaged hundreds of homes.
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
CBC News

Toxic white-haired caterpillars that can cause you to vomit and have asthma attacks are taking over London
People are being warned not to touch the creatures, which are most often found in oak trees -- and to keep pets away from them, too.
London, Greater London, England, United Kingdom
Vancouver Sun

Climate change before your eyes: Seas rise and trees die
Savannah River, United States
ABC News

Biologist: Orca attacks on gray whales up in California bay
Monterey Bay
ABC 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
CBC News

Arctic Greenland is burning, hunters blinded by smoke
Smoke from a wildfire in southwestern Greenland is hampering the wild reindeer hunt on the Arctic island.
Nassuttooq Fjord, Greenland
ABC News

Thousands of Pacific walruses again herd up on Alaska coast
Walruses over the last decade have come to shore on the Alaska and Russia sides of the Chukchi Sea as sea ice diminishes because of global warming.
Point Lay, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Beached whale had 115 plastic cups in its stomach
A dead whale that washed ashore in eastern Indonesia had a large lump of plastic waste in its stomach, including drinking cups and flip-flops, a park official said Tuesday, causing concern among environmentalists and government officials in one of the world's largest plastic polluting countries.
Wakatobi, Sulawesi Tenggara, Indonesia
CTVNews

Arctic snowy owls wintering in U.S. fitted with tiny tracking devices
For researchers, this winter's mass migration of snowy owls from their breeding grounds above the Arctic Circle to the Great Lakes region is serious business.
Duxbury Beach, Massachusetts, United States
CBC News

Invasive lizard species spotted in Georgia
The South American lizard, which can grow up to 4 feet long, poses a threat to protected native wildlife, including American alligators and gopher tortoises.
Reidsville, Georgia, United States
KMBC

Shifting permafrost threatens Alaska village's new airport
Tununak Airport near Bethel is facing a catastrophic problem, as airlines are refusing to land there due to the village's shifting permafrost.
Tununak, Alaska, United States

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
CBC

Smoke from unusual Greenland wildfire hampers reindeer hunt
Smoke from a wildfire in southwestern Greenland is hampering the wild reindeer hunt on the Arctic island, best known for its ice rather than burning grass and bushes.
Nassuttooq Fjord, Greenland

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

Wind, rains cool Pakistan heat wave that killed at least 838
Wind from the sea and pre-monsoon rains cooled southern Pakistan on Wednesday, likely marking the end of a scorching heat wave that killed at least 838 people, authorities said.
Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan

Oil spill tops 1 million gallons, threatens Gulf of Mexico wildlife
A spill from a pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico has released over 1 million gallons of oil, threatening local wildlife and prompting containment efforts.
Gulf of Mexico
Washington Post

Matanuska River erosion threatens more homes
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Swollen with recent rains, the Matanuska River has launched another erosive assault on properties along its banks. But unlike previous years, when the river attacked properties downstream,
Matanuska River, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Mule deer, mountain lion sightings in Alaska
Interior residents are reporting varieties of wildlife that are new to the region, including mule deer, mountain lions and whitetail deer.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
JuneauEmpire.com

Possible algae bloom turns seawater red off Juneau
The overriding theory is that it's a bloom of algae brought on by rising water temperatures.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Eastern US Trees Shift North, West With Climate Change
The northward shift to get to cooler weather was expected, but several experts were surprised by the move to the west, which was larger and in a majority of the species
Eastern forests, United States
VOA

Dead humpback whale washes ashore at Outer Banks
A dead humpback whale has washed ashore on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. The Charlotte Observer reported Thursday that the 18-foot whale was found on Pea Island about half-mile north of Rodanthe.
Rodanthe, North Carolina, United States

Kodiak rancher says bears have killed 30 head of cattle this year
Chris Flickinger says the number of animals killed by bears is way above average, causing a sizable financial loss.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Unusually warm ocean temperatures linked to massive Pacific seabird die-off
A year after tens of thousands of common murres, an abundant North Pacific seabird, starved and washed ashore on beaches from California to Alaska, researchers have pinned the cause to unusually warm ocean temperatures that affected the tiny fish they eat.
Whittier, Alaska, United States

American Airlines Cancels 38 Phoenix Flights Due to Heat
American Airlines has canceled 38 flights in and out of Phoenix on Tuesday afternoon because of extreme heat.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Arizona, United States
NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

Alaska SeaLife Center takes on 6 rescued harbor seal pups
The Seward facility began housing five seals found in the Cook Inlet area and another that was rescued in Juneau.
Seward, Alaska, United States

Heat wave linked to sudden deaths in western Canada as temperature hits 121 in B.C. town
Environment Canada said the weather system shattered more than 100 heat records across British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon and Northwest Territories.
Lytton, British Columbia, Canada

River otters attack, injure family dog in Anchorage park
The dog’s owner waded waist-deep into Taku Lake and was bitten on his hand while pulling the husky-mix away from the river otters,.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Kuskokwim River erosion threatens diesel-filled fuel tanks in Napakiak
The school district plans to transport fuel from a group of 10 tanks into three new tanks expected to be placed in the Napakiak school parking lot further inland.
Napakiak, Alaska, United States

Hurricane Zeta is ashore in resort zone of Mexico’s Yucatan
Zeta broke the record for the previous earliest 27th Atlantic named storm that formed Nov. 29, 2005. It’s also the 11th hurricane of the season. An average season sees six hurricanes and 12 named storms.
Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico
WTOP

70-year-old Texas man dies after being attacked by aggressive swarm of bees while mowing his lawn
A Texas man died after going into cardiac arrest when he was attacked by an aggressive swarm of bees outside his home, authorities said. Thomas Hicks, 70, was mowing his lawn Monday when he was repeatedly stung by the bees outside his home in Breckenridge.
Breckenridge, Texas, United States
KTLA

2 more gray whales found dead near Kodiak Island
NOAA has declared an “unusual mortality event” for gray whales on the North American west coast and launched an investigation.

Temperature hits 100 F degrees in Arctic Russian town
Much of Siberia this year has had unseasonably high temperatures, leading to sizable wildfires.
Verkhoyansk, Sakha, Russia

Snowmachiner watches wild dogs take down musk ox in Western Alaska
Patrick Jones, wildlife biologist for the state Department of Fish and Game, said he has heard of dogs killing moose, caribou and a days-old musk ox calf, but nothing like this attack.
Toksook Bay, Alaska, United States

Landslides block NH 37 between Nunga & Rengpang in Manipur - Republic World
Massive landslides triggered by heavy rain blocked the Imphal-Jiribam stretch of the national highway (NH) 37 in Manipur on Wednesday, police said.
Manipur, India
Republic World

Bristol Bay’s Nushagak District is seeing a record-setting sockeye salmon run
Tim Sands, an Alaska Department of Fish and Game area management biologist, said he is hopeful the strong run throughout Bristol Bay will continue next year.
Naknek, Alaska, United States

Alert level raised after explosion at remote Alaska Peninsula volcano
Satellite and webcam views indicated low-level ash emissions from Mount Veniaminof volcano. The ash plume did not rise above 10,000 feet, the Alaska Volcano Observatory said. Minor ash deposits are visible at the volcano, located 480 miles southwest of Anchorage.
Mount Veniaminof

West Coast’s gray whale population plummets by a quarter since 2016: NOAA
Researchers say the population of gray whales off the West Coast of the United States has fallen by nearly one-quarter since 2016, resembling a similar die-off two decades ago.
KTLA

First 2019 paralytic shellfish poisoning case reported in Alaska
The Department of Health and Social Services reports a person experienced PSP symptoms after eating a clam harvested near Perryville on the Alaska Peninsula.
Perryville, Alaska, United States

U.S. officials allow killing of sea lions eating at-risk salmon and steelhead in Columbia River watershed
The sea lions have posed a long-running conundrum for wildlife officials, pitting mammals protected under federal law against protected — and valuable — fish runs.
Portland, Oregon, United States

Another gray whale found dead in Alaska, this time near Cordova
NOAA is monitoring significant numbers of gray whale deaths this spring along the Pacific coast.
Cordova, Alaska, United States

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
CBC

Cruise ship exhaust prompts complaints to state authorities
Exhaust emissions from a Norwegian Cruise Line vessel docking in Juneau prompted at least 10 complaints to an Alaska regulatory agency.
Juneau, Alaska, United States

2nd right whale death of year reported off of Massachusetts
A member of a species of critically endangered whale that is struggling with poor reproduction has been found dead off of Massachusetts.
Marthas Vineyard, Massachusetts, United States
Associated Press

Pace of Bering Sea changes startle scientists
Frigid north winds blow down from the Arctic Ocean, freeze saltwater and push sea ice south. The ice normally prevents waves from forming and locks onto beaches, walling off villages. But not this year.
Kotlik, Alaska, United States
PBS NewsHour

Spruce bark beetle damage shuts down 2 popular Alaska campgrounds
The closures of the campgrounds, facing the threat of falling trees, likely will last through summer, the state parks division said.
Fishhook, Alaska, United States

Alaska seabird die-off continues for another summer
Carcasses examined so far have shown no indication of disease, and tests are pending for harmful algal toxins. Seabirds have been found emaciated and starved, and changed ocean conditions may have affected prey.
Gambell, Alaska, United States

10 snowmobilers die in thinly frozen lakes in mild Northeast
Albany, New York, United States
Fox News

Alaska biologists research mystery of declining caribou herd
The size of a large caribou herd in Alaska's Arctic region has dropped by more 50 percent over the last three years, and researchers who have tentatively ruled out hunting and predation as significant factors for the decline are trying to determine why.
North Slope, Alaska, United States
Allied News

Taken to tusk: Walrus discovery surprises remote Alaskan village - Independent.ie
Two hundred walruses surprised residents on an Alaskan peninsula after arriving en masse on a beach.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States
Independent.ie

Thousands of walruses show up early on Northwest Alaska coast as sea ice recedes
Sea ice in the Chukchi Sea disappeared far earlier than normal this spring as a result of exceptionally warm ocean temperatures.
Point Lay, Alaska, United States

'Way too close’: Kayakers encounter calving glacier in Southcentral Alaska
“It was a beautiful event that we were lucky to have survived,” Andrew Hooper said.
Spencer Glacier

Jumbo squid is captured in unfamiliar waters
Sitka, Alaska
msnbc.com

Abnormally large basking shark groups spotted off Canada’s east coast
Coastal northwest Atlantic Ocean
Global News

Pacific Communities Building Resilience in the Face of Climate Change
SUVA, Fiji, Nov 8 2017 (IPS) - In the Pacific, climate change is an ever-present threat, undermining human rights, livelihoods, and security. Pacific Islanders are working with courage and resolve to build the resilience of their communities and to catalyse international actions towards ending global carbon pollution. While the Pacific has contributed almost nothing to the causes of climate change, the region is determined to lead the world towards a more just and sustainable future. And while often labelled as ‘small island states’, Pacific Island countries are more accurately characterised as ‘large oceans states’ as they are custodians of vast tracts of ocean, to which their economies, culture, identities and livelihoods are inextricably tied.
Suva, Central, Fiji
ReliefWeb

Hundreds of apparently 'flash-frozen' turtles wash ashore in New England
Robert Prescott, of the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, believes a warming trend allowed the turtles to delay their migration south.
Cape Cod, Massachusetts, United States
the Guardian

The worst U.S. storm landfall since 1935 leaves Northern Mariana Islands devastated
Residents of the U.S. territory were bracing for months without electricity or running water in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yutu.
Northern Mariana Islands
Caleb Jones, Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, Associated Press

Coyotes sightings in St. John's and Mount Pearl Sunday morning
Wild animals spotted near on Topsail Road near Brookfield Fire Station and Park Avenue. Wildlife officials with the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture are advising the public to be vigilant regarding the presence of coyotes in residential areas
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
The Telegram

In Photos: Muscovites Swelter in Record-Breaking Heat
Temperatures in Russia’s capital hit an all-time high of 32 degrees Celsius on Tuesday – Moscow’s hottest day in over 130 years.
The heatwave follows a spate of volatile weather in the city and other parts of Russia. In June, after severe rainfall flooded parts of the city, Moscow was struck by Storm Edgar, which killed two people and injured dozens more. A rare tornado was also sighted in the Moscow region.
Moscow, Moscow, Russia
The Moscow Times

Summer Heatwave Sweeps Russia, Breaking Dozens of Temperature Records
Around 40 daily temperature records were broken across Russia and annexed Crimea on Tuesday as hot summer weather gripped the country. The unprecedented temperatures have engulfed Russia from its central regions to the Far East, reaching a maximum of 38.7 degrees Celsius in the village of Mamakan in southeastern Siberia’s Irkutsk region.
Moscow, Moscow, Russia
The Moscow Times

Russia's Record Floods Submerge Uranium Mines in Urals
Environmentalists say the latest flooding may have sent radioactive substances into the river, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of people living near the banks of the Tobol downstream. State nuclear agency Rosatom, whose subsidiary operates the mines at the Dobrovolnoye uranium deposit, denied that its mining facilities were impacted by the flood.
Seversk, Tomsk, Russia
The Moscow Times

Beluga Family Rescued From Low Tide by Russian Emergency Worker
Residents of the coastal Chumikan village reported two adult whales and one baby on Wednesday afternoon, on a shore of the Uda River that flows into the sea. Alexei Paramonov spent hours protecting the pod from wild animals and poachers and saved the baby whale from hypothermia.
Chumikan, Khabarovsk Krai, Russia

Three great white sharks venture 'very tight' to Nova Scotia shores
Three great white sharks broke the border rules big-time on Friday. The sharks were tracking very tight to shore near South Shore communities.
Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada
The Telegram

Humpback Whale Rescued Near Russia’s Murmansk Region
A humpback whale named Stanislav was successfully freed from a fishing net in a first-of-its-kind rescue operation in Russia's Barents Sea.
Murmansk, Murmansk, Russia

Intense Flooding Hits Russia's Black Sea Resort Sochi
Local power supplies were cut off, apartment buildings were flooded, cars were seen being washed away and a river overflowed, leading to one civilian death and several injuries.
Sochi, Krasnodarskiy, Russia

Blue Russian Dogs Spotted Near Abandoned Factory
A pack of stray blue dogs, likely covered in chemical waste, was spotted on the road near the Russian town of Dzerzhinsk. The dogs may have been exposed to chemicals at a nearby abandoned factory that produced plexiglass and hydrocyanic acid, giving their fur the eye-catching blue color.
Dzerzhinsk, Nizjnij Novgorod, Russia

Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport Gets Stranded By Floods
Heavy rains flooded the roads around Moscow's largest airport on Friday, with the floods reaching knee-high depths and blocking cars from bringing passengers to and from its terminals.
Moscow, Moscow, Russia

Wildfires Blanket Moscow in Smog
The fires affecting Moscow are concentrated in the Ryazan region, some 250 kilometers to the south. This is not the first time smog has appeared in Moscow in recent months, with local authorities advising residents to wear masks to protect themselves earlier this month.
Moscow, Russia

Well-Preserved Cave Bear Discovered in Russia’s Melting Arctic Permafrost
Reindeer herders in Russia's Arctic have discovered what scientists say is the first-ever cave bear carcass with soft tissues intact in the region's rapidly thawing permafrost.
Lyakhovsky Islands

On Thin Ice in Peru
Human adaptation to climate change there is not going well
Lake Palcacocha, Ancash Region, Peru
Omaha World Herald

Flying Ants Invade Moscow
While the airborne ants may be a nuisance, Moscow City Hall’s environmental protection department said they are not dangerous.

Partial Dam Collapse in Siberia’s Tomsk Region as River Swells
The swelling Tom River in southwestern Siberia has led to a partial dam collapse in the city of Tomsk. This year’s heavy rainfall, combined with abnormally warm spring weather, has led to severe flooding in Russia’s Urals and western Siberia. So far, the floods have submerged around 15,600 homes and 28,000 land plots in 193 Russian towns and cities across 33 regions.
Tomsk, Tomsk, Russia

An atmospheric river is drenching parts of Alaska after a stretch of scorching weather
More than a month’s worth of rain has soaked parts of the state in just a few days, setting records.
Nome, Alaska, United States

Intense Rainfall Brings Floods to Russia's Far East Primorye Region
Intense rainfall in Russia's Far East Primorye region caused floods, power outages, and evacuations, with water levels exceeding the norm by eightfold in some areas, following previous flooding caused by tropical storm Khanun.
Vladivostok, Primorskiy, Russia

A meteor blew up over the Bering Sea with the power of 10 atomic bombs. Almost no one noticed.
Scientists only recently pinpointed the December blast -- the third-largest known meteor explosion -- by triangulating readings from infrasound stations.

Rare ‘Ugly Duckling’ Albino Seal Pup in Far East Russia Wins Hearts
Scientists worry for the pup's survival. Due to the pup’s albinism, it not only has bad eyesight, but could also be ostracized by the colony due to its unique characteristics.
Tyuleny Island

Russia’s Orenburg Orders Mass Evacuation as City Braces for Flood Peak
The mayor of the southern Russian city of Orenburg urged residents to evacuate immediately on Friday as water in the nearby Ural River reached critically dangerous levels and was not expected to recede until next week.
Оренбург, Orenburg, Russia

Russian Lake Dries Up, Leaves Locals Baffled
Lazurnoye Lake’s disappearance has baffled local residents who normally flock to the lake for a summer swim.
Saint Petersburg, St.-Petersburg, Russia

In Photos: Disastrous Wildfires Sweep Siberia
Gallery | The forest fires have covered an area larger than Greece and are emitting black smog that harms nearby populations.
Yakutsk, Sakha, Russia

Mongolia Quarantines Russian Border Region Over Bubonic Plague Suspicion
Lab tests confirmed that two individuals had contracted the illness after eating marmot meat.
Khovd, Hovd, Mongolia

Fluff Flies Into Russia's Capital
Early summer in Moscow brings an onslaught of allergy-inducing, Instagram-ready fluff from poplar seeds.

Horror as brown bear walks into a village and grabs one of six year old twins
Boy was mauled to death, his sister managed to escape and raised alarm.
Krasnoyarsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia
Siberian Times

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

Siberia Rushes to Extinguish Fast-Spreading Wildfires
Gallery | The fires, which were swept in from Mongolia by high winds, have caused almost $9.4 million in damage.
Zabaikalsky Region, Russian Federation

Major Disaster Averted in Icy Kara Sea After Two Oil Barges Ran Aground
Fuel shipments normally take place during autumn from departure ports such as Murmansk and Arkhangelsk. However, last fall saw a sudden freeze-up and quickly accumulating sea-ice on the Northern Sea Route, including the Kara Sea. Of the two rescued barges, one contained 7,000 tons of diesel fuel, while the other was loaded with 170 tons of kerosene.

'Unprecedented' Siberian Oil Spill Reaches Arctic Glacial Lake
President Vladimir Putin declared a state of emergency last Wednesday, several days after 21,000 metric tons of diesel leaked from a collapsed fuel tank outside the city of Norilsk.The pollution now risks running north into the Arctic Ocean.
Norilsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia

Record Snowfall Blankets Russia
A snowpocalypse has engulfed Russia in recent days, with various regions and cities struggling to deal with the freak weather.

Far East Russia’s Sakha Declares Wildfire Emergency
Sakha is now the fourth region in the Far East where a state of emergency is currently in place due to wildfires. The other three are the Zabaykalsky and Amur regions, as well as the republic of Buryatia. Russia’s wildfire season officially began in early March. By mid-April, regions in the Far East recorded nearly twice as many fires as they had during the same period last year, with most blazes caused by human negligence.
Yakutsk, Sakha, Russia

Arctic Archipelago Sees October Temps 10 Degrees Hotter Than Normal
The Russian archipelago of Severnaya Zemlya saw the largest temperature anomaly on the planet last month. Other surrounding parts of the Arctic were also extraordinarily warm in October. Temperature maps show that practically the whole northern Kara Sea and Laptev Sea was 6 and 8 degrees warmer than normal.
Severnaya Zemlya

Russian Arctic Sea Fails to Freeze
For the first time since records began, the Laptev Sea has not yet formed sea ice by the end of October. Scientists attribute the lack of ice to early summer warming and an extreme heatwave in Siberia, as well as warm Atlantic currents flowing into the Arctic.
Laptev Sea

Local arborist works to fight desertification |
A resident of the 20th khoroo in Sukhbaatar District, D.Chuluunbaatar, has been planting fruit trees for 20 years.
Sühbaatar, Selenge, Mongolia
The UB Post

Winter Storm Paralyzes Far East Russia's Sakhalin
A severe winter storm has led to a state of emergency in Sakhalin, Russia, disrupting transportation and daily life. The storm paralyzed the public transportation system in the regional capital of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, and major roadways were made inaccessible.
Sakhalin, Russia

‘Not ordinary rain’: Worst rainfall in over decade causes massive floods in Jakarta
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency recorded rainfall intensity on New Years Eve at 377 millimeters per day, according to an observation conducted at the Air Force air base in East Jakarta.
Jakarta, Indonesia
The Jakarta Post

Receding sea ice off northern Japan proves blessing and potential curse for seals
Climate change has allowed spotted seals to find new hunting grounds, but the marine mammals ultimately depend on sea ice to survive.
Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan

The real ‘Beast from the East’ - early Spring scenes from Siberia
Winds in Norilsk are gusting at up to 20 metres per second, with temperatures at around -23C. Some plants in the city have given their staff days off.
Южно-Сахалинск, Сахалинская область, Russia
The Siberian Times

In Photos: Moscow Sets 60-Year Precipitation Record
See photo gallery.

Thousands of Endangered Seals Wash Up Dead on Russia's Caspian Shore
At least 2,500 dead Caspian seals have been found on the shores of Russia’s Caspian Sea coast, local authorities said Sunday.
Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia

‘Zombie fires’ are erupting in Siberia and Alaska, signaling a severe northern wildfire season may lie ahead
The wildfires can burrow into rich organic material, such as the vast peatlands that ring the Arctic, and smolder under the snowpack throughout the frigid winter.
Alaska, United States

Wave after wave of garbage hits the Dominican Republic
The images are shocking, but perhaps not for people who live in the Dominican Republic.'It happens pretty much all the time,' says Cyrill Gutsch
Santo Domingo de Guzmán, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
National Post

Residents of Smog-Hit Russian Town Sue Over Health Complications
Locals blamed a mining company for attempting to hide what they called an 'ecological tragedy.'
Sibay, Bashkortostan, Russia

Oil worker killed and eaten by hungry bears as beasts besiege towns and villages
Staff and passengers at Nyagan airport in fear of bear patrolling the runway and trying to break into terminal.
Nyagan, Khanty-Mansiyskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia
Siberian Times

Shiveluch Volcano Erupts in Eastern Russia
The Shiveluch volcano in Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka region has erupted, spewing ash some 13km above sea level.Officials from the region's Emergency Situations Ministry have confirmed that the ash is not expected to land on nearby settlements, Meanwhile a "red warning" has been issued to passing planes, urging them to avoid the site.The Shiveluch volcano is extimated to be between 60,000 and 70,000 years old.
Shiveluch Volcano, Kamchatka, Russia

Wild Boars Appear in Moscow Parks, Officials Warn
If you meet one don't look it in the eye.

New Methane Discharge Discovered in Russia's Arctic
The finding is prompting concerns that a new feedback loop that accelerates climate change may have already been triggered.

Siberian Wildfires Swell Amid Historic Heatwave
Most of the blazes are in a region that saw possibly the hottest-ever temperature above the Arctic Circle this month.
Verkhoyansk, Sakha, Russia

Wild Animals Roam Russian Cities During Quarantine
With the coronavirus pandemic leaving Russia's cities quiet and deserted, its wild animals have decided to check things out.
Russia

Typhoon Maysak Batters Russia’s Far East
High winds reached speeds of up to 154 km/hr. At least three people died and dozens were injured. The storm unmoored a floating dry dock, causing it to slam into some of the vessels making up Russia's Pacific Fleet.
Vladivostok, Primorskiy, Russia

Researchers find high levels of microplastics on Norway’s Arctic coast
Eastern Finnmark, on the coast of the Barents Sea has always proved to be the cleanest of all areas of testing in the North Atlantic. But not so any more.
Hasvik, Finnmark Fylke, Norway
Arctic Today

Russia’s 2020 Wildfires Cover Greece-Sized Area
Wildfires in Russia have burned across a combined area the size of Greece so far in 2020, surpassing official estimates threefold. Experts warn that this year’s blazes could become the most destructive in history.
Krasnoyarsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia

Winter Has Come to Russia's Arctic City of Norilsk
Summer seems like it was just yesterday.
Norilsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia

Herders caught between cashmere and climate change
Batogoo Dorj is a nomad in southern Mongolia’s Bayankhongor Region who makes his living raising cashmere goats. Each spring, Dorj can shear about 300 grams of the valuable, downy wool from each of his 350 goats. Those voracious and sharp-hoofed animals are contributing to the desertification and climate change that is reducing Mongolia’s available grazing land.
Баянхонгор, Bayanhongor, Mongolia
The UB Post

5 billion MNT bridge collapses after heavy rain |
A newly built bridge in Tes soum of Uvs Province collapsed on Saturday during a heavy rain.
Тэс, Uvs, Mongolia
The UB Post

Butterfly invasion hits Siberia as Black-veined White goes east
Extinct in the UK, and on the retreat in western Europe and Scandinavia, the species if prolific this summer in Tomsk and Novosibirsk.
Tomsk, Tomsk, Russia

Lost but happy eating fish: the polar bear that strayed 700 km too far south
Far from the Arctic snow and ice, in brown bear territory, the adventurous two year old is soon to take a river trip back home.
Kolyma River Bank, ENE 150 km of Srednekolymsk, Russia
The Siberian Times

Dolphins sighted in Kopli Bay in Estonia
Estonian ship pilot Indrek Sulla on Tuesday morning sighted two dolphins who had likely wandered into Kopli Bay from the Atlantic.
Tallinn, Harjumaa, Estonia
The Baltic Course

Utqiagvik just recorded its first record low temperature in 13 years
The United States’ northernmost city plummeted to a bone-chilling minus 20 degrees Wednesday morning, beating out the previous daily record set in 1973.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States

Nuclear town on fire, with residents 'choking' from smoke
Facilities for producing weapons grade plutonium believed safe despite fierce flames caused by wildfires.
Zheleznogorsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia

Bizarre ice balls found in Arctic Alaska river puzzle locals and scientists
Danny Foster and Mike Hawley of Kivalina were ice fishing outside of town when they came upon something they’d never seen before. Incidentally, similar ice balls or ice eggs were reported on an ocean beach in Finland on the same day.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States

Storm causes flooding, erosion across Northwest Alaska
"Yesterday we came over to do an assessment of the high-water flood storm," said Northwest Arctic Borough Deputy Director of Public Services Dickie Moto, who grew up in Deering. "They lost a lot of ground on the front and on the back side of town because of the high water and rough seas.
Deering, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

Officials warn of potentially lethal levels of biotoxin in Bellingham Bay mussels
The Whatcom County Health Department is warning residents that PSP a common biotoxin is now at potentially lethal levels in mussels harvested in Bellingham Bay.
Bellingham, Washington, United States
Longview Daily News

Phoenix sets heat record for third day in a row
For the third day in a row, Phoenix has broken a daily high temperature record.
Phoenix, Arizona, United States
azcentral.com

Autumn storm that battered Utqiaġvik coastline caused more than $10 million in damage
The storm began Sept. 28 and continued for several days. A handful of Utqiaġvik’s roads were damaged or destroyed, and the community's freshwater source was nearly compromised.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

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.

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.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
Alaska Dispatch News

Please go fishing, Washington state says after farmed Atlantic salmon escape broken net
It's open season on Atlantic salmon as the public is urged to help mop up a salmon spill from an imploded net pen holding 305,000 fish at a Cooke Aquaculture fish farm near Cypress Island.
Cypress Island, Washington, United States

Hurricane Maria’s aftermath: ‘There will be no food in Puerto Rico’
In a matter of hours, Hurricane Maria wiped out about 80 percent of the crop value in Puerto Rico — making it one of the costliest storms to hit the island’s agriculture industry.
Yabucoa, Yabucoa, Puerto Rico
Frances Robles, Luis Ferre-Sadurni, The New York Times

A 'invasion’ of polar bears is terrorizing an island town in Russia
Thinning sea ice has driven more than 50 polar bears ashore on an Arctic archipelago in northern Russia, causing chaos for the local population.
Rogachëvo, Arkhangelskaya, Russia

Dozens of wildland fires reported across Alaska’s Arctic
As of Tuesday, two new fires had started in the Galena Zone, bringing the total number of fires in the area to 35. To date this year, wildland fires have burned more than 44,000 acres in the region.
Point Hope, Alaska, United States

Outlook shows no break in the heat
With the average temperature hovering north of negative this winter, Utqiaġvik and much of the Arctic once again broke records with a season that didn't match up to historic expectations.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
The Arctic Sounder

In the Alaska Arctic, more rain may mean fewer musk oxen
Winter rain makes it more difficult for the animals to feed, particularly pregnant females, researchers found.
Wrangel Island

Dangerously Low on Water, Cape Town Now Faces ‘Day Zero’
One of Africa’s richest cities is threatening to turn off the taps to its four million residents, cutting off homes and most businesses.
Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
The New York Times
Norimitsu Onishi and Somini Sengupta (The Daily Maverick)

Why homes along Arctic coastline are at risk of falling into the ocean
"All it would take is one or two big storms and these houses you see behind me would be gravely at risk."
Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC Radio
The Current's Liz Hoath and CBC's Briar Stewart.

Slow going in fight against deadly fires in California
The wind known as the Diablo is picking up again, the air is dry, there is no rain in sight and the killer wildfires that have scorched the wine country of Northern California remain almost completely uncontained. Officials warned Wednesday that some of the big fires could merge. Amid these grim bulletins, the huge utility company PG&E acknowledged that the extreme winds late Sunday and early Monday had knocked trees into power lines in conditions conducive to wildfires.
North Bay, California, United States
GoErie.com
Cleve R. Wootson Jr., Kristine Phillips, Joel Achenbach - The Washington Post

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