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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

Stay Off Straight Slough; Four Open Holes Near Bethel
Travelers need to stay off Straight Slough, which flows into the main Kuskokwim River near Bethel.
Bethel, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Thousands Without Power in North Iceland
A storm bringing hurricane force winds and blizzard conditions is raging across the country.
Sauðárkrókur, Northwest, Iceland
Iceland Review

2 rock slides close Seward Highway at miles 111 and 106.5
The highway closed after rocks covered the northbound lane at mile 111, near McHugh Creek. A second rock slide was reported near mile 106.5.
Anchorage Daily News

In Sweden's Arctic, ice atop snow leaves reindeer starving
Hiila Inga is concerned about the health of his reindeer. His community herds 8000 head each year, between traditional grazing lands in the mountain and the forests further east.
Kiruna, Norrbotten, Sweden
Associated Press

Thousands lose power from the Kenai Peninsula to the Mat-Su as winds ramp up
A wind gust of 113 mph was recorded Monday morning along the Seward Highway near Potter Marsh. Above-freezing temperatures are making side streets icy.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Man who found hiker trapped in Flattop Mountain avalanche said rescue was ‘a miracle’
After being buried, the trapped hiker was able to kick his legs free. A hiker passing by spotted his feet sticking out of the snow.
Anchorage Daily News

Alaska Cod Fishery Closes and Industry Braces for Ripple Effect
Gulf of Alaska cod have been in steep decline due to rising ocean temperatures. Now, for the first time ever, federal fisheries managers are shutting down the lucrative fishery because of low stock.
Gulf of Alaska
NPR

Flares used to scare away 63 polar bears besieging a remote Russian village
Amazing footage shows the bears just 150 metres from the nearest house as shooting is criticised - but does little to deter predators.
Siberia Times

Victoria Falls dries to a trickle after worst drought in a century
One of southern Africa’s biggest tourist attractions has seen an unprecedented decline this dry season, fuelling climate change fears
Victoria Falls, Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe
The Guardian

BC Hydro reservoirs see record low rain across Vancouver Island
An exceptionally dry November means that water levels are low in the hydro electric watersheds on Vancouver Island. The four reservoirs on the Island, located in Jordan River, Ash River, Puntledge River and Campbell River provide a third of Vancouver Island’s power supply.
Puntledge River, Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria News

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

Dozens of polar bears stranded outside Russian Arctic village because of melting ice
Nearly 60 polar bears have been stranded on the Arctic coast near a remote village in Russia's Far East after warm winter weather hampered their hunting routine.
The Telegraph

December Heat Record Broken
December heat records were broken or equalled by at least 53 remote weather-monitoring stations and three manned stations in the first days of the month. The cause was a mass of warm air that moved across the country.
Iceland
Iceland Review

Municipal calls to boil drinking water more than double this year
The number of boil order advisories issued by Swedish municipalities have more than double this year compared to 2018, Swedish Radio reports.
Sweden
Radio Sweden

Ice Fog (Low Visibility) = Cancelled Flights
Open water over the ocean creates conditions that lead to hoar frost and rime ice. These conditions impact travel and are expected to become more common as ice forms later in Norton Sound.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

Victoria broke its record for driest November in more than 25 years
November is typically the wettest and stormiest month of the year here on Vancouver Island, but not this year. If it seemed drier than usual, you would be right.
Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Island

Susitna Valley gets a dump of snow as winds sweep through Anchorage
While Anchorage was getting hammered by wind, snow was piling up in the Susitna Valley — with a whopping 4 feet of snow at Hatcher Pass, according to a rough estimate.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Rock slides prompt intermittent closures of Seward Highway south of Anchorage
Rockfall along the Seward Highway near Beluga Point has been happening since wind and rain battered the area earlier this week.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) North of Seasonal Range
The northernmost iNaturalist observation (November-March) of Black-crowned Night-Heron (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) in eastern North America.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Twitter

Rare flock of birds spotted in Oak Bay
Lesser Goldfinch birds were seen munching on local greenery
Oak Bay, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria News

Icy Conditions Send Over Two Dozen to Emergency Room
Since yesterday evening, over two dozen people have visited the emergency room at the National University Hospital of Iceland owing to icy conditions in the Greater Reykjavík area.
Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland
Iceland Review

After months of drought, Chignik Lagoon's wells have finally filled with water
Over the summer, drought and damages to Chignik Lagoon’s water distribution system left the village without drinkable water. The state issued a boil water notice in July, and the wells were dry by August. Residents relied on Packers Creek to supplement their needs through October. Now those worries have subsided; at the end of October …
Chignik Lagoon, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Intensive rain flood and landslide
Storm event brought high winds and flooding and landslides to Ensenada.
Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
Richard L Thoman Jr, María Félix-Lizárraga

'Funky' weather brings late harvest
It was out of habit that Rachel Kukull carried foraging tools while hiking through Chilkat State Park. The custom paid off when she spotted on the forest floor a flash of gold that made her scream. Chanterelles in November!
Haines, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

Storm Brings Flooding in Newtok
A storm system during the last week of November brought high winds and seas to Newtok and other western Alaska communities.
Newtok, Alaska, United States
Jacqualine Schaeffer, David Beveridge, Brian Lefferts, Edward "Ted" Smith, Gavin Dixon

Big Winds Blowing in Norton Sound
Local reports on the big storm system hitting northern and western Alaska.
Golovin, Alaska, United States
Racheal Lee, Anahma Shannon, Mike Brubaker, Edward "Ted" Smith, Carol Oliver

IPN Virus Detected in East Iceland Fish Farm
It’s the first time that the virus has been detected in salmon in Iceland, though it was found in halibut in 1999. The virus poses no health risks to people.
Reyðarfjörður, East, Iceland

As reported Delta-area mountain lion sightings increase, wildlife managers search for evidence
Joel Holbrook wishes he had grabbed his camera after he and his wife spotted what they swear was a mountain lion near their home, which is located near the Bluff Cabin Trail. Officials have confirmed the presence of mountain lions in Southeast Alaska, but have yet to substantiate reports of animals roaming further north.
*LEO Network says, if you are looking for photo proof, check out the post from Willard Hand in Tazlina.*
Delta Junction, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Alders (genus Alnus) Budding Out of Season
Warm temperatures are likely causing alders and other woody Alaskan plants to bud in fall and early winter. As winter sets in, the buds are damaged and the plants will produce fewer buds come spring.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States

Part of Key Largo has been underwater for months
The leaders of Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties have all agreed that climate change is the ultimate culprit for the King Tide problem
Key Largo, Florida, United States

Winter Storm Batters Western Alaska Coast, Taking Out Power And Sea Ice
A big winter storm came in from the Bering Sea and battered the Western Alaska coast from the evening of Nov. 25 through Nov. 26. Some communities, like Hooper Bay, have reported flooding.
Hooper Bay, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia) with Bill Abnormality
A thick-billed murre (*Uria lomvia*) was spotted with a bill abnormality that could be attributed to poxvirus or other virus, trauma, tumor, or congenital abnormality.
Devilfish Point, Unalaska Bay

Bad weather and road salt blamed for uncharged electric buses in Umea
Fredrik Dahlborg, manager of bus manufacturer VDL, told P4 Västerbotten that a combination of the weather and road salt is the problem. Despite this, Umeå municipality say they will keep using the electric buses.
Umeå, Västerbotten, Sweden
Radio Sweden

Weather delays start of Baja 1000
Ensenada and the surrounding areas of the Northern part of the Baja California peninsula have been inundated with more than four inches of rainfall over the last three days which has forced us, in the interest of safety, to delay the start of the race by 24 hours,
Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
RACER

Pallets in the marsh melt in warmer climates
Palsmyr is threatened by climate change. At Ferdesmyra in Finnmark, the characteristic ice-filled pals that protrude from the terrain will be gone in a few years.
Ferdesmyra, Norway
Miljødirektoratet/Norwegian Environment Agency

Tofino fish farms reporting mass die-offs due to harmful algae
Blooms are often associated with low dissolved oxygen events and warm ocean water temperatures and weather changes – all of which we are, or have been, experiencing," said Kiemele. Farm owner Cermaq says it has deployed fish protection countermeasures that have already caused conditions to improve.
Herbert Inlet, British Columbia, Canada
CTV News

Stillwright Point nears 80 days of flooding
Stillwright Point, Key Largo, Florida, United States
Keys News

Nearly 1,500 without power as storms roll through
Nearly 1,500 people throughout San Diego County are without power as winter storms sweep through the area.
San Diego, California, United States
KGTV

Utqiagvik celebrates first whale of season in November
It's been a challenging year for whalers in Utqiagvik. Crews started going out in September, but found the bowheads weren't appearing in their usual concentrations in the waters closer to shore. On the water Nov. 16 Panigiuq Crew landed the first whale of the season for Utqiagvik, later than many people can remember ever bringing one in before.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder

Dry Lake Now Wet
Clark Dry Lake
Twitter

Sudden snowstorm snarled traffic, caused accidents in Kazakh capital
A severe and sudden snow storm caused traffic jams and road accidents. From Nov. 11 to Nov. 13 alone, more than 230 crashes occurred on the roads of Nur-Sultan, according to the city’s police department. Five people were injured in the accidents.
Nur-Sulta, Kazakhstan
The Astana Times

281 and counting: Well into fall, Hawaii is still setting record highs
From Jan. 1 through Friday, Hawaii has set or tied 281 record high temperatures at official Weather Service stations located at four island airports ― in Honolulu, Hilo, Lihue and Kahului.
Kahului, Hawaii, United States

Erosion threatens campsites at Nome River, Fort Davis
Severe erosion at the Nome River mouth has cost Rita Hukill and her family most of their land at their campsite at Fort Davis.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Settlement of Water Treatment Plant and Numerous Areas in Community
Ground settling is causing a wide range of impacts in Noatak, including to the water treatment plant. But are there benchmarks to monitor the changes in the water plant?
Noatak Alaska
John Warren, David Beveridge, Nellie Wesley, Vladimir Romanovsky, Brian Menghini, Paul Walton, Chris Dankmeyer, John Monville, Mike Brubaker

Rains erase last of ‘severe drought’ in Southeast as conditions improve statewide
Rains throughout October and November mean Southeast Alaska is finally out of “severe drought” status for the first time since September of 2018. Ketchikan, Wrangell and Juneau are still in “moderate drought.”Sitka, Hoonah and Haines remain “abnormally dry,” though not in drought.
Ketchikan, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Wildlife sat-nav goes awry as White Stork and Flamingo defy nature and fly to Siberia in winter
Frantic efforts to save the wrong-turn birds from harsh cold.
Barnaul, Altai Krai, Russia
Siberia Times

‘It was so unfazed by me’: Woman recounts slobber-covered cat’s encounter with wolverine
Lenny didn’t have a wound on him but hasn’t been the same since, his owner says.

Alaska’s feline Bigfoot? Mountain lion sightings reported in Delta Junction
Biologists say they’ve been unable to confirm several reported sightings, including one from a resident who’s sure a cougar showed up in his yard.
Delta Junction, Alaska, United States

Whitehorse man warns others after falling through ice
The ice may look solid, but emergency officials are warning Yukoners to be wary. M.A. Chartrand learned that the hard way last week.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
CBC

It’s November, and Southcentral Alaska’s unusually warm fall has some plants putting out spring buds
As much of the Lower 48 braces for frigid weather, Anchorage-area temperatures have run some 13 degrees above normal so far this month.

Homer man survives bear attack
The man was walking his dogs on a well-used trail when he came across a sow with two cubs, a Fish and Game assistant area wildlife biologist said.
Homer, Alaska, United States

Utqiagvik whalers still hope to land a bowhead as season wanes
Aerial surveys this September and October show the bowheads aren’t where they usually are.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States

Beached "ice eggs" astound strollers on Finnish island
The oval ice formations created by wave action were piled up on a Hailuoto beach.
Hailuoto, Northern Ostrobothnia, Finland
Yle Uutiset

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

New pictures show how brown bears turn white ‘due to inbreeding’ on remote island
Researchers in Kurils Nature Reserve confirm no less than 10% of the bear population has a distinctive silver coat.
Kurilsky Nature Reserve
Siberia Times

Erosion of Russian Era Graves
Erosion of Russian era graves is a concern because of history with epidemic, and tribal office has to collect and rebury remains.
St. Michael, Alaska, United States
Michael Bruce, Michelle Snowball, Anahma Shannon, Tom Wolforth, Racheal Lee, Darlene Chiskok

Sizable Sea-Cliff Chunk Collapses into Ocean
“I could hardly believe my eyes,” said Ingólfur Sveinsson, resident of the Skagi peninsula.
Sauðárkrókur, Northwest, Iceland

Gravesite Sinking
Noatak site experiencing thawing and subsidence.
Noatak, Alaska, United States
Paul Walton, Chris Dankmeyer, Tom Wolforth

Mergansers (Mergus merganser) on Cheney Lake
Mergansers (*Mergus merganser*) are not common visitors to Cheney Lake, but a flock of about a dozen showed up in early November.

Meshik Village Erosion and the End of Goldfish Lake
Gradual sea ice reduction and reconfiguration of the coast, have increased the rate of erosion near Port Heiden over the course of several decades. Draining of Goldfish Lake brings memories, loss of community landmark, and many emotions.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States

Satellites track real-time damage of ocean blob menacing Hawaii
A blob menacing Hawaii is now visible from space. A massive heatwave in the Pacific Ocean is killing off coral. Satellites are capturing the destruction so that scientists can learn how to rebuild the reefs.
Hawai'i, United States
The Verge

Unusually Warm Halloween

Landfill is flooding
Brevig Mission, Alaska, United States

Cape sees sharp rise in ocean sunfish strandings
As the Cape nears the start of sea turtle stranding season there is another long-distance migrant that researchers have spotted coming ashore in record numbers this year, Ocean sunfish.
Wellfleet, Massachusetts, United States
capecodtimes.com

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) Sighting, Rare on Vancouver Island
This is one of just a small number of Blue Jay sightings recorded on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Thaw-related Cracking of Local Roads
Observers seek guidance on causes for road cracks and how to address damage.
Brevig Mission, Alaska, United States
Anahma Shannon, Vladimir Romanovsky, James Olanna, Johnee Seetot

Ground Sinking at Historic Mass Burial Site
This year was one of the warmest and wettest in recorded history, and permafrost thaw is causing the ground at the mass gravesite to sink.
Brevig Mission, Alaska, United States
Anahma Shannon, Vanessa Tahbone, Tom Wolforth, James Olanna, Johnee Seetot, Vladimir Romanovsky, Mike Brubaker, Louisa Castrodale, Racheal Lee

Hill Where Graveyard is Located is Eroding
This year was one of the warmest and wettest in recorded history and permafrost thaw is causing the ground at the community cemetary to thaw and erode. The community is seeking guidance on best practices for relocation of remains.
Vanessa Tahbone, Anahma Shannon, James Olanna, Tom Wolforth, Johnee Seetot, Racheal Lee, Vladimir Romanovsky, Mike Brubaker

Pueblo sees record snowfall and more to come
Pueblo broke a 102-year-old daily record for snowfall Monday with 3.8 inches — and the cold weather continued Tuesday. Monday’s snowfall broke the old record of 2.9 inches set in 1917.
Pueblo, Colorado, United States
The Pueblo Chieftain

Powerful king tide causes minor flooding on Boston waterfront
Visitors to the waterfront near the New England Aquarium around 12:30 p.m. had to dodge waves slamming over docks and maneuver around water pooling on walkways. Experts say the scene will probably be replayed in the future as sea levels rise.
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
BostonGlobe.com

Big Year for Highbush Cranberries (Viburnum edule)
Highbush cranberries benefited from unusually warm, sunny conditions.
Seldovia Village, Alaska, United States

Lutselk'e man says he saw a grizzly bear near Yellowknife
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources says that although it's not typical for grizzlies to live in the Yellowknife area, there are cases in which an animal will leave its normal range.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

The river is very low and affecting well water quality
Low water on the Noatak River may be the reason behind changes in the water quality in community wells. The water quality began to change in the plant as measured (eventually) by the need for twice as much chlorine and Naclo polymer in order to get an acceptable residual of chlorine. The change indicates that the well recharge had been depleted and the that wells began operating on stored water in the aquifer. This water would have been older, likely anaerobic and higher in organics and in inorganics such as iron and manganese.
Noatak, Alaska, United States
Chris Dankmeyer, John Monville, Paul Walton, David Beveridge, Brian Berube, John Warren

Black Currant (Ribes laxiflorum) and Willow (Salix scouleriana) Bushes Are Budding
Willow and currants are budding unusually late, during an unusually warm fall.
Seldovia Village, Alaska, United States

California fires see 200,000 evacuated while 3 million may lose power
For the third year in a row, an enormous wildfire is destroying homes and properties in California, with smaller fires raging elsewhere in the state.
Sonoma Valley, California, USA
New Scientist

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) Invasion of Cascadia
The Cascadia Bioregion, including Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, is outside of [the historical range of the Blue Jay *(Cyanocitta but they have been increasingly sighted in the region since the first one was sighted in Montana in 1958.
Cascadia Bioregion

Erosion of Gravesites along River
Golovin, Alaska, United States

Storm cuts off power to thousands of homes, heads east on Saturday
More than 40,000 households faced blackouts overnight.
Pori, Satakunta, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Stoop Pumpkins Rotting Before Halloween
This stoop-pumpkin-rotting event is unusual compared with Dr. Johnson's long-term (lifetime) time series of annual October observations of stoop pumpkins in New York City.
New York City, New York, United States

500 earthquakes recorded in northeast
An earthquake swarm that started on Saturday night just off the coast in the Öxarfjörður area of northeast Iceland is still going strong. Some 500 quakes have now been registered, including 60 over magnitude 2.0. The epicentre of most of them is around 30 kilometres west-north-west of Kópasker.
Öxarfjörður Area
RÚV

Dead Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
Dead humpack whale found between Port Graham and Seldovia.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States
Naomi McMullen, Stephen Payton, Michael Opheim , Barbara Mahoney, Sue Mauger

Adams River sockeye salmon run lacking fish this year
One short section of the river that last year at Thanksgiving had more than 100 fish in it, this year on the same weekend had less than 20.
Adam's River, BC, Canada
Castanet

Dam burst in Krasnoyarsk region: 10 dead, another 10 missing, 14 injured, 130 evacuated
Flood on Seyba River at gold mining facility leads to major emergency after accident near Shchetinkino village.
South of Krasnoyarsk

Rare bird sighting brings crowds of birding enthusiasts to Vancouver Island
A yellow-browed warbler spotted in Panama Flats on Friday drew dozens of birding enthusiasts to Vancouver Island on Saturday
Panama Flats, Victoria, BC, Canada
CHEK

Unidentified Foam on Fallen Leaves
Unusual foam on autumn fallen leaves does not belong to a spittlebug, but may be a type of fungus.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States
Jessie Moan, Stephen Payton, Derek Sikes

Concerned about Safety of Harvested Salmon After Warm Season
Warmer summers in Alaska means that extra precautions are needed to keep fish cool from the time of harvest until it has been processed and put away.
Golovin, Alaska, United States
Gay Sheffield, Ted Meyers, Anahma Shannon, Carol Oliver, Louisa Castrodale, Racheal Lee, Jayde Ferguson

Climate change thaws permafrost
Nils Thomas discovered "sinkhole" in the middle of Finnmarksvidda. Scientists have long warned against this, and now it happened.
Vuohcetjávri, Kautokeino
NRK

Permafrost Thaw and Related Flooding
Concern about permafrost thaw and possible impacts to underground water and wastewater lines.
Racheal Lee, Carol Oliver, David Beveridge, Mike Brubaker, Katie Lund, Bradford Blackstone, Anahma Shannon, John Warren

After summer of record heat, Alaska health officials see spike in scombroid poisoning from fish
Caused by eating fish that has not been properly chilled, symptoms can last up to 48 hours and include severe headaches, palpitations, blurred vision and abdominal cramps.At least seven people fell ill between May and August. Between 2015-2018, there were only five.

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,.

At least 35 killed and 17 missing after Typhoon Hagibis tears through country, flooding rivers and submerging cities
In the aftermath of the largest typhoon to hit Japan in decades, the nation on Sunday was still assessing the scope of the damage caused by the massive storm.
Japan
The Japan Times

Alberta’s bull trout listed as threatened and its ecosystem is in jeopardy
Bull trout, which are technically char, mostly inhabit cold and pristine snow-melt-fed waters. Changes in water quality and temperatures challenge the future for this species in Alberta.
Alberta
thestar.com

Mass fish kill spotted at Lake Pamamaroo near Menindee
New aerial footage appears to show thousands of dead fish at Lake Pamamaroo in the Menindee Lakes System, near Broken Hill, nine months after a mass fish kill event on the nearby banks of the Darling River.
Lake Pamamaroo, NSW, Australia
ABC News

Tree apocalypse in Winnipeg
City deals with impact of early-season snowstorm on roads, energy grid, tree canopy.
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Winnipeg Free Press

Hybrid salmon discovered by scientists on Vancouver Island
Researchers on Vancouver Island are studying fish they recently discovered that share genes of both coho and chinook salmon. The hybrid fish, are likely the result of drought in the Cowichan watershed, which has impacted when and where coho and chinook spawn.
Cowichan River, British Columbia, Canada
CBC

Large Northern Sea Nettle (Chrysaora melanaster) Die-off
A large group of dead northern sea nettles (*Chrysaora melanaster*) found near the shore in Kasitsna Bay.
McDonald Spit, Alaska, United States

Vancouver broke a 103-year-old temperature record today
The last time it was this cold was in 1916, with a low temperature of -0.6°C.”
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Daily Hive

Russian scientists find 'most powerful' ever methane seep in Arctic Ocean
Russian scientists in the Arctic Ocean said they have discovered the most powerful methane gas fountain ever recorded, highlighting the danger of this greenhouse gas accelerating climate change or causing an oil or gas spill as it erupts from thawing permafrost.
Bennett Island, Russia
The Telegraph

Outbreak of tree-killing, allergy-inducing moths
An infestation of tussock moths, which have the ability to quickly kill healthy Douglas fir trees, is on the move in British Columbia and the Ministry of Forests says it has now been found further north than ever before.
Wycotte Flat, British Columbia, Canada

Humpback whale spotted in River Thames found dead
It was hoped the whale would find its way out without help, as it did not initially appear to be in any distress.
Greenhithe, England, United Kingdom
Sky News

Tick, tock: Finland's ticks still thirst for blood
The incidence of ticks at all of Turku University’s research sites in Turku as well as in Helsinki has risen over the past 20 years, and they can still active into the fall, even after periods of freezing weather. Southwestern Finland and Uusimaa have reported 29 cases of tick-borne encephalitis and some 1,500 people have contracted Lyme disease, an illness caused by ticks carrying Borrelia burgdorferi.
Turku, Southwest Finland, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae) Whale in the River Thames, off Rainham
Erith, England, United Kingdom

Nepal is reeling from an unprecedented dengue outbreak
As climate change opens new regions to mosquitoes, Nepal suffers an outbreak of the painful viral disease that has sickened more than 9,000 people.
Nepal
Science News

Heavy rain causes flooding, mudslides in Juneau
Areas of the Southeast Alaska city “received between 3 and 7 inches of rain” in 24 hours over the weekend. The sodden ground caused mudslides in some areas, and wrecked roads and ditches around John Street and Peters Lane in Douglas.
Juneau, Alaska, United States

Power restored to 5,500 people after a month's worth of snow hits southern Yukon
Marsh Lake was the hardest hit, but power was out 'all over,' said Jay Massie, manager of ATCO Electric Yukon, 'from Teslin to Tagish, Carcross out to Deep Creek and west towards Haines Junction.'
Marsh Lake, Yukon, Canada

Schools of California Anchovy (Engraulis mordax)
Ross Bay, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Late Budding Alder Tree (genus Alnus)
Late budding alder tree.
Chistochina, Alaska, United States

Poisonous porcupine fish arrives on Island shores — a B.C. first
Gavin Hanke reaches a gloved hand into the formaldehyde tank at the Royal British Columbia Museum very, very carefully. What emerges is a B.C. first — a poisonous spotted porcupine fish.
Jordan River, B.C. Canada
Times Colonist

Storm damages Nikiski dock
Heavy seas caused an Offshore System Kenai (OSK) earth and fill dock, with fuel lines, to collapse. The U.S. Coast Guard says about 300 gallons of diesel fuel was spilled when fuel lines were ruptured.
Nikiski, Alaska, United States

Emaciated grizzly bears in Canada spark greater concerns over depleted salmon population
With hibernation fast approaching, a grizzly bear family is spotted searching for fish near the shores of Canada's Knight Inlet. They're emaciated, and wildlife observers worry might not make it through winter. The heartbreaking images highlight another victim of the climate crisis and the depleted salmon population.
Knight Inlet, British Columbia, Canada
CNN

Young Beaver (Castor canadensis) a Long Way from Nearest Known Beaver Pond
Nick Page shared the following observation of a young beaver north of Courtenay on Vancouver Island. There are not many beaver observations on Vancouver Island, and most are very recent, especially in this part of Vancouver Island. The closest iNaturalist observation is linked here.
Somewhere North of Courtenay

Hypothermic tropical sea turtle rescued from waters near Port Alberni
A weak and hypothermic sea turtle is recovering after being rescued near Port Alberni.It’s the fourth olive ridley sea turtle on record in B.C. waters
Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada
Times Colonist

Scarlet Honeyeaters (Myzomela sanguinolenta) Unusually Abundant in Brisbane
Sherwood Arboretum, Queensland, Australia

Ticks on Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)
Steller's jay has one tick on each foot. The ticks may be a species that is commonly found on birds or a species that was picked up from a mammal as the bird was scavenging.

Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) offshore of Vancouver
Sturgeon Bank Wildlife Management Area, British Columbia, Canada

Warm water, not sea lice, caused massive salmon die-off
Northern Harvest Sea Farms is busy cleaning pens of dead salmon, and the province's head aquaculture vet says higher-than-average water temperatures are to blame.
Fortune Bay, Newfoundland, Canada

Wind, heavy snow cause power outages, road closures in northern Rockies
Winter storm warnings were posted for parts of western Montana, northern Idaho and northeast Washington. Snow also was forecast for areas in Wyoming, Utah, Oregon, Nevada and California.
Great Falls, Montana, United States
WIBW

88% Catch Decline of Jackass Morwong (Nemadactylus macropterus)
Southern Australia

Why do Calgarians keep seeing bobcats?
The city keeps a record of the number of reported sightings of the animals, along with other wildlife. There were three sightings in 2007, about 10 in 2015 and 27 this year.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
The Star

Salmon shark stranded near Port Heiden at the end of an unusual summer
Along with significant seabird die-offs near Port Heiden, there have been reports of small whales and porpoises, walrus and sea otters washed up on shore.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States

Large Squid Caught in Chignik Bay
Unidentified squid caught by rod and reel off the beach.
Chignik, Alaska, United States

Unseasonable rains, lightning and thunder
Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico

Another pygmy killer whale stranding hits Sugar Beach
KIHEI — Called a “rare” occurrence that hasn’t happened in 40 to 50 years, the second mass stranding of pygmy killer whales at the same South Maui beach
Kīhei, Hawaii, United States
mauinews.com

Third Massachusetts resident dies of EEE, eight deaths so far this year in United States
tate health officials report that a third person has died of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) Monday, according to WCVB-TV. That makes it the worst outbreak of the disease since the 1950s according to state health officials, with three deaths total in the state, plus three non-fatal cases in neighboring Rhode Island.
Freetown, Massachusetts, United States
Newsweek

Unusually high wave caused fatal capsizing at Brora
Experienced fisherman William Sutherland was trying to return to a harbour when his boat was overturned. His 6m (20ft) boat, Anna-Marie II, was capsized at the mouth of the River Brora on 23 September 2019.
Brora, Scotland, United Kingdom
BBC News

Lorena spares Los Cabos, heads up coast of Mexico’s Baja
Hurricane Lorena spared the resort-studded twin cities of Los Cabos a direct hit and has been reduced to a tropical storm Saturday as it heads up the east coast of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula
Los Cabos, Michoacán, Mexico
Washington Post

Road breaks up in heavy rain
The road through Svínadalur, near Súlá river in Leirársveit, broke apart this morning, trapping three tourists who could not get their car out again.
Akranes, West, Iceland
RÚV

'First time I've seen a shark': Nunavut man nets shark in rare catch
"It's the first time I guess the whole town seeing a shark in real [life]," he said. "Must have been just about the whole town that come to see it." The shark is likely a salmon shark, typically found around Alaska and B.C.
Kugluktuk, Nunavut, Canada

Declining Snow and Summer Rain in the Alberni Valley
"During my childhood, Mt. Arrowsmith and surrounding peaks tended to have a fair amount of snow cover; it was into the summer months before it totally disappeared."
Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada

Winter arrives early in Värmland
Winter came to Värmland, Tuesday, with six centimetres of snow falling on higher ground.
Båstad, Skåne län, Sweden
Radio Sweden

An invasive algae is threatening the Strait of Gibraltar’s fishing grounds
Returning to port with tons of algae in their trammel nets, with hardly any fish, has become a common drama for the men fishing in Spain's Southern coast. The same “catastrophe” is also threatening the marine biodiversity of the area and piling up on beaches.
Spanish Mediterranean coast

A Svalbard reindeer died after getting tangled up in plastic waste
Staff from the governor's office responded and found two bulls entangled on the shore. One lay dead in the water, and another could not move. A third bull had managed to get loose.
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Arctic Today

As Bering Sea ice melts, Alaskans, scientists and Seattle's fishing fleet witness changes on a massive scale
Instead of halibut, fisherman are increasingly catching less valuable Pacific cod, voracious bottom feeders whose numbers in recent years have exploded.
Savoonga, Alaska, United States
Seattle Times

Whitehorse fish ladder sees fewest chinook salmon since 1977
The number of chinook salmon that reached the Whitehorse fish ladder this year hit a 40-year low, and it's not clear why. Just 282 chinook passed through the fish ladder this year, compared to 690 last year. "We did see some large pre-spawn mortality die-offs in a tributary of the Yukon River — the Koyukuk in Alaska. This was for summer chum, and not chinook — but we expect that that higher water temperature also affected the chinook migrating through."
Whitehorse Fish Ladder, Yukon, Canada

Warm Summer Yields Garden Tomatoes
"To grow tomatoes you need eight hours of sunlight each day. Not a problem. But you also need 3-4 months of warm temperatures between 55 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. That's the problem."
Anchorage, Alaska
Jeff Lowenfels, Richard L Thoman Jr, Mike Brubaker

After two dry summers, lakes and wells running low
Despite recent rain, groundwater levels remain at near-record lows. Markku Rantti, head of the local village association, says some wells in the area only have about 20 cm of water at the bottom.
Kokkola, Keski-Pohjanmaa, Finland

River Otters (Lutra canadensis) in University Lake
River otters (*Lutra canadensis*) observed in a lake that typically is home to beavers.

Unusually High Number of Horseflies (Tabanidae) and Wasps (Vespula)
Unusually high number of horseflies and wasps observed during a year with temperatures and precipitation levels above normal.
Koyuk, Alaska, United States
Sarah Yoder, Rebecca Charles, Derek Sikes

Abundance of Hemlock Looper Moths (Lambdina fiscellaria)
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

Invasive Asian giant hornets found on Vancouver Island
Asian giant hornets are known to feed on honeybees and other large insects and are capable of destroying a beehive in a short time, according to the province.
Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
CTV News

Outbreak of hemlock looper moth hits North Shore, Metro watersheds
While there is no risk to human health, the species of moth can decimate forests
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

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

People flee Ethel Lake area as Yukon crews battle nearby wildfire
Eighteen people have been flown out and other residents are on evacuation alert.
Stewart Crossing, Yukon, Canada

Migratory birds still sighted as far as southern Finland
Various species can be spotted in different parts of the country till early October due to warm weather in the south.
Hanko, Uusimaa, Finland

Spider Population May Be Increasing
The crab spider, *Misumena vatia*, is a species well-known throughout Interior, Southcentral, and Southeast Alaska. Little is known about changes in their abundance.
Klawock, Alaska

Moth population takes flight in North Vancouver
The North Shore is discovering what life is like under moth rule. Eclipses of moths have been flitting, fluttering and generally wreaking havoc around any light source over the past week.
Lynn Canyon, British Columbia, Canada
North Shore News

Brown bear filmed crossing 3km wide Avacha Bay in the Pacific Ocean
The unusual swimmer stunned fishermen who said they have never seen bears venturing so far out to sea.
Vilyuchinsk, Kamtsjatka, Russia

Mass "Ballooning" Spider Event Responsible for Unusual Webs on Vegetation
Unusual webs spread across vegetation is likely related to a mass ballooning event, where spiders launched themselves in the air using the Earths magnetic charge and the wind.
St. Paul Island, Alaska, United States

62 whales die on Northeast beach
62 pilot whales swam onto the shore at Ytra Lón on the Langanes peninsula, northeast Iceland, on Friday evening. All died.
Þórshöfn, Northeast, Iceland
RÚV

State of emergency in Yakutsk as Russia’s permafrost river dries to a record low
Usually one of the most full flowing in Russia, the river tends to drop the level twice a year - but not by a catastrophic 2-2.5 meters as this year.
Yakutsk, Sakha, Russia

Fears Norwegian disease has spread to dogs in Finland
Reports of symptoms such as diarrhoea and vomiting are being investigated in South Ostrobothnia.
Kristinestad, Ostrobothnia, Finland

Mystery illness kills dogs in Norway
Norwegian authorities said up to 40 dogs had fallen ill with vomiting in at least 13 towns.
Oslo, Norway
BBC News

Narcissus (Anemone narcissiflora) Blooming in Fall
*Anemone narcissiflora*, which typically blooms in June, is experiencing a second bloom in Hatcher Pass.
Hatcher Pass, Alaska

Shearwater (genus Puffinus) Bird Die-off
Eighteen dead shearwaters (genus *Puffinus*) have washed ashore at Humpy Cove. Additional birds were observed by other community members at Wide Bay and Morris Cove.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States
Chris Price, Karen Pletnikoff, Melissa Good, Kathy Kuletz, Brian Berube, Shayla Shaishnikoff, Hillary Burgess

Ocean temperature hits 78 at Scripps Pier, highest September reading on record
Scripps Oceanography says rapid heating was caused by fair, hot weather
La Jolla, California, United States
San Diego Union-Tribune

Scientists monitoring new marine heat wave off B.C. coast similar to 'the Blob'
A new marine heat wave spreading across a portion of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of British Columbia resembles the infamous "blob" that disrupted marine life five years ago.
Northeast Pacific Ocean

Rare snow-white squirrel spotted in Yukon
Steve Buyck and Elizabeth Blair were out for a drive near Stewart Crossing, Yukon, this week when they spotted what they thought was a weasel. It was actually a red squirrel — completely white.
Stewart Crossing, Yukon, Canada

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) at St Margerats Bay
In 2016, there was a documented Brown Pelican sighting in Port Renfrew, BC, and in 2018-2019 there were five others in Victoria, BC.
St. Margerats Bay, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

50 percent more baby puffins this year
The puffling season is at its height and locals and visitors are busy helping lost baby puffins out to sea.
Vestmannaeyjar, South, Iceland

Poor Langoustine Season Could Mean Restaurant Shortage
In a good season, Skinney’s langoustine catch can reach 250-300 tons. This summer, it was only 38.
Höfn, East, Iceland

Svalbard is now experiencing unusually large amounts of ice
The Meteorological Institute (MET) is currently registering an unusual phenomenon around Svalbard, unusually large amounts of sea ice.
Nordaustlandet, Svalbard
abc nyheter

Record late heat in Lapland as dry summer draws to close
August 29th was the latest date ever recorded for an over-25-degree day in Finnish Lapland.
Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland

Getting help from Sweden and Denmark for coping with the rains in Fredrikstad
Nearly 1,000 water damages have been reported following the heavy rainfall night to Sunday.
Fredrikstad, Østfold, Norway
NRK

Hurricane Dorian has smashed all sorts of intensity records in the Atlantic Ocean - The Washington Post
Dorian has risen to the top of the charts among the most powerful hurricanes ever observed in the Atlantic Ocean.
Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas
Washington Post

Low water supply in two Kenai Peninsula communities prompts disaster declaration
Little rainfall during this year’s warm, dry summer left Seldovia and Nanwalek scrambling to conserve water.

New rainfall record for August in Bergen
The summer rain broke a hundred-year-old record.
Bergen, Hordaland, Norway
NRK

E16 closed after landslide
Heavy rainfall in western Norway resulted in floods, raids, evacuations and several road closures. At E16, 19 people were trapped as both sides of the tunnel collapsed.
Voss, Hordaland, Norway
Even Norheim Johansen, Valentina Baisotti, Silje Thalberg

Chignik Lagoon on the Alaska Peninsula runs out of stored water
As of Tuesday, the wells at Chignik Lagoon, population 150, are completely dry.
Chignik Lagoon, Alaska, United States

Blue-green algae advisory in effect for Prior Lake on Vancouver Island
A blue-green algae advisory is in effect for Prior Lake in Thetis Lake Regional Park after the toxic blooms were spotted in the water.
Prior Lake, British Columbia, Canada

Couples evacuated after landslides and fumes in Kvam
Inge Hamre and Marta Apelthun Hamre had to evacuate by boat as heavy rainfall turned their garden into a river.
Norheimsund, Hordaland, Norway
Even Norheim Johansen, Ole Kollstrøm Heilevang

Slender armorhead (Pentaceros wheeleri) caught in purse seine
Juveniles and sub adults live and migrate in open water at shallow to moderate depths. They move to the bottom as adults when they settle around sea mounts in the North Pacific.
Chignik Lake, Alaska, United States
Melissa Good, Tom Okey, Amy Holman, Andrés López, Edgar Smith

Latest Research From Chukchi Sea Finds More Warm Water, Harmful Algal Blooms
During their three weeks aboard the Healy, Bob Pickart and his team observed some Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). One was near Point Hope.
Near Point Hope, Alaska
KNOM Radio Mission

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

Nanwalek is rapidly running out of water
A Kenai Peninsula village is rapidly running out of water. Low snowpack and little rainfall has led Nanwalek to declare a water emergency.
Nanwalek, Alaska, United States

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

Detectan presencia del 'Pez Diablo' en Sinaloa; una amenaza para la pesca y los ecosistemas
They detect the presence of the 'Devil Fish' in Sinaloa; a threat to fishing and ecosystems
Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico
News

Lake water to be pumped into B.C. river due to severe drought
A Vancouver Island watershed is experiencing such a severe drought the town of Lake Cowichan says it will start using pumps to keep the local river flowing.
Lake Cowichan, British Columbia, Canada

Invasive salmon return to Scottish rivers
Pink salmon are native to the Pacific Ocean. From stocking programs in Russia in the 1960s they have spread to Northern Europe, and in 2017 male and female pink salmon were spotted in the River Ness in the Highlands of Scotland. And now, two years later, camera images suggest that their spawn has returned.
River Ness, Scotland, United Kingdom
BBC News

Water shortage looms in Chignik Lagoon
The water well is dry due to a lack of rain, and the village’s distribution system is damaged. As of Thursday, residents had only 5,000 gallons of drinkable water left.
Chignik Lagoon, Alaska, United States

Squamish volunteers opening up man-made dams stopping pink salmon
Don’t treat the river like a personal bathtub. It’s a message Squamish conservationists are putting forward after they found man-made dams blocking pink salmon from their spawning grounds.
Stawamus River, British Columbia. Canada
Squamish Chief

Blacksmith (Chromis punctipinnis) Newly Abundant in Central California
"In the midfield of my dive this school of blacksmith suddenly appeared. They were hiding from cormorants that dove into the water."
Edward F. Ricketts State Marine Conservation Area, California, United States

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

Marine Mammal Strandings at 2nd Cape
A variety of stranded marine mammals were observed in the Port Heiden area between August 17 and 26th.
Near Port Heiden
Kathy Burek Huntington, Hillary Burgess, Kris Holderied, Joel Garlich-Miller, Barbara Mahoney, Melissa Good, Gay Sheffield, Jonathan Snyder, Bruce Wright, Kathy Kuletz, Gabe Dunham, Dean Stockwell, Jaclyn Christensen

Lake Change in Sanak
Most of the dry lakes and streams were on the south side of the island. I am thinking this is one of many lakes that cattle use for drinking.
Sanak Island

Late Bloomers - Highbush Cranberry (Viburnum edule) Blooming Late August
During a summer of unusually warm temperatures, highbush cranberries (*Viburnum edule*) are blooming, using buds that would have normally bloomed next spring.
College, Alaska, United States

Port Heiden fights 10-acre blaze
The 450-acre Offal Beach Fire is burning for the fifth consecutive day about 11 miles northeast of Port Heiden.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States
KDLG

Volunteers remain hopeful, as Levelock Fire reaches 5 percent containment
The Bristol Bay Times - Serving Dillingham, Naknek, King Salmon and Southwest villages
Levelock, Alaska, United States
Bristol Bay Times

Heavy rains spur flooding, snarl transportion
Helsinki usually gets 70-80 millimetres of rain during August. Friday morning alone brought 56 mm of water to Kaisaniemi Park, where the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) has a weather station.
Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland

Sockeye salmon returns plunge in B.C., as climate change mainly to blame
Federal fisheries experts paint devastating picture of the challenges facing Pacific salmon and point to climate change as the main culprit.
Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

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

Wind storm beaches boats, causes power outage
A wind storm last weekend toppled a tree on Beach Road and broke lines on boats in Letnikof Cove, sending one boat owner into the frigid and wavy
Haines, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

Rapid release of water from glacier-dammed lake prompts Kenai flood advisory
The National Weather Service has issued a flood advisory for Kenai Lake and the Kenai River near Cooper Landing.
Cooper Landing, Alaska, United States

Mosquitoes in Flagstaff test positive for West Nile virus
Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) officials found mosquitoes that tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV) in an area south of Lake Mary Road in Flagstaff. This is the first positive WNV in mosquitoes in Coconino County this year.  No human cases have been reported in Coconino County since 2010 when two human cases were identified.
Flagstaff, Arizona, United States
Arizona Emergency Information Network

Pacific Pomfret (Brama japonica) Caught in Southeast Alaska
Although native to southern Alaskan waters, Pacific pomfret (*Brama japonica*) are not often caught by salmon fishers.
Cross Sound
Tom Okey, Richard L Thoman Jr, Justin Bate, Jason Gasper

Florida panthers and bobcats are stumbling or can’t walk and scientists suspect it could be poison
Researchers are asking the public for help in identifying a condition that has left endangered panthers in Florida with neurological damage.
Utopia, Florida, United States
Washington Post

Hawaiian Petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis) off Haida Gwaii
This is the first photographed in BC and only the 5th ever recorded in the province.
Northwest of Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, Canada
Rare Bird Alert

City Implements Water Conservation Measures
Persistent high pressure over the Gulf of Alaska and Bristol Bay has kept most storms well away from the lower Kenai Peninsula. At Homer, total rainfall June 1-August 16 was only 53% of normal, making this the driest since 2004. The City of Seldovia has issued a "City Water Conservation Notice" on August 20th. The notice doesn't ban any specific water use but requests residents make an effort to use less water by minimizing watering lawns and washing cars and to take shorter showers.
John Warren, Brian Berube, Don Green, Michael Opheim , Richard L Thoman Jr, Edward "Ted" Smith, Stephen Payton

'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

Dead Salmon Shark (Lamna ditropis) Near 2nd Cape
It is unusual to find a dead shark. And it occurred at a time when there were many other standings of marine mammals and birds.
Bruce Wright, Kathy Burek Huntington, Jaclyn Christensen, Melissa Good

Erosion and Weird Growth on Tundra
An unidentified fungus is growing along the eroding coastal bank.
Kotlik, Alaska, United States

Algae Observed in Satellite Image - Could This Be Related to Shearwater Die-offs?
This region in the Bering Sea began to change color in early July, during roughly the same period when dead shearwaters began being reported by LEO members in coastal communities. Ocean experts suspect it's a non-toxic coccolithophore bloom. Interestingly, these kinds of blooms have occurred before in conjunction with shearwater die-offs. But this may be circumstantial.
Bering Sea
Dean Stockwell, Kathy Kuletz, Richard L Thoman Jr, Amy Holman, Sarah Schoen, Mike Brubaker, Kris Holderied, Hillary Burgess

Record heat has Susitna Valley silver salmon in hot - and low - water
Two popular rivers are being closed to fishing because almost no cohos are making it upstream.
Willow, Alaska, United States

Drought Causes Water Emergency
"Nanwalek was in an emergency drought, we had to have water flown in for 60 households."
Nanwalek, Alaska, United States
Priscilla Evans, Michael Opheim , Brian Berube, John Warren, Richard L Thoman Jr

Wildfire Smoke Affecting Ability to Dry Fish
"The fish was easy to mold on the drying rack because the hot summer sun was not coming through the smoke."
Nuiqsut, Alaska, United States
Rosemary Ahtuangaruak, Raphaela Stimmelmayr, Alison York

Pack of brown bears reported in Magadan region
Bears in the Far East of Russia have become extremely aggressive searching for food. Experts say the number of bear attacks on humans this year is 'unprecedented.'
Takhtoyamsk, Magadan Oblast, Russia
Siberian Times

Laurel wilt in camphor (Cinnamomum camphora) tree?
"Camphor Trees typically seem healthy in this region and are invasive. Massive simultaneous failure of most branches seems unusual."
North Sarasota, Florida, United States
Jeffrey Eickwort, Jono Miller, Jessie Moan

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

'It looks like Christmas': Northeastern B.C. gets August snow dump
Residents in northeastern B.C. got quite the surprise over the weekend in the form of a large snowfall. While it's not entirely uncommon for towns in higher elevations to receive snow in August, getting a big dump is very unusual, said CBC meteorologist Brett Soderholm.
Buffalo Inn, Pink Mountain, BC, Canada
CBC News

Wildfire along Parks Highway burns at least 50 structures
The highway remained closed north of Willow after the fire jumped the road Sunday, authorities said. The fire started Saturday afternoon when wind blew a tree onto a power line.
Willow, Alaska, United States

Wasilla store contends with ‘large-scale’ rodent problem
Fred Meyer is employing an aggressive pest-control plan after customers spotted mice in the store through Southcentral Alaska’s unusually warm summer.
Wasilla, Alaska, United States

Fish Found in Stream Where There Are Usually No Fish
Fish in a local pond may have been washed to their new location during a recent severe rain event.
Quinhagak, Alaska, United States

Guadalupe Murrelet (Synthliboramphus hypoleucus) off Tofino
Multiple passengers on board were able to view and photograph the bird. This is the 3rd record for the province of BC.
Southwest of Tofino, BC, Canada
Rare Bird Alert
Mike Toochin, Melissa Hafting and Ilya Povalyaev

Sargassum hits Belize hard
For the fifth consecutive year, influxes of sargassum seaweed have begun piling up on beachfronts in major tourist destinations in Belize.
Placencia, Stann Creek, Belize
Breaking Belize News

Dozens of dead seabirds found on Kivalina coast
About 20 to 30 medium-sized birds with black backs and white bellies were found spaced out along the entire beach of the island.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder

Haines water department works to keep water flowing from Lily Lake amid drought
The main water line comes from Lily Lake through 10,000 feet of line. According to Supervisor Dennis Durr, “We’re making 130 gallons a minute right now. Normally this time of year we should be making at least 250 gallons a minute. We’re not keeping up right now, but we are making water. That’s good. That’s keeping us in the ball game here.”
Haines, Alaska, United States

Anglers allowed to catch chinook salmon in southwestern Yukon
Recreational anglers on the Tatshenshini River are now allowed to catch one fish and have one in their possession. Last year, they were only allowed to catch and release the fish.
Mosquito Lake, Alaska, United States

Whitehorse fish ladder sees delayed start to Chinook run
The Whitehorse fish ladder is seeing a slower start to the season than usual, with fewer fish than average having passed through at this point compared to previous years.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
Yukon News

Dead Sooty Shearwaters (Ardenna grisea)
This is the 6th observation on this topic received in LEO Network from Southwest Alaska since July 22, 2019.
Quinhagak, Alaska, United States
Jennifer Hooper, Hillary Burgess, Brian Lefferts, Alyssa Gustafson, Kathy Kuletz, Erica Lujan

Large icebergs are rare in Portage Lake nowadays. This week there are two new ‘shooters.'
“When I first started six years ago, icebergs like this were more common,” says a tour boat captain on the lake near Anchorage.
Whittier, Alaska, United States

River Otters (Lutra canadensis) on Bike Trail
River otters observed within Anchorage city limits.

2019 to be ‘worst-ever year’ for wildfires in Siberia and ‘only rain can now extinguish flames’
Some 5.4 million hectares of land are ablaze across Russia, mostly in Siberia and the country's far east. Water sprayed by planes to fight the fires is ‘now as expensive as Champagne’.
Siberian Times

Napakiak loses access to a main road as riverbank erosion persists
Storms tore more land away from Napakiak’s already heavily eroded riverbank in early August. About eight feet of bank fell into the Kuskokwim River, adding to the more than 100 feet of shoreline that has already been lost this year.
Napakiak, Alaska, United States

Why has Bethel been so wet? It’s been swimming in an atmospheric river
An “atmospheric river" is what it sounds like - a channel of very moist air coursing across the globe, up in the air. And it’s what’s been drenching parts of Alaska, including the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.
Bethel, Alaska, United States

Jakolof Creek Fish Die-off
"Jakolof Creek is dry almost all the way up to the switchbacks and continues to recede. The early run of red salmon may have made it to the lake, but that is probably the only run that has."
Head of Jakolof Bay on Jakolof Creek
Brian Berube, Stephen Payton, Glenn Hollowell, Michael Opheim , Ryan Brubaker

Community Water Shortage
Chignik Lagoon has been unable to produce enough water from their wells and has been pulling water from a creek since the beginning of June and subsequently have not been able to refill their water storage tank. The issue has been compounded by several substantial leaks in the water system. They have experienced up to 2 feet of water loss from their tank in one day.
Melany Eakin, Don Green, Santina Gay, CaSandera Johnson, Heidi Kritz, Edward "Ted" Smith, Michelle Anderson , Brian Berube, Jodee Anderson, Richard L Thoman Jr

Drought increases in SE Alaska while July temps break records
Southeast Alaska has suffered from a drought and warmer-than-normal temperatures for about two years now. The month of July broke more records.
Petersburg, Alaska, United States

Short-tailed Shearwaters (Ardenna tenuirostris) Found on Chukchi Sea Beach
More than 50 birds and a seal were found along the shoreline.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States
Kathy Kuletz, Janet Mitchell, Gay Sheffield, Hillary Burgess

Fort Resolution residents spot American Black Vulture ‘way, way out of its range’
Residents posted photos of the bird on social media this week, remarking on the unusual sighting and sharing pictures of the animal perched and in flight. The bird, known for its dark plumage and black, featherless head, is typically a southern species, concentrated around Mexico, parts of Arizona, Eastern Texas and the East Coast. It’s rarely spotted in the Midwest or West Coast.
Fort Resolution, Northwest Territories, Canada
NNSL Media

Why Lightning Strikes in an Arctic Gone Bizarro
Some rather peculiar weather over the weekend struck 300 miles from the North Pole. Here’s why that may be the new normal.
North Pole
WIRED

Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) with White Nodes/Lumps
If the cysts contain milky, white fluid, they are likely *Henneguya*, a harmless and relatively common parasite. But if they contain a larvae, they are likely tape worms which can infect people.
Tolstoi Bay, Alaska, United States
Ted Meyers, Carol Fletcher, Emily Mosites, Ryan Brubaker, Andrew Atkinson

Unidentified Grasshopper, Possible Genus Melanoplus
Grasshoppers aren't common around Saint Mary's, but may become abundant during years with warm temperatures and ample vegetation for food.
St. Mary's, Alaska, United States

Algal Bloom, Possibly Noctiluca, in Kizhuyak Bay
Ribbons of discolored water observed over Kizhuyak Bay that are likely related to a *Noctilica* bloom.
Chiniak, Alaska, United States
Brian Berube, Andie Wall , Kayla Schommer

Polar bear encounters in Kaktovik aren’t new. But they’re happening a bit earlier than last year.
Looking over a longer time span, bears in the southern Beaufort Sea are now using land to an extent they haven’t used it historically,” a researcher said.
Kaktovik, Alaska, United States

CRD warns visitors, dog owners of toxic algae in Beaver Lake
Visitors advised not to swim in lake and keep dogs on leash
Elk Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria News

Summer heat accelerates Alaska peony harvest
On another year, Christy might just now be finishing up the harvest. But today, the only flowers left from this season are stored in a walk-in cooler.
Wasilla, Alaska, United States

Sun disappears in bizarre repeat of last year’s blackout
This time weather experts think the blackout was caused by smoke from wildfires mixing with heavy rain clouds.
Verkhoyansk, Sakha, Russia

High Water in Selawik All Summer Long
High water posed safety hazards and resulted in the removal of boardwalk but also allowed boats to go further up river than usual.
Selawik, Alaska, United States
Ida Norton, Chris Dankmeyer, Crane Johnson, Tanya Ballot, Richard L Thoman Jr

Weird weather brings flooding to Kotzebue
The flooding was caused by a weather system that moved up to the Bering Sea from the tropics, and raised water levels and dumped rain across much of western Alaska.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
The Arctic Sounder

Mixed fortunes for berry pickers this year
The south and west of the country are on course for a good harvest, as the sun has been a near-constant companion all season. Berry pickers in East Iceland are less optimistic.
Egilsstaðir, East, Iceland

State reopens shellfish harvest
The state's Department of Environmental Services and Fish and Game announced effective Friday, Aug. 9 the ban on harvest of shellfish due to “red tide” is lifted for all species of shellfish except surf clams.The harvest closure went into effect May 9 for the Atlantic Ocean and Hampton/Seabrook Harbor in response to elevated levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning, or PSP, commonly known as red tide, detected in blue mussels collected from Hampton/Seabrook
Hampton, New Hampshire, United States
seacoastonline.com

Fizzy Bubbles in Lagoon No Cause for Concern
The Icelandic Met Office has determined that unusual air bubbles in the Kvíárlón lagoon to the southeast of the Öræfajökull volcano neither pose a health hazard to travellers nor indicate the onset of volcanic activity. Vísir reports that a local landowner contacted the meteorological office after seeing unusual air bubbles in the lagoon that “sounded […]

Heavy rain and continuing erosion force Napakiak to block main street
Winds gusted up to 46 mph and about 2.4 inches of rain fell from Friday to Sunday.
Napakiak, Alaska, United States

Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens) Nesting on Bogoslof Island
"Since the last eruption event, most seabird species that previously nested on the island have returned and made attempts to breed again...but the habitat is currently not ideal."
Bogoslof Island, Alaska, United States
Melissa Good, Kathy Kuletz, Chris Price, Nikki Whittern

Dry conditions persist, borough reissues mandatory water restriction
The borough re-issued mandatory water restrictions this week amid drought conditions and as Lily Lake water levels continue to drop. In August, the borough has banned watering lawns with sprinklers. Hand-drip irrigation of vegetable and flower gardens is allowed.
Chilkat Valley News

Moldy fish in an Alaskan river threaten a community’s food supply
In early October 2013, local fishers Eli Nukapigak and Edward Nukapigak Jr. alerted wildlife officials to the discovery of “sick fish” in their nets near Nuiqsut. The aanaakłiq had fuzzy grayish-white patches on their bodies, fins, and heads. Cottony masses almost covered the eyes of some fish. None of the fishers in the community recalled seeing this condition before.
Nuiqsut, Alaska, United States
Hakai Magazine

Deer covered in warts caught on camera
Fibromatosis is not a cause of deer mortality, according to officials, who added that the disease is not known to infect humans.
Pipestone, Minnesota, United States
Fox News

Officials: Cause of eastern Finland fish kill could take weeks to ascertain
The condition of the lake isn’t very good and it has the typical problems with high nutrient levels and depleted oxygen.
Rautalampi, Pohjois-Savo, Finland

Late Birch Leaf Edge Miner Damage
Browning on birch leaves before time for the fall season transition.
Lazy Mountain, Alaska, United States

Spruce Bark Beetle and Wood Boring Insects
"The spruce bark beetle epidemic currently ravaging Southcentral AK's spruce trees is well-known, but I haven't heard mention of other pests occurring in conjunction."
Lazy Mountain, Alaska, United States

Another major whale stranding event
For the second time in less than a month, a large pod of pilot whales has been discovered stranded on an Icelandic beach.Two-thirds of them were saved and driven back out to sea.
Garður, Southern Peninsula, Iceland

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

Algae Bloom Fouls N.J.’s Largest Lake, Indicating Broader Crisis
Lake Hopatcong, normally buzzing with swimmers and water skiers, is filled with cyanobacteria in quantities never before recorded.
Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, United States
New York Times

Short-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna tenuirostris) on the Kuskokwim
Nine short-tailed shearwaters (*Ardenna tenuirostris*) were seen floating in the Kuskokwim river, directly in front of Bethel. The birds were acting disoriented and farther up the Kuskokwim than normal.
Bethel, Alaska, United States
Cecilia Franko, Jennifer Hooper, Kathy Kuletz, Hillary Burgess

Nome Breaks Another Climate Record: Most Rain in 24 Hours
Heavy rain and coastal flood warnings threatened boats near Kotzebue, caused flooding at the old shipyard in St. Michael, and brought high water to the Eastern Norton Sound as well as several rivers near Nome.
Nome, Alaska, United States
KNOM Radio Mission

Dead Seal
Alaska has experienced a series of seal mortalities in June that were concentrated in the northern part of the state. This dead seal was found on the bluff near a public park in Anchorage.

First Confirmed Hoodwinker Sunfish Photographed in Monterey Bay!!
Major Mola Moment: First Confirmed Hoodwinker Sunfish Photographed in Monterey Bay!!
Pacific Grove, California, United States
Monterey Bay Aquarium

August Storm Resulted in High Water
An unseasonable rain event brought high rainfall and led to high water, especially around noon on August 3rd.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States
Anahma Shannon, Gay Sheffield, Racheal Lee, John Henry, Richard L Thoman Jr, Edward "Ted" Smith

Dead Seabirds, Including Shearwaters (genus Ardenna), Found on Beach
"I discovered possibly 43 seabirds and may have missed more on August 3, 2019, just on the southwest side and did not go further on southeast side of our beach. Not sure, maybe they died of hunger."
Togiak, Alaska, United States
Gayla Hoseth, Kathy Kuletz, Diane Abraham, Hillary Burgess

Storm-related Erosion in Shaktoolik
"We were lucky to have the berm in place. The next day, the water levels went down and the erosion was noticeable."
Shaktoolik, Alaska, United States
Anahma Shannon, Racheal Lee, Jacquelyn Overbeck, Richard Buzard, Jolene Auliye, Gay Sheffield, Edward "Ted" Smith

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

Alaska glacier where boaters were found dead had recently become prone to calving, guide says
It's possible the trio’s canoe was upset by a calving, or shedding, piece of ice. Although all three were wearing life jackets, none was wearing a wetsuit to protect against the frigid water.
Tatitlek, Alaska, United States

How an accelerated warming cycle in Alaska's Bering Sea is creating ecological havoc
Every year since 2015, the Bering Sea has melted out earlier than in every year before 2015. If heat is killing animals, scientists have yet to pin down exactly how it is doing so.
ArcticToday

Chum salmon (Oncohynchus keta) and Northern Pike (Esox lucius) with Red Spots under Scales and Abrasions on Their Bellies
Warm water temperatures may be causing stress and increase the risk of infections and other illness in fish.
Buckland, Alaska, United States

3 kayakers found dead in water of Alaska glacier
Authorities in Alaska are investigating the deaths of three kayakers whose bodies were found in the water of a glacier.
Valdez, Alaska, United States

Mass Die-off of Shearwaters (genus Ardenna)
"Within a week we saw thousands of shearwaters along the beaches, and witnessed hundreds dead. They would sit on the tideline unable to walk, foraging on dead fish that had washed ashore and trying to feed on the fish in the nets of the set net sites as well."
Egegik, Alaska, United States
CaSandera Johnson, Jessica Chernikoff, Kathy Kuletz, Erin Ranney, Jaclyn Christensen, Hillary Burgess, Melany Eakin

E39 is washed away
Several ground slides close E39 between Førde and Skei in Jølster. More than 150 people must be evacuated.
Vassenden, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
Marita Solheim, Roy Raasholm Fauske, Erlend Blaalid Oldeide, Tonje Noreng Trøen

Wildfire smoke prompts health advisory in Fort Good Hope, Norman Wells
Smoke exposure can cause several symptoms, including sore eyes, tears, cough and runny nose. People who are active outdoors are the most at-risk, according to the health advisory issued Tuesday morning.
Norman Wells, Northwest Territories, Canada

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
The Moscow Times

Honeybees are dying; beekeepers suspect pesticides are to blame
Local beekeepers suspect pesticides used for controlling mosquitoes may be the cause.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Abnormal heat spurs reindeer to hit the beach
A swimming spot in northern Finland had unlikely visitors seeking solace from soaring temperatures.
Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland

Uncommon Squat Lobster (Munida quadrispina) Sighting
A squat lobster (*Munida quadrispina*) was pulled up in a shrimp pot placed in Prince William Sound, which is not a common event. Squat lobsters are commonly found in Southeast Alaska during ADF&G shrimp survey pots and in scallop dredge surveys near Yakutat, Kayak Island, Kachemak Bay, and Kodiak.
Surprise Cove, Alaska, United States

Grasshopper invasion of Las Vegas may last weeks
An unusually wet year is responsible for the biblical-seeming swarm of pallid-winged grasshoppers, according to entomologists.
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
New York Times

Fant mer enn 200 døde rein: – Skyldes klimaendringer
Aldri før har forskere funnet så mange rein som har sultet i hjel på Svalbard.
Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen

Dead Pre-spawned Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)
During the summer of 2019, warm water temperatures lowered the amount of dissolved oxygen in rivers and caused salmon across the state, including Mountain Village, to die before they were able to spawn.
Mountain Village, Alaska, United States

Scientists Need Help Studying Dead Salmon In Yukon Area
Dead chum salmon are lining the banks of one of the Yukon River’s largest tributaries. Koyukuk River residents and scientists alike suspect the deaths are
Huslia, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Thirsty elk seek water during heatwave, motorists warned
A total of 140 crashes and other accidents involving elk have been reported in the last week alone, police said, especially in the area around Pyhäjärvi lake near the town of Säkylä in the southwest of Finland.
Säkylä, Satakunta, Finland

Toxic Algae Advisory for Klamath River
Caution: Blue Green Algae has been detected in the Lower Klamath River and contact with water is not advised. Samples in the South Slough located in the Estuary of the River and near the confluence of Tulley Creek and the Klamath River recently detected low levels of toxic algae.
Klamath, California, United States
Yurok Tribe Environmental Department

Unusual Rusty Tussock Caterpillar (Orgyia antiqua)
"This is the first time I've seen this kind of caterpillar in this area."
Toksook Bay, Alaska, United States

More than two million hectares on fire in Siberia, with tundra on fire destroying the permafrost
Some 784,931 hectares of wildfires are raging on permafrost zones including the Arctic in Yakutia - officially Sakha Republic - and the Khanty-Mansi autonomous region, causing possibly irreparable damage to the tundra. Other infernos are sweeping through boreal forests which are known as the lungs of the Northern Hemisphere.
Vanavara, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia

Unspawned Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) and Other Dead Fish
"Over 40 dead dog salmon, one shee fish, one lush fish, and two delmaga all dead along the river going towards the creek opening."
Kaltag, Alaska, United States
Kyle Wright, Carolyn Craig, Jayde Ferguson

Heatwave Temperatures: 38 Degrees C (in the shade)
Highest measured temperatures ever (2018) were measured in Arcen, Holland. 38,2 degrees celsius.
Zwolle, Overijssel, Netherlands

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

Bristol Bay sockeye harvest blowing away forecast once again
As of July 21, fishermen in Bristol Bay’s five districts had harvested just more than 42 million salmon.
Naknek, Alaska, United States
Elizabeth Earl, Alaska Journal of Commerce

All-time temperature records tumble again as heatwave sears Europe
Highs in Germany, Netherlands and Belgium exceeded for second time in 24 hours.
Paris, Île-de-France, France
the Guardian

Giant Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) Found Farther West Than Normal
Giant kelp (*Macrocystis pyrifera*) is normally found in Prince William Sound and Kodiak Archipelago. However, it has recently appeared at the north end of Zachary Bay near Sand Point.

Netherlands and Belgium record highest ever temperatures
All-time records in Germany and Luxembourg could also fall in latest continent-wide heatwave
Tilburg, North Brabant, Netherlands
the Guardian

Satellite photos show blue-green algae blooming in blistering heat
Researcher Sirpa Lehtinen from the Finnish Environment Institute (Syke) said that cyanobacteria exist in seawater all year round, but intense heat causes them to multiply quickly.
Turku, Southwest Finland, Finland

Records tumble as Europe swelters in heatwave
Temperatures pass 39C in Belgium and the Netherlands, as a Eurostar train breaks down in the heat.
Eindhoven, North Brabant, Netherlands

Biologists scoop up invasive goldfish at Cuddy Pond
Wildlife officials used rotenone, a fish-killing chemical, to eradicate goldfish illegally introduced to the pond at Cuddy Family Midtown Park.

Moderate drought hits the Kenai Peninsula
It’s official: the Kenai Peninsula is in a moderate drought. After months of warm weather and little rain, the United States Drought Monitor designated the region abnormally dry. The drought is creating a crisis for farmers who are having to water their crops more often while at the same time their wells are drying up. There are roughly 260 farms on the peninsula.
Homer, Alaska, United States

Salmon Die-off
Salmon are dying along the Andreafsky River and Lower Yukon River before spawning out. Water surface temperatures have been unusually warm, at one point reaching 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
St. Mary's, Alaska, United States
Jennifer Dobson, Jayde Ferguson, Eric Alstrom, Brian Lefferts

Dead Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)
Thousands of dead sockeye salmon (*Oncorhynchus nerka*) found dead along the beach during a period of warm weather. Additional salmon have been observed in the Togiak River, raising concerns about possible challenges to subsistence harvest.
Twin Hills, Alaska, United States

Krill (Thysanoessa spinifera) Found Washed Up on Beach
Krill (*Thysanoessa spinifera*) were found washed up along the beach in Dutch Harbor. Samples sent to University of Alaska Fairbanks are in the process of being tested for toxins.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States
Karen Pletnikoff, Asia Beder, Dean Stockwell, Melissa Good, Bruce Wright

Major Siberian cities choking from strong wildfires
Krasnoyarsk and Novosibirsk suffering smoke pollution and infernos rage in forests after hot, dry weather.
Krasnoyarsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia
Siberian Times

Dead Birds, Including Short-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna tenuirostris), Washed Up on Beach
The timing coincides with other sea bird deaths reported in St. Paul Island, Pilot Point, and Ugashik.
Kathy Kuletz, Jaclyn Christensen, Hillary Burgess

Unidentified Orange Substance Found Washed Up on the Beach in Unalaska
An unidentified substance was found washed up on the Summers Bay beach. Samples were sent to University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) and are being tested.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States
Karen Pletnikoff, Dean Stockwell, Asia Beder, Melissa Good

Evacuation alert issued for Elsa and Keno City
Residents and visitors in Elsa and Keno City, Yukon, as well as areas of north Hansen Lake, have been put on an evacuation alert because of the Shanghai Creek wildfire currently burning out of control.
Keno City, Yukon, Canada

A sweaty Saturday: Hottest day of the year in Toronto, Ottawa
The sweltering weather continues Saturday with several parts of Canada under heat warnings and Toronto, Ottawa and Windsor experiencing the hottest day of the year.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Heavy smoke in parts of N.W.T., air quality statement in effect
Environment Canada has issued air quality statements for parts of the N.W.T.'s Mackenzie Delta region, including Fort McPherson and Tsiigehtchic.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Lake Is Full of Algae This Summer
"I am worried that unless we do something, the algae will kill the lake, or at least our enjoyment of it."
Shelley Griffith, Mike Brubaker, Dean Stockwell, Gillian Brubaker , Gino Graziano

Fifty Whales Found Dead on West Iceland Beach
Fifty pilot whales were found dead on the shore of Löngufjörur in a sparsely populated part of the Snæfellsnes peninsula on Thursday, RÚV reports.
Stykkishólmur, West, Iceland

Fasciated Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium)
Fireweed observed with flat, curled stem and many buds, indicating fasciation.
Kenai, Alaska, United States
Kelly Matthews, Gino Graziano, Jessie Moan, Nathan Lojewski

Hoverfly Larva (possibly Dasysyrphus)
Hoverfly larva (possibly *Dasysyrphus*) found out in the open. Usually, they are found in stagnant water, on a decomposing animal carcass, or in rot holes of trees.
Jessie Moan, Stephen Payton, Derek Sikes

Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) with Twisted Spine
Chum salmon (*Oncorhynchus keta*) caught with a spinal curvature, which may be related to many different factors including genetics, infectious disease, trauma, neoplasm, diet, or changes in the environment.
Mountain Village, Alaska, United States

Vegetables are mature earlier than farmers have ever seen; flowers are ready to go
“The growth-cycle this year is unprecedented,” with carrots, peas and broccoli heads “as big as a platter,” farmers market vendors say.
Palmer, Alaska, United States

West Vancouver closes popular beach due to bacteria levels
Another Metro Vancouver beach has been closed to swimmers following concerns about bacteria.
Ambleside Beach, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
CTV News

Sturgeon Caught in Yukon River
Two sturgeon were caught in the Yukon River, farther upriver than has been previously reported.
Mountain Village, Alaska, United States

Blue-green algae bloom in coastal pond
Cape May Point, New Jersey, United States

Fire crews pulled from wildfire near Yellowknife that's too dangerous to fight
The department of Environment and Natural Resources says fires were caused by lightning.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Bears try to move in, Angoon sets boundaries
Furry visitors have kept the residents of Angoon on their toes for the past few weeks. Several bears have made a habit of passing through town.
Angoon, Alaska, United States

Second Tick I Have Pulled off My Dog This Summer
"He could have picked it up in the backyard or on an earlier walk to the park."
Pamela Szatanek, Kimberlee Beckmen, Louisa Castrodale, Micah Hahn

Unusually Warm Temperatures
Temperatures in July reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit, above the normal high temperature of 72.3 degrees.
Ambler, Alaska, United States

'This is unprecedented': Alert, Nunavut is warmer than Victoria
Weather watchers are focused on the world's most northerly community, which is in the middle of a record-breaking heat wave.
Canadian Forces Base Alert, Nunavut
CBC News

Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) in Tsawwassen
The bird flew in on the mudflats at high tide and joined a small flock of Western Sandpipers. This is the second record for the province of BC.
Beach Grove lagoon at Boundary Bay Regional Park, BC, Canada
Rare Bird Alert
Ilya Povalyaev, Melissa Hafting, Mike Toochin, Sharon Toochin and Richard Swanston

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

Algal Bloom
Discolored marine waters near Haines may be reflective of the extremely high level of algae in southeast waters this month.
Kyle Rosendale, Luke Williams, Bruce Wright, Rose Masui, Chris Whitehead, Dean Stockwell

More dead marine mammals, birds found on region’s beaches
Alaska Sea Grant agent Gay Sheffield from Nome responded to report of a dead bowhead and a dead grey whale northeast of Shishmaref near Cape Espenburg.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Record Warm Water Likely Gave Kuskokwim Salmon Heart Attacks
As record high temperatures swept Alaska, many people said that the heat was killing them. For Kuskokwim salmon, it was actually true.
Akiak, Alaska, United States

Rusty tussock moths invade Seward Peninsula
The rusty tussock moth has invaded the tundra in the Nome area, an infestation of the species not seen this far north before.
The Nome Nugget

Dead Chum (Oncorhynchus keta) Salmon Floating in Yukon River
Dead chum salmon have been spotted floating down the Yukon river. Water temperatures are measuring at 70 degrees, the warmest in recollection.
Kotlik, Alaska, United States

Fish Die-Off Tubutulik River
We observed more than 50 otherwise healthy (not spawned out) dead fish including pink and chum salmon and white fish
Koyuk, Alaska, United States

Lots of Dead Female Pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) Salmon
Warm water near Golovin is hurting pink salmon. Many salmon caught had red speckled dots on flesh, raising concerns about food safety. Female pink salmon were seen dead in the bay.

Dead Silver Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in Kouwegoki Slough and Along Powers Creek, Among Other Locations
In early July, dead fish were observed floating along Kouwegoki Slough and along Powers Creek, among other locations.
John Henry, Racheal Lee, Anahma Shannon, Gay Sheffield

Warmer waters believed to be main cause for dead pink salmon in Norton Sound
Norton Sound residents have reported salmon die-offs in unusually large numbers during the last week. According to the Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation (NSEDC), dead pre-spawned pink salmon were found in multiple river systems over the weekend.
Shaktoolik, Alaska, United States

Warm Ocean Temperatures
In July, Norton Sound water surface temperatures reached 68.2 DEG F on 7/10 and 69.3 DEG F on 7/11, which is about 17 degrees above average. The water was warm enough to comfortably swim in.
Nome Alaska
Jason Sebring, Richard L Thoman Jr, Gay Sheffield, Racheal Lee, Anahma Shannon

Common Loon (Gavia immer) Calling Circle
Large groups of loons are rarely observed in the summer on Homer's Beluga Lake. Over a dozen were observed calling back and forth on Beluga Lake.
Homer, Alaska, United States

Wildfires near Dawson City threaten North Klondike Highway
Fire crews are battling a pair of major wildfires on the North Klondike Highway near Dawson City that are creating smoky conditions for locals but have not yet led to highway closures, Yukon Protective Services said Wednesday afternoon.
Dawson City, Yukon, Canada

Dead Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta), King Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), and Whitefish Along Yukon Riverbank
Dead salmon and whitefish found along the banks of the Yukon River.
Alakanuk, Alaska, United States

Heat Wave Hits Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta
People living in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta felt something unusual this past holiday weekend: a heat wave. Temperatures crept close to 90 degrees in many parts of the region.
Chevak, Alaska, United States

Unidentified Spider - Brown Recluse, Wolf Spider, or Something Else?
Unidentified urban garden spider. Without a photo or a specimen, confirmation of the species is impossible.

Burying Beetle (Genus Nicrophorus) in Southwest Alaska
A burying beetle was seen for the first time by an observer in Tuntutuliak.
Tuntutuliak, Alaska, United States

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) in Yukon
Way out side of typical range.
Mayo, Yukon, Canada

Temperatures Rise Outside and Inside Buildings
Our operations and maintenance staff do their best to insure all mechanical systems are functioning properly. But several factors limited their ability to respond, including significant smoke from the Swan Lake wildfire.
Anchorage, Alaska
Shelley Griffith, Richard L Thoman Jr, Jared James, Travis Smith, Santina Gay

Invasive poison hemlock a growing concern on Vancouver Island
The Capital Regional District recently issued an alert sheet for Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum).
Capital Regional District, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Island

Air quality plummets as wildfire smoke hits Alaska's most populous cities
Smoke and soot from central Alaska wildfires have afflicted the subarctic city of Fairbanks with some of the world's worst air pollution in recent days, forcing many residents indoors and prompting one hospital to set up a "clean air shelter."
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Reuters

What the haze? Here's the deal with all the smoke in Juneau right now
A hazy shade of summer.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Juneau Empire

NASA satellites find biggest seaweed bloom in the world
An unprecedented belt of brown algae stretches from West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico. The largest bloom of macroalgae in the world, has been dubbed the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt.
Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (GASB)
EurekAlert!

Anchorage fire officials respond to 25 fires in a day; implore public to heed burn ban
The city is so parched and hot that even a cigarette tossed into a pile of fluffy cottonwood fiber could ignite a fire.

Rusty Tussock Moth (Orgyia antiqua) Caterpillars in Nome
Unusually high abundance of rusty tussock moth caterpillars in the Nome area.
Elizabeth Graham, Jessie Moan, Robin Mulvey, Tammy Davis, John Lundquist, John Lundquist

General open fire ban in effect for much of Yukon
Due to 'extreme fire danger,' all open fires have been banned across much of Yukon, effective immediately.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Extremely Warm Temperatures
It was also during the week where a number of dead fish started to occur along the riverine segment.
Anahma Shannon, John Henry, Richard L Thoman Jr, Gay Sheffield, Austin Ahmasuk

Dragon Flies Reach the Colville Nigliq Channel
Nuiqsut, Alaska, United States

Sand Lance (Ammodytes hexapterus) Die-Off
Hundreds of dead sand lance (*Ammodytes hexapterus*) found along the shores of White Sands Beach.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States
Bruce Wright, Jayde Ferguson, Stephanie Mason, Ted Meyers

Dead Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) Floating Down River
"Our temperatures reached 83 degrees, and seem to be getting hotter! We think that maybe the warm water has something to do with the humpy die-off?"
Shaktoolik, Alaska, United States
Jayde Ferguson, Anahma Shannon, Toby Thaler, Jolene Auliye, Gay Sheffield

Add krill and mussels to the list of unusual marine deaths in Northwest Alaska
Village wildlife observers worry that the unusual warmth of oceans off Alaska is causing problems throughout the ecosystem.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States

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

Warmer Water Means More Parasites In Kuskokwim Salmon
Subsistence families along the Kuskokwim River are cutting open fish to find white balls or white streaks deforming the meat.

Eating shellfish you’ve harvested yourself is risky - and can be deadly
In Southeast Alaska this summer, researchers have seen extremely high levels of harmful toxins in mussels and clams plucked from beaches.

Infestation of Rusty Tussock Caterpillars (Orgyia antiqua) in Nome River Valley
Unusually high abundance of caterpillars in the Nome River Valley.

Alaska’s changing climate
Local residents debated whether a massive release of spruce pollen, which accumulated on every surface—including car bonnets, picnic tables and the nearby Kachemak Bay—amounted to a “golden sheen” or a “yellow scum”. The fine dust turned the surface of the sea the colour of butter and left a bright, lemony line on shore that marked the extent of high tide and gave off a sickly sweet smell. This huge release of pollen might be yet another symptom of a rapidly changing environment.
The Economist

Anchorage hits an official 90 degrees for the first time on record
There’s little relief from the daytime heat in the forecast for the rest of the holiday weekend.

Cone Clouds
Unusual cone clouds in the air likely produced precipitation that evaporated before reaching the ground, due to unusually warm conditions.
Toksook Bay, Alaska, United States

Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) Breeding in Osoyoos
This is the first breeding record for this species in all of Canada.
Osoyoos, British Columbia, Canada

East Anchorage wildfire expected to be out in 2-3 days, fire officials say
The fire had reached 90% containment by Thursday evening, according to the Alaska Division of Forestry.

Farmers concerned about heat, lack of rain
As lower Kenai Peninsula temperatures have soared recently, local farmers and gardeners have concerns about how June’s lack of rain and steady warm temperatures will affect their businesses in the weeks ahead.
Homer News

Researcher discovers mussels on California coast were cooked to death in heat wave
Massive amounts of the mussels clinging to the rocky shores and cliffs of the Bodega Marine Reserve were cooked in the June heat wave.
Bodega Bay, California, United States
SFGate

Scarlet Globemallow in suburban Calgary
Uncommon wildlfower species found in suburban Calgary.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Flooding in Kotlik
Kotlik, Alaska, United States
Richard L Thoman Jr, Elizabeth Buckingham, Crane Johnson, Harold Okitkun

Dead Ash Trees Across Western New York State
Churchville, New York, United States

A rat was found dead on St. Paul Island in the Bering Sea. Here’s why that’s a big deal.
The Bering Sea island is breeding habitat for millions of seabirds, including rare migratory species. A “strike team” had been searching for the rogue rat for 10 months.
Saint Paul, Alaska, United States

Where are the endangered whales? Southern residents haven't been spotted in B.C.'s Salish Sea
Southern resident killer whales which are often spotted in the Salish Sea near Vancouver throughout June haven't been seen this season, and scientists believe that could be because of the lack of chinook salmon.
Salish Sea, British Columbia, Canada
CBC News

Freak Summer Hail Storm Blankets Mexico's Guadalajara
"Hail more than a meter high, and then we wonder if climate change exists," said Enrique Alfaro Ramírez, the governor of Jalisco state. The Mexican army is helping to dig out the city.
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
NPR.org

TenTen Creek return of Salmon Species
North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada

Trees Devastated by Spruce Bark Beetles (Dendroctonus rufipennis)
"My family and I have been RV camping across Alaska for the last several years. This year, the mass amounts of dead spruce trees have been more apparent than any year prior."
Chase, Alaska, United States
Adrienne Fleek, Desirae Mack, Tricia Wurtz

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

Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) and Other Fish Dying in Warm Water
Koyuk, Alaska, United States
Gay Sheffield, Chris Dankmeyer, Anahma Shannon, Rebecca Charles, Austin Ahmasuk, Racheal Lee, Jayde Ferguson

European heatwave death toll rises as temperatures ease from record highs
A four-day heatwave across western Europe that killed seven people began to ease slightly on Sunday, as temperature alerts were cut back and wildfires slowly brought under control.
Europe

Flood apocalypse in Eastern Siberia kills five and maroons 9,919 whose homes destroyed or damaged
State of emergency in Irkutsk region as President Vladimir Putin flies in amid carnage from heavy rain - with ‘worse to come’.
Tulun, Irkutsk, Russia

Bacteria caused bee disease reported in Norway
The bacterium can survive for several years in the beehives and the disease can cause severe loss of fry and bee colonies.
Engesland, Aust-Agder, Norway

More dead ice seals found near Deering
This comes just days after other reports of about 60 dead ice seals found from Kotlik to Kotzebue and Kivalina to Point Hope.
Deering, Alaska, United States
The Arctic Sounder

Smoke from Alaska wildfire threatens Anchorage's air quality
Smoke from wildfires in Alaska could cause very unhealthy air quality conditions and low visibility over the weekend in Anchorage, the state's largest city, officials said.
U.S.

Wildfires and power cuts plague Europe as heatwave breaks records
Hundreds of firefighters battled on Saturday to contain wildfires in southern France as a stifling heatwave brought record-breaking temperatures to parts of Europe, killing at least three people in Italy.
Madrid, Madrid, Spain
U.S.

Sargassum Seaweed (S. fluitans and S. natans) beaching in Key West
Little to no apparent management posed possible ecological and environmental health concerns.
Key West, Florida, United States

Tick that makes people allergic to red meat spotted in Ontario
A veterinary clinic in southern Ontario is sounding the alarm after discovering a rare tick known to cause a meat allergy in humans.
London, Ontario, Canada
CTVNews

Unidentified Algal Bloom in Coastal Water
An unidentified algal bloom, resembling large clumps of grease or sawdust, stretched from Kingsmill Point all the way up to Pybus Bay. Didn't see any impact to fish or wildlife in the area.
Amy Holman, Kayla Schommer, Dean Stockwell, Jeanette Gann, Erica Lujan, Rose Masui, Chris Whitehead

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
The Moscow Times

Cape Thompson: Gathering Murre (Uria aalge) Eggs
Murres along Cape Thompson are migrating earlier, allowing coastal community residents to collect eggs a few weeks earlier than normal.

Victoria sets rainfall record amid very dry June
The South Island is on track to set a single-day record for rainfall Thursday in the midst of a historically dry June.
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
CTV News, Vancouver Island

The state meteorologists were not prepared for the downpour
On Wednesday, a new precipitation record was measured in Oslo with 22 millimeters in 10 minutes. "We had expected rain showers, but not that it would be so heavy," says state meteorologist.
Oslo, Norway

Flooding from Heavy Rain
Strong southerly winds brought moisture from the central Pacific in to the King Cove area. The FAA weather station at the King Cove airport recorded 4.93" of rain from the early morning of June 25 through the early morning of June 28, and half of that total (2.49") fell in 12 hours from late evening on the 26th to late morning on the 27th, and resulted in flooding.
King Cove, Alaska, United States

European Heat Wave Shatters June Records in 6 Nations and France Set a New All-Time Record
All-time record highs for June have already been topped, but all-time records for any month of the year could be threatened this weekend.
Paris, Île-de-France, France
The Weather Channel

Sea Star Wasting Disease
Sea star wasting disease (SSWD) observed near King Cove
King Cove, Alaska, United States
Melissa Good, Ginger Bear, Amy Holman, Bruce Wright, Melissa Miner, Karen Pletnikoff

2 more dead right whales discovered in Gulf of St. Lawrence
There was no evidence of recent fishing gear entanglement or recent vessel strike in their preliminary assessment. Further testing is ongoing to identify other potential causes of death.

Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) on BC's Central Coast
Goose Island, British Columbia, Canada

Dead Krill and Sea Birds, Stranded Ice Seals
A range of wildlife-related events have been occurring this month in Shishmaref and other parts of Norton Sound.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States
Anahma Shannon, Dean Stockwell, Kathy Burek Huntington, Louisa Castrodale, Kathy Kuletz, Andrew Kakoona, Ted Meyers, Sharon Nayokpuk, Gay Sheffield, Bob Gerlach, Richard L Thoman Jr, Joel Garlich-Miller, Mike Brubaker, Amy Holman, Racheal Lee, Barbara Mahoney, Kimberlee Beckmen, Chris Dankmeyer

Residents near Shovel Creek fire asked to prepare for possible evacuation
As of Monday morning, the fire 3 miles north of Murphy Dome was estimated at 650 acres. About 146 personnel working to contain the fire, which was started by lightning on Friday.
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Scientists search for cause of ice seal deaths
Around 60 ice seals have been reported dead across northern and western Alaska this month.
The cause of the strandings and deaths is not known.
Arctic Sounder

Puffins Numbers High in Westman Islands
A total of 78% of puffin nests on the islands were occupied in a recent survey. Puffins have been hard hit in recent years due to a diminished food supply. It remains to be seen how successful the breeding season will be.
Vestmannaeyjar, South, Iceland

Insects feast on willows after unusually warm, dry spring
The willow blotch leaf miner appears to be having a banner year in Whitehorse, likely because of hot, dry conditions in the city this spring.

Warm, windy weather stokes Kenai Peninsula wildfire, leading to traffic delays and campground closures
The latest update put the Swan Lake fire’s size at 23,530 acres.
Soldotna, Alaska, United States

The Salish Sea’s orcas are late for their annual summer visit, the latest sign something is wrong
Researchers say their absence is a stark reminder that the orcas are slowly starving to death because there is not enough Chinook salmon to sustain them.
Salish Sea
The Star

Rare eruption of Russia's Raikoke Volcano Erupts
Unlike some of its perpetually active neighbors on the Kamchatka Peninsula, Raikoke Volcano on the Kurile Islands rarely erupts. The small, oval-shaped island most recently exploded in 1924 and in 1778.
WDRB

Late Arrival of Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae)
Late arrival of humpback whales may be related to a change in abundance of prey species.

Northern B.C. lake closed to fishing due to infestation of invasive goldfish
Goldfish compete with native fish for food, potentially threatening an ecosystem.
Lost Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Global News

Invasive elodea prompts closure of Susitna Valley lakes
Elodea was discovered in Alexander Lake in 2014 by researchers checking minnow traps. At the time, it covered 20 percent of the lake but now has spread to 90 percent.
Alaska Journal of Commerce

3 more gray whale carcasses found in Alaska amid spike in deaths along West Coast
An alarming number of gray whales have been found dead this year from Mexico to Alaska, triggering a federal investigation into what’s causing the die-off.
Sitka, Alaska, United States

Utqiagvik Smashes June Record High
When temperatures soar this high above the Arctic Circle, it’s an attention-grabber.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
The Weather Channel

Stranded walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)
"Its face was down in the mud and it was laboring to breathe. Its body condition was wasted and we could see its ribs."
Solomon, Alaska, United States
Jonathan Snyder, Dean Stockwell, Barbara Mahoney, Anahma Shannon, Mellisa Heflin, Gay Sheffield, Kathy Kuletz, Racheal Lee, Louisa Castrodale, Joel Garlich-Miller, Michelle Snowball, Raphaela Stimmelmayr, Chris Dankmeyer

Blue Mussel (Mytilus edulis) Die-Off
"When we looked over the side of the boat, we saw clumps of mussels floating up the whole Tuksuk channel. No one has ever heard of something like this before."
Port Clarence, Alaska, United States
Brad Harris, Anahma Shannon, Gay Sheffield, Allison Topkok, Louisa Castrodale, Amy Holman, Jonathan Snyder, Joel Garlich-Miller, Racheal Lee, Erica Lujan, Barbara Mahoney, Emily Mosites, Bob Gerlach, Dean Stockwell

Smoke from Kenai Peninsula wildfire likely to blow into Anchorage through this weekend
“Smoke concentrations will be such that they could impact public health at times, according to an advisory issued by the state Division of Air Quality.
Kalifornsky, Alaska, United States

Exhausted and Starving Polar Bear Wanders Into Siberian City
It is the first polar bear seen in the city in more than 40 years, according to local environmentalists.
Norilsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia

Thousands of residents evacuated in northern Alberta county due to fire threat
While central Alberta is under a rainfall warning, thousands of people in Mackenzie County in northern Alberta are being evacuated from their homes in the face of aggressive and growing wildfires.

13-year-old girl bit by sea lion in ‘very rare’ attack at Pismo Beach
A girl from Paso Robles, California, was bit by a sea lion in Pismo Beach on Friday near the pier. The animal that attacked likely had domoic acid poisoning, and will be treated at the Marine Mammal Center.
Pismo Beach, California, United States
The San Luis Obispo Tribune

India's sixth largest city 'runs out of water'
Chennai's severe water shortage has forced restaurants to shut and the city to scramble for solutions.
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Goldfish are thriving in a Midtown Anchorage pond. Alaska wildlife biologists want them gone.
The fish, likely former aquarium pets, have attracted the attention of invasive-species managers.

Arctic permafrost thawing 70 years early
A new study has found permafrost at outposts in the Canadian Arctic is thawing 70 years earlier than predicted.
Sachs Harbour, Northwest Territories, Canada

Dead Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)
This walrus was found by a local fisherman and reported by LEO Network to the US Fish and Wildlife Walrus Hotline. The carcass is thought to be too old for necropsy or sample collection.
St. Michael, Alaska, United States
Louisa Castrodale, Mellisa Heflin, Anahma Shannon, Joel Garlich-Miller, Jonathan Snyder, Barbara Mahoney, Racheal Lee, Gay Sheffield, Michelle Snowball

Booming anchovy population helps salmon, orcas
Swarms of anchovy can be seen swimming through the South Sound.
KIRO

Fire Smoke in Unalakleet Area
Smoke from the North River fire is impacting outdoor air quality. The ADEC Division of Air Quality has issued an air quality advisory in effect from Tuesday, June 18, 2019 8:00 AM to Friday June 21, 2019 4:00 PM.

Bear attacks man in Naknek
The Bristol Bay Times - Serving Dillingham, Naknek, King Salmon and Southwest villages
Naknek, Alaska, United States
Alaska Media, LLC., Steve Keller designer and application developer

Alarming wildfires rage near giant ‘Mouth of Hell’ gash in the tundra, a wonder of Siberia
The fires are now raging some 10 to 15 kilometers from the megaslump crater - a large hole in the frozen Arctic soil which highlights the dramatic speed of thawing permafrost.
Батагай, Верхоянский район, Республика Саха, Russia

Tumor found in King Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
Tumor found in King Salmon (*Oncorhynchus tshawytscha*)
Pilot Station, Alaska, United States

Blue-green algae increasing in Finnish lakes
Potentially harmful blue-green algae has increased in lakes over the past week.
Vainikkala, South Karelia, Finland

Kenai Peninsula wildfire doubles in size but spreads away from populated areas
It’s not dangerous at this point to drive on the Sterling Highway, though smoke may reduce visibility.
Kenai, Alaska, United States

'Potentially lethal' toxins found in Juneau shellfish
A group that monitors shellfish toxin levels is warning Juneau residents not to consume shellfish from locations in the Auke Bay area.
KTOO

Melting Arctic sea ice forces sled dogs to slosh through water
A dog-sled team ran into standing water after the onset of warm conditions across the northern territory caused rapid ice melt.
Qaanaaq, Qaasuitsup Kommunia, Greenland

Uncommon Minnow may be a Slimy Sculpin (Cottus cognatus)
An unusual minnow with eyes on the top of its head may be a slimy sculpin (*Cottus cognatus*)
Chuathbaluk, Alaska, United States

Two Unidentified Flying Insects and Two Unidentified Spiders
Two flying insects and two spiders observed in Grayling are not unexpected in the area, but had not been recognized before.

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.

Sea Lice Plagues Return and Threat to Wild Salmon Increases
Major sea lice epidemics have erupted on Atlantic salmon fish farms on Vancouver Island’s west coast over the last three months, according to industry, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and independent reports.
Clayquot Sound, British Columbia, Canada
The Tyee

It’s spring, but B.C. is sounding the alarm on drought
Drought levels have been raised already for parts of the province and Dave Campbell, with the B.C. River Forecast Centre, says the current forecast points to drought conditions provincewide in the coming weeks.
British Columbia, Canada
Port Alberni Valley News

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.

18 Dead Seals near Kotlik
18 dead seals were found along the coast, and are like part of a larger mortality event that includes 60 seals total. The average number of dead ice seals normally found in a year is 18.

Waterspout touches down in Finnish Archipelago
A close cousin to the tornado - the waterspout - touched down in south-western Finland on Friday.
Pargas, Southwest Finland, Finland

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

Observed Smoke from Forest Fire
Smoke from the South River Hills Fire could be seen from Unalakleet. The fire began approximately 6 miles from the community, and grew from 30 to 160 acres.It was contained by BLM Alaska Fire Service Smokejumers by 11pm on June 9, 2019.

Finland basks in early summer heat, thunderstorms on the way
The northwest coastal city of Oulu was one of several that had over 30-degree Celsius temperatures on Friday.
Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland

Dead Smelt (Osmerus mordax) and Tomcod (Microgadus proximus) Scattered for Miles along Beach
Widespread mortality events that include more than one fish species are indicators that something is wrong in the environment.
Teller, Alaska, United States
Kendra Lee, Anahma Shannon, Carol Oliver, Gay Sheffield, Louisa Castrodale, Racheal Lee, Jayde Ferguson, Ted Meyers

Dead Moose (Alces alces) Found in Water
Single dead moose found in water, with injury on one side of its abdomen

Little Ice for Bearded Seal (Erignathus barbatus) Hunting
Because of the increased travel distance, only families with larger boats were able to participate in the hunt and bring back enough to make the trip cost effective. With a heavier load in the boat, one family ran out of gas trying to get home and had to be rescued.
Janet Mitchell, Anna Godduhn, Richard L Thoman Jr

In a rainforest, Southeast Alaska towns face extreme drought
One of the worst droughts in the nation is in Southeast Alaska. That’s according to federal meteorologists. Ground zero is Wrangell, a city that’s struggled for years to keep up with summer water demand. Wrangell’s water supply comes from two reservoirs. Levels are healthy right now, even overflowing. But the flume that feeds water into them is already dry, thanks to warm dry weather and 50% less snow pack then last year.
Wrangell, Alaska, United States

First red squirrel documented in Nome
When young Jack James looked out the window of his home at Anvil Mountain on June 7, he saw a red squirrel.

Alaska community seeks funds to move homes away from river
AKIAK, Alaska (AP) — An Alaska community with a rapidly eroding riverbank is seeking funding to relocate homes, officials said. Money is available, but Akiak officials will have to go...
Akiak, Alaska, United States
AP NEWS

Another dead grey whale found off B.C. coast
A dead grey whale was found floating in Boundary Bay, near the United States border, this week. It's the sixth grey whale to have been found dead in B.C. waters this year.
Boundary Bay, Canada

High-flying ladybug swarm shows up on National Weather Service radar
The ladybug bloom appears to be about 80 miles by 80 miles, but the ladybugs aren’t in a concentrated mass that size; they’re spread throughout the sky.
San Bernadino Mountains, California, United States
latimes.com

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

Low Tide and No Sea Stars
We did not see a single sea star in the Kachemak-side tide pools, and boulders we visit each year all looked a little vacant, with a lot of empty, critter-free space.
Seldovia Village, Alaska, United States
Michael Opheim , Kris Holderied, Mike Brubaker

Unusual bald eagles' (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flying behavior?
Two bald eagles observed flying together during breeding season, when eagles may remain closer to the nest.

Beached Grey Whale (Eschrichtius robustus) near Turnagain Arm
Grey whale (*Eschrichtius robustus*) found beached near the Placer River along Turnagain Arm is one of five grey whales reported dead along the Alaska coast during 2019.
Placer Creek

Horror 50C heatwave hits 200 million
Temperatures passed 50 degrees Celsius in northern India as an unrelenting heatwave triggered warnings of water shortages and heatstroke.
Chūru, Rajasthan, India
NewsComAu

Large group of black plant bug nymphs (Irbisia sericans)
A large group of black plant bug nymphs were observed in early June.
Metlakatla, Alaska, United States

Thousands in northwest Alberta put on evacuation alert as wildfires grow
An additional 12,000 people in northwest Alberta have been placed on evacuation alert as an out-of-control wildfire in the area grows.
Arcadia, Alberta, Canada

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

Aggressive bear killed southeast of Wrangell
State and federal law enforcement officers killed a brown bear Sunday on the mainland southeast of Wrangell. They believe it was the same bear that was threatening some campers in the area.
Wrangell, Alaska, United States

An unstoppable force: The Pretty Rocks Landslide
There are over one hundred and forty landslides along the Denali Park road, the 92 mile road through Denali National Park and Preserve. None are more threatening than the Pretty Rocks Landslide at Polychrome Pass.
Cantwell, Alaska, United States
YouTube

Black bear behavior raises concerns on Turnagain Arm Trail
Hikers in the Anchorage area are advised to use caution on the Turnagain Arm Trail, following multiple reports of a black bear displaying unusual behavior.
Knik, Alaska, United States

If tree pollen has you wheezing, just wait for ragweed 'super bloom'
Dr. Antony Ham Pong, who's been treating allergy patients for about 35 years, warns the combination of a wet spring and heavy snow melt threaten to create a "super bloom of ragweed with lots of pollen."
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Yahoo News

Unusual Yellowknife Weather "Light Sleet"

Rare white ‘ghost orca’ spotted near Nanaimo
The jury is still out on exactly what the cause is, but the unusually-coloured calf spotted near Nanaimo on Tuesday is already making waves.
Northern Strait of Georgia
Global News

Two whale carcasses wash ashore
The body of a minke whale washed ashore in the Grandi area of Reykjavík yesterday, shortly following the discovery of a dead orca whale near Hólmavík in the Westfjords.
Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland

The “8.5 mile” fire destroys a home, spreads to State Forest land
A five-acre fire destroyed one home in Haines and spread to State Forest land Monday night. The National Forest Service is flying in Tuesday evening to aid the local volunteer fire department.

Sleet Storm
Not seen in at least my 15 years in Yellowknife.

May Day Trees (Prunus padus) Take Hold at Cheney Lake
The forest on the East side of Cheney Lake is changing and the biggest change is the proliferation of May Day trees.

Beached Whale Off Reykjavík Coast
The exact species is not known. Part of the carcass has ballooned with gas, a common occurrence with beached whales.
Seltjarnarnes, Capital Region, Iceland

Spruce pollen blooms look ominous but are nothing to sneeze at
For those who suffer from seasonal allergies, spring means red eyes, mucus and fits of sneezing. This year, the Lynn Canal has seen a remarkable spruce pollen bloom.

Báru kennsl á háhyrning sem rak á land
Samtökin Orca Guardians telja að háhyrningur sem rak á land við Heydalsá á Ströndum sé háhyrningur sem samtökin sáu síðast úti fyrir Grundarfirði í janúar 2016. Samtökin halda úti ljósmyndasafni með yfir 400 háhyrningum við Íslandsstrendur til að þekkja þá í sundur og fylgjast með ferðum þeirra, samsetningu hópa, fæðuvali og stofnstærð.
Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland

Dry, windy weather making work tough for firefighters in northern Alberta
Weather conditions continue to challenge firefighters battling the gigantic Chuckegg Creek blaze a few kilometres southwest of High Level, Alberta.
High Level, Alberta, Canada

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) regurgitation full of plastic found in Unalaska
Regurgitation from a bald eagle contains plastic pieces.
Melissa Good, Anna-Katri Kulmala, Veronica Padula

‘Pretty unnerving’: Eroding cliff creeps closer to popular trail at Point Woronzof
City park staff have set up barriers in hopes of encouraging passersby to stay far away. Potential fixes could include putting up a wall and relocating the bike path or road.
Susitna, Alaska, United States

Unusual Sighting of an Alaska Pollock (Theragra chalcogramma)
Historically, pollock are not a commonly observed species in Bristol Bay, but sightings are becoming more common.
Jaclyn Christensen, Elizabeth Siddon, Tom Okey

Wolves (Canis lupus) are coming too close to the towns of Klawock and Craig
Deer populations are fluctuating, but wolf populations have been growing on Price of Wales island since 2014. Wolves are seen more frequently around communities.

Storm Hannah exposes 'sunken kingdom'
It is believed that the area was once-fertile land and a township stretching for 20 miles.
Borth, Wales, United Kingdom

Why does it look like it's snowing in Stockholm in late May?
Pia Östensson, a biologist and pollen expert at Stockholm's Natural History museum, explains why there is so much aspen fluff this year and why it is not related to recent wildfires.
Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden

Major die-off of Common Murres under way along the Mendocino Coast
Starting on Wednesday, May 22, hundreds of Common Murres, an ocean-going bird native to the Pacific Coast from the Channel Islands to the tip of the Aleutians in Alaska, have been reported washed u…
Mendocino, California, United States
Fort Bragg Advocate-News

‘This is it’: Cordova fishermen tell harrowing tales of trip home in waves whipped by unseasonable storm
One boat lost its net while at least two other fishermen say giant waves threatened to capsize their vessels as they tried to reach safe harbor.
Cordova, Alaska, United States

Unprecedented erosion in Akiak swallows up to 100 feet of riverbank
Akiak City Administrator David Gilila says the village is in danger of becoming an island in the Kuskokwim River.
Akiak, Alaska, United States

Alaska’s third dead gray whale of the year reported on Kodiak coast
The whale is located in an inaccessible place where scientists are unable to take a necropsy.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States

Salal (Gaultheria shallon) dying back in coastal BC and WA
Cape Disappointment, Washington, United States

Researchers seek answers to gray whale deaths after 57 are stranded this year
Gray whales are dying at twice the usual rate as a brutal migration unfolds, with whales washing up on Washington state beaches, apparently starved to death.
Coastal Washington State

Northern Alberta wildfire ranked at highest danger level; conditions expected to worsen
An out-of-control wildfire burning near a town in northwestern Alberta is at the highest possible danger and expected to increase this week.
High Level, Alberta, Canada

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

High Water in Spring Leads to Riverbank Erosion
Above average snowfall at the headwaters of the Kuskokwim, and early break up, led to higher than average river flows past Aniak. The river banks are eroding, threatening community infrastructure.
Richard L Thoman Jr, Max Neale, Elizabeth Buckingham, Ted Williams, Crane Johnson

Facing catastrophic climate change, they still can’t quit Big Oil
The varnished wooden cross stands amid a cluster of grave markers tilted at odd angles in the cemetery, because the ground beneath them is sinking. Rising temperatures are thawing the once-frozen earth, forming pools of water that run through the graveyard.

Rare bird spotted in Finland for the first time
The Pallas's reed bunting has been sighted fewer than 10 times in Europe.
Kirkkonummi, Uusimaa, Finland

Washington governor declares drought emergency in almost half of state
The state's water worries mirror those in B.C. Record-breaking temperatures earlier this month and a below average snowpack have led to a faster snow melt in this province.
Washington, USA

Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus) Feeding in Haro Strait
Haro Strait, Canada
Theo Okolowicz, Phoebe Okey-Dobie, Tom Okey

First Mosquito (Culicidae) Sighted
First mosquito sighting in Kotzebue.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

Rare thunderstorm in Anchorage causes first lightning-related power outages in years
Lightning is unusual in a city that, according to the National Weather Service, sees fewer than two thunderstorms a year. It was the first time the power company had seen a lightning-related power outage in 15 years.

Seal pups and walrus calves found stranded on regional beaches
Near Nome, reports of seal pups and walrus calves hauled out on beaches are piling up at an unprecedented rate.

Big Sky Thunder
Thunderstorms are rare in Anchorage due to its proximity to the coast and protection by the Chugach Mountains from moist air traveling up from Southeast. Thursdays storm produced lightening that struck a power line and caused an outage, and produced nickel-sized hail in Eagle River.

Another gray whale has been found dead in Turnagain Arm
A pilot first spotted the whale last week. What caused the whale’s death isn’t yet known.

Steelhead Numbers Are Up in the Carmel River
Conservationists are rejoicing this spring over Steelhead Trout numbers in the Carmel River. "The count is up," said Haley Ohms a project scientist with University of California Santa Cruz.
Los Padres Dam, Carmel River, California
KSBW

Red Velvet Mite (Family Trombidiidae) Found Near Potters Marsh
Unfamiliar insect found near Potters Marsh, identified as a red velvet mite (family *Trombidiidae*).

Extreme weather sparks large die off of Cedar on Vancouver Island
A growing die off of native Western Red Cedar trees is becoming visible right across East Vancouver Island now. Experts say its a symptom of climate change and as Skye Ryan reports, its changing the forests we've come to know across this region.
East Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
CHEK

Second whale found dead in Turnagain Arm within 2 weeks
A second whale has been found dead floating in the middle of Turnagain Arm, just two weeks after a juvenile humpback whale was found dead on the Arm after stranding itself twice.
Turnagain Arm, Alaska, United States
Anchorage KTUU News

Napakiak Erosion Worsens After Spring Storms
Napakiak doesn’t have a boat landing anymore. Storms over the past week ate huge chunks from the Kuskokwim riverbank close to the city school and fuel

Shiner Surfperch (Cymatogaster aggregata) in Southcentral Alaska
This catch in a Tatitlek herring net places a school of shiner surfperch about 700 km north of their normal range.
Tatitlek, Alaska, United States

Climate change effects obvious on Cowichan River, wildfire season
The Cowichan River is lower than it was in August last year, after the long extreme heat and drought. There might not be enough water in the river for newly-hatched salmon to swim to the ocean.
Cowichan River, British Columbia, Canada
Cowichan Valley Citizen

Grey whales stranded in Boundary Bay freed, headed for deeper water
A pair of grey whales that found themselves beached Friday in Boundary Bay have begun to make their way out to deeper water.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Southcentral Alaska’s spruce bark beetle infestation is spreading in Anchorage. There’s only one defense.
The worst-hit areas appear to be established neighborhoods with older spruce trees, especially in Turnagain and Spenard.

Walrus herds pass Nome Headed North
The appearance of walrus on the ice off Nome added some excitement to the onset of spring.

Dead and dying salal plants ‘everywhere’ along the coast
Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada
My Campbell River Now

Record number of shearwater birds taken into care after getting lost on journey north
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
ABC Radio

This rare duck from Asia is causing a stir among birders. How it got to Anchorage is a mystery.
It’s the first reported sighting of the falcated duck on mainland Alaska, Fish and Game says.
Knik, Alaska, United States

Black skies over Siberia as wildfires rage around the world’s oldest lake
Cries to urgently call state of emergency in Irkutsk region as it chokes in smoke.
Irkutsk, Irkutsk, Russia

Underweight bearded seal pup found near Shaktoolik is now recovering at the Alaska SeaLife Center
The rehabilitation center in Seward doesn’t usually get bearded seals, which live much farther north.

In Utqiaġvik, temperatures are warmer, and the ice is changing. What does that mean for whalers?
“I think it was a little more stable, and there was a little bit more assurance that the ice you were on was not going to disintegrate on you that easy,” said whaling captain Gordon Brower.

Bad spring for bumblebees
Queens are usually out and about at this time of year feeding up on nectar and preparing to nest for the summer. Things are disappointingly quiet this spring, and last summer’s endless rain is the likely reason.

Disappearance of Tundra Ponds
Kettle ponds in Denali National Park contain less water this spring than in previous years, due to low snowfall and permafrost thaw. Shrubs are replacing grasses as the lakes dry.
McKinley Park, Alaska, United States
Scott Richardson, Katie Spellman, Richard L Thoman Jr

B.C.'s salal shrubs are dying and extreme weather could be the culprit
One of B.C.'s most abundant plants is in trouble: patches of hardy salal plants are turning up brown, crispy and dying.
coastal British Columbia, Canada

Unexploded military ordnance complicates effort to suppress 6,600-acre wildfire near Delta Junction
Federal fire bosses are plotting a strategy to battle an unusually large early season wildland fire once it leaves military lands.
Delta Junction, Alaska, United States

Body of Ambler snowmachiner recovered from Kobuk River
Alvin Williams was reported missing on May 2. His body was found Sunday, troopers said.
Ambler, Alaska, United States

Juvenile Elephant Seal (Mirounga angustirostris) Hauled Out
A species rarely seen in the Seward area.
Seward, Alaska, United States

Inside one man’s quest to photograph the elusive ‘Iliamna Lake monster’
“Something” big has shredded fishing gear and long been spotted in the lake. Bruce Wright plans to use a deepwater camera to find it.
Iliamna, Alaska, United States

Salal plant dying across Vancouver Island
Hikers across Vancouver Island say they've been finding entire forests with dying salal. No one knows why it's dying but the ramifications could be serious.
Menzies Mountain, Vancouver Island, Canada
CHEK

Town in Mongolia closed for quarantine after Bubonic plague claimed two lives
The Mongolian Ministry of Health confirmed two people died from plague after consuming raw meat and internal organs of a marmot.
Өлгий, Bayan-Ölgiy, Mongolia

Strange Growth in Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens)
An unusual growth was found in a snow goose (*Anser caerulescens*) while it was being butchered. The growth may be related to a previous injury or illness that the bird healed from.
Stebbins, Alaska, United States
Jerry Hupp, Mike Brubaker, Kathy Burek Huntington, Harold Okitkun, Todd O'Hara

Hunters stranded on sandbar after falling through Yukon River ice in Western Alaska
The cold and wet hunters built a fire to keep warm until Alaska Army National Guard rescuers arrived hours later.

Natuashish photographer captures 3 polar bears and a surprise walrus
After scoping out the coast for a month, photographer Mark Nui was rewarded when he spotted three polar bears and a walrus. .
'
LEO Member Eric Oliver writes, "walrus are rare these days in Labrador.."
Natuashish 2, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

A humpback whale died in Turnagain Arm. Here’s what might have happened.
It’s rare to see humpbacks in Turnagain Arm, known for its swift tides and shallow waters.
Girdwood, Alaska, United States

Fire season kicks off with over a dozen fires statewide
The Alaska Division of Forestry is warning Alaskans in the Southcentral region of the state about high fire danger.
Ninilchik, Alaska, United States

Rat infestation plagues Toronto neighbourhood
Her right hand protected by an old plastic bag, Donna Devlin carefully reaches into a shallow sewer basin in her driveway, and drags out a dead rat the size of her forearm. It's the latest casualty in a war that Devlin and her neighbours say they've been fighting, on and off, for two decades.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Brush fire warnings in effect across Finland this week
A fire chief in the south-west said firefighters were called to several fires a day in recent days, saying that all were caused by people who ignored warnings.
Mynämäki, Southwest Finland, Finland

Outdoor air quality at seasonal low
Spring blossoms, dusty streets, distant fires and a lack of rain combine to create hazardous respiratory conditions.
Turku, Southwest Finland, Finland

Salal (Gaultheria shallon) dying, tops showing dry brown leaves
Salal bushes observed to be very dry and dying in British Columbia.
Burnaby Mountain, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

Water levels of Ottawa River highest on record in most areas
Ottawa River water levels in the city are all now higher then they were in 2017, which is the record-setting benchmark the city has been using throughout the flooding.
Ottawa River, Canada
Global News

Mottled Sea Star (Evasterias troscheli) Die-off Juneau
Approximately 700 dead mottled sea stars (*Evasterias troscheli*) found with appendages intact, which indicate that mortality event may be related to stormy weather.
DuPont beach Juneau, Alaska, United States

Cyclone Kenneth 'wiped out villages'
A UN official says it looks from the air like parts of Mozambique were "run over by a bulldozer".
Mocímboa, Cabo Delgado, Mozambique

Weak ice hampers spring count of endangered Saimaa ringed seal
Sixty-three endangered Saimaa ringed seal pups were found during the early spring count carried out by forestry workers and volunteers.
Suomenniemi, Southern Savonia, Finland

More evacuations as fires flare up
The wind is causing trouble in some of the areas affected by wildfires and now more people are having to evacuate their homes.
Tjällmo, Östergötland, Sweden

Wind Carries European Birch Pollen to Iceland
Pollen from birch trees was carried along with dust from the Sahara Desert on strong winds that originated in Eastern Europe.
Garðabær, Capital Region, Iceland

Dalmatian pelicans that took a wrong turn to freezing Siberia in winter released back to wild
Each stunning giant bird was ringed to help scientists trace their migration routes.
Aleysk, Altai Krai, Russia

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

Tens of thousands of animals burned alive in raging wildfires in TransBaikal region
The cost of the recent fires has been revealed as Vladimir Putin today visited TransBaikal to assess the damage en route to a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un in Vladivostok
Агинский сельсовет, Саянский район, Красноярский край, Russia

Proliferation of Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) in Landfill
Rabies has been identified by the State of Alaska as being endemic (regularly found) in the fox population in this area.
Nelson Lagoon, Alaska, United States

Early Spring Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) Arrival
Meadow Lakes, Alaska, United States

Seaweed invading Essequibo, Demerara, Berbice rivers
Aerial shots of what appeared to be remnants of an oil spill in the Essequibo River has turned out to be huge beds of sargassum seaweed which is now a
Parika, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Guyana
Stabroek News

April Snowfall Road Carnage
Seasonal swings set drivers up for bad trip.

Watch: Rescuers save dog as ice cover thins rapidly across Finland
Forecasts indicate that ice cover will thin by dozens of centimetres all the way up to Lapland.
Kirkkonummi, Uusimaa, Finland

State of emergency after dozens of houses destroyed in fearsome wildfires in TransBaikal region
At least 90 left homeless in one village after raging infernos, say reports.
Chita, Transbaikal Territory, Russia

Trees Broken, Uprooted, Toppled by Wind
the Beaufort Picnic Area appears to consist of stream-origin alluvial cobbles, pebbles, and perhaps sand, and so not well consolidated, thus perhaps making these trees relatively vulnerable to wind. The snapped-off trees, however, indicate the unusually high intensity of this particular windstorm.
Beaufort Picnic Area, Cameron Lake, British Columbia

Frantic bid to save Umka the lost and forlorn polar bear who travelled 700 km in the wrong direction on ice floe
Lame, exhausted and confused, the young male polar bear is far from his natural habitat to the north.
Tilichiki, Kamtsjatka, Russia

No Chestnut Trees, No Honey — Beekeeping at Risk in Russia's South
A sharp decline in chestnut trees caused by a parasitic fungus in Russia's southern Krasnodar region is threatening the area's honey production, according to local beekeepers and scientists.
Krasnodar, Krasnodarskiy, Russia

Early Trumpeter (Cygnus buccinator) Swans on Cheney Lake
I rarely see trumpeter swans on the lake, and I don't ever remember seeing them so early.

Early Bees and Butterflies
The sun when direct was intense, definitely not April and not May...more like the month of June.
Chistochina, Alaska, United States

No Sardine Fishing Off California This Year Due to Steep Population Decline
Wildlife officials say populations of the silvery Pacific sardine have plummeted over the past decade.
California's Coastal Ocean
KQED

Unique in palaeontology: Liquid blood found inside a prehistoric 42,000 year old foal
Permafrost preserved the ‘oldest blood in the world’ boosting hopes of bringing extinct species back to life.
Ese-Khayya, Sakha, Russia

Erosion in Cook Inlet Damaging Old Growth Trees
Both sides of Cook Inlet are eroding near Tyonek. The erosion is reaching old and new growth trees, and causing more debris to fall in to the Inlet, which easily get caught in set nets.
Tyonek, Alaska, United States

Nenana Ice Classic tripod falls; earliest date on record
In the earliest breakup since the contest began in 1917, the Nenana Ice Classic Tripod fell early this morning.
Nenana, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

950,000 litres of Iqaluit's raw sewage leaking into Frobisher Bay per day
Blockage at the city's main lift station has forced sewage to overflow into the bay, so it doesn't back into people's homes.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada

Record-high bird count at Yukon's Swan Haven over weekend
One wildlife expert says seeing more than 2,000 trumpeter swans at the sanctuary is unusual, but on Saturday there were nearly 3,000 counted.

Rain storm and high winds bring down trees, wires in Massachusetts
Trees and wires came down early Monday morning as rain poured down and wind whipped across Massachusetts, the National Weather Service said.
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
BostonGlobe.com

2 adults, child die after crashing through ice
The Arctic Sounder - Serving the Northwest Arctic and the North Slope
Noatak, Alaska, United States
The Arctic Sounder

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.
PBS NewsHour

Pike (Esox Lucius) Caught with Pug Head Deformity to Mouth/Jaw
Northern Pike (*Esox Lucius*) caught with "pug head" jaw deformity, usually associated with cold water temperatures during incubation.
Harold Okitkun, Jayde Ferguson, Elizabeth Lindley

Early Robin (Turdus migratorius) Sighting in Fairbanks
This morning I heard and saw a robin in Fairbanks right near the fairgrounds. I have lived in Fairbanks for more than 30 years and have never seen a robin this early!
College, Alaska, United States

Death toll from devastating Cyclone Idai rises above 1,000
The death toll from a storm that crashed into southeast Africa last month has risen above 1,000, with more than 4,000 cases of cholera reported among survivors in Mozambique, the hardest-hit country.
Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi
AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

Shiveluch volcano (Kamchatka) Eruption
Shiveluch volcano (Kamchatka) in Kamchata is erupting. Explosive activity continues. Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Tokyo warned about a volcanic ash plume that rose up to estimated 33000 ft (10100 m) altitude or flight level 330 and is moving at 55 kts in S direction.
Volcano Discovery

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

Puffin changes on Arctic island
The season’s first puffins arrived on Grímsey island—the only part of Iceland to cross the Arctic Circle—a few days ago and the birds are generally arriving in Iceland significantly earlier each year than they used to.
Grímsey, Northeast, Iceland

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

Signs of spring: Record high (so far), grass fires, flood warning
The warmest springtime temperature of the year so far is 14.1 degrees Celsius, and fires are popping up around the country.
Kirkkonummi, Uusimaa, Finland

Dead grey whale towed to Institute of Ocean Sciences in Sidney for necropsy
A dead male grey whale that was found floating between Sidney Island and James Island on Thursday has been towed to Fisheries and Oceans Canada's Institute of Ocean Sciences in Sidney for a necropsy.
Sidney Channel, British Columbia, Canada

Large earthquake strikes in remote part of northwest Alaska
The Arctic Sounder - Serving the Northwest Arctic and the North Slope
Shungnak, Alaska, United States
Alaska Media, LLC., Steve Keller designer and application developer

Southeast Alaska researchers get rare opportunity to study a sperm whale
The species has been spotted in the Inside Passage before. But sightings are infrequent. A whale found recently near Juneau is thought to have died from a vessel strike.

Where's the beef? Drought-parched Botswana struggles to keep cattle...
Longer and harsher droughts are driving a growing share of Botswana's traditional cattlemen to give up their animals
Borakalalo, North West, South Africa
Thomson Reuters

The dusty season has arrived early. Here are some things that might surprise you.
Why air quality is worse at different times of day and how you might be violating city code with your leaf blower.

Booming Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) Population
"It’s a bit because people are feeding them, and they’re getting into the dumpster now too. But I’ve never seen them like this before."
King Cove, Alaska, United States

Whale Fatality Likely Caused By Boat Propeller
A sperm whale (*Physeter macrocephalus*) found beached on the east side of Lynn Canal had trauma consistent with being hit by a boat propeller.
Southeast Alaska

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

Unusually heavy pollen season getting underway in Finland
Alder catkins (the pollen-rich flowers on alder trees) haven't reached their peak yet, but there are a lot of them. There can be four to five million pollen particles in a single catkin.

First Puffins of the Year Arrive in Iceland
Svafar Gylfason spotted the year’s first puffin while fishing at sea near Grímsey island, North Iceland last weekend. He says the beloved bird’s appearance is a week earlier than it’s been in the past.
Grimsey, Northeast Iceland

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.

'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.

Warmest March
Warm air temperatures have melted the snow, leaving the soil without the insulation that snowcover usually provides.
Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, United States

The Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus) are Courting
Spring has come about a month early. Is the mating season for our state bird, the Willow Ptarmigan, early as well?

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!

Pussy Willows (genus Salix) Make Early Showing
Warmer than normal temperatures in Anchorage may be causing willows (genus *Salix*) to bud early.

Odd condition of Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)
"Looked normal at first then we started to butcher it found some unusual stuff on the insides."
Kwigillingok, Alaska, United States

Tornado confirmed in El Paso County
Officials have confirmed a tornado touched down Friday afternoon in Eastern El Paso County. It was spotted on Curtis Road between Highway 24 and Highway 94.
Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States
KOAA.com

Marine Tar (Oil Residue) On Beaches
The western coast line of India is prone to oil pollution. Marine tar deposition is heaviest during early monsoons or monsoons months.
Arambol, Goa, India

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

Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) and Arctic Fox (Vulpes lagopus) Converging on North Slope
There seems to be a large red fox population in the region around Nuiqsut, Alaska. When I last traveled there for work, I counted 5 red fox during a 1.5 hour-long car ride.
Elizabeth Lindley, Karsten Hueffer, Abby Nelson

Willows (genus Salix) Budding in March
Willows budding about a month early 30 miles above the Arctic Circle.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

Intrusion of Beach Stones and Saltwater into the Coastal Forest
French Beach Provincial Park

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

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

Alyeska Resort closes mountain operations amid ‘severe weather’
Avalanche monitors say danger remains high in Turnagain Pass, Girdwood and Portage.
Girdwood, Alaska, United States

Plover, Bearer of Spring, Has Arrived
A golden plover, traditionally believed to announce the arrival of spring in Iceland, was spotted in Stokkseyri on March 28, a little later than usual. They spends the winter as far south as North Africa, returning north to breed.
Stokkseyri, South Iceland

Second Day of Spring
Weather is relatively consistent around this time of year, but this season, storms have come in quickly.

Road to NWT’s diamond mines closes in the heat
The winter resupply road between Yellowknife and the Northwest Territories' three working diamond mines has succumbed to this week's warm weather.
Cabin Radio

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

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

For first time since records began, NWT hits 20C in March
The NWT broke a symbolic temperature barrier as a heatwave continued. There were warnings over ice roads and spoiled meat, and questions about climate change.
Northwest Territories, Canada
Cabin Radio

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

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.

Mild spell forces temporary daytime closure of Yellowknife's Snowking castle
Despite daytime closures, evening events expected to happen on schedule this week.

Record High Temperature For Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

'Spring heat wave': record temperatures in Canada's central Arctic
In Yellowknife, the territorial capital, temperatures climbed above zero over the weekend, breaking a record high on Sunday with a temperature of 3 C.
Eye on the Arctic

Two dead and one missing amid ‘historic’ flooding across the Midwest
Louisville, Nebraska, United States

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.

Two dead gray whales in San Francisco Bay spur investigation
The Marine Mammal Center and California Academy of Sciences are reporting cause of death for one.
Tiburon, California, United States
Marin Independent Journal

Pueblo picks up pieces after heavy wind damage
The Pueblo area was spared from the bulk of the winter elements that impacted much of eastern Colorado Wednesday, but residents are still dealing with major damage from heavy winds.
Pueblo, Colorado, United States
KOAA.com

Flash Flood in Sao Paulo
São Paulo, Brazil

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.
KNOM Radio Mission

First Sighting of a Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) at My Feeder
Red-breasted Nuthatch (*Sitta canadensis*) are usually a common visitor to my bird feeder, however this is the first time one has been spotted at the feeder during the 2018-2019 winter.

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

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.

It was 37 degrees and raining in Shageluk Friday. Iditarod mushers weren’t very happy.
Some mushers worried what the warm weather would mean for the trail ahead.
Shageluk, 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

Fire Destroys Homes in Alexandra
Modderfontein, Gauteng, South Africa

No injuries in Alexandra fire started by fallen electricity pylon
Firefighters were battling a blaze in Alexandra, City of Johannesburg emergency services said on Tuesday.
Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

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

Winter storms flood houses in Nunapitchuk and Kotlik
Storms battered the southern Bering Sea and the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta last month. February storms aren’t unusual, but the amount of rain and flooding is. The combination caused a lot of damage for two communities in the region.

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.

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

Dry Creek at Harrison Island
Harrison Island, Haida Gwaii

Southern Hemisphere Hoodwinker Sunfish Washes Up in California
Rare hoodwinker sunfish, never before seen in Northern Hemisphere, washes up at Coal Oil Point Reserve
Isla Vista, California, United States
The UCSB Current

Train on Trans-Siberian railway goes through wall of fire from grass and forest inferno
Wildfires ablaze early in year due to lack of snow, posing threat to railway in Russian Far East.
Vladivostok, Primorskiy, Russia

Squaw sets February snowfall record
The latest storm to hit the Truckee-Tahoe area dropped another 30 inches of snow at Squaw Valley’s upper mountain, breaking the record at the resort for most snowfall in February. This month, Squaw Valley has been hit with 205 inches of snow at its upper mountain and more is currently coming down. The previous record…
Squaw Valley, California, United States
Sierra Sun

Capelin Stocks In Poor Shape
As a result, the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute (MFRI) will not permit fishing of the species this coming season. Capelin is the second most important export species of fish in Iceland after cod.

Eagle preys on duck on Saanich Peninsula
‘I’ve never seen that before in my life’
North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada

Arctic Char Population Rapidly Declining
The stock of arctic char in Elliðavatn lake has almost collapsed. Similar developments are taking place in Norway as well. Hilmar Malmquist, head of the freshwater division at the Marine Research Institute, believe that climate change is the main explanation.
Kopavogur, Capital Region, Iceland

Storm Rages Across Iceland
Storms affecting most of the country, particularly Southeast and East Iceland, have damaged property and put travellers in danger. According to the Icelandic Met Office, storm conditions are expected to continue into the evening. Residents and tourists alike are advised against travelling in the affected areas. Search and rescue called out Search and rescue teams […]
Hornafjörður, Austurland, Iceland

White-tailed eagles congregate in Vaasa as habitats shrink
The WWF and locals report sightings of 10-15 eagles at a time in western Finland.
Vaasa, Ostrobothnia, Finland

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

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

Roundheaded Wood Borer

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

Two Banff National Park wolf packs likely decimated by trapping
‘There’s a really high likelihood that the pack is just gone altogether’
Banff National Park
The Narwhal

Temperatures in Northern Finland to soar 40 degrees in one day
There are no records to indicate the last time there was such a radical temperature change in a 24-hour period.
Muonio, Lapland, Finland

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

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

Lots of Female King Crabs (Paralithodes camtschaticus)
Large number of Red King Crabs (*Paralithodes camtschaticus*) found on the beach during an extreme low tide. According to fisheries researchers, crabs move to shallow water to hatch and release eggs.

Early Reports of Black and Brown Bear
Brown bear spotted on Kupreanof Island for the first time.
Kake, 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

Weather and wildlife changes
Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana

One Small Colorado Town Ran Out Of Water. How Did It Happen?
One morning in mid-February, David Herz went to turn on the faucet in his farmhouse outside the small western Colorado town of Paonia, and nothing came…
Paonia, Colorado, United States
KUNC

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

Unusual Flooding in February
A warm winter storm leads to sea ice loss and flooding of homes in Western Alaska. "Damage to the foundation of the homes is all I think happened, besides wet clothing and a few things on the floor."

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

Coastal Flood Advisory
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.

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

‘Historic’ storm hurls huge waves and 191 mph winds at Hawaii. Rare snow hits Maui.
Snow may have fallen at the lowest elevation ever observed in the state.
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

Snow on Haleakala
Launiupoko, Hawaii, United States

Alaska biologist report increased sighting of mink in Kodiak
KODIAK, Alaska (AP) — Sightings of mink are increasing around Kodiak, Alaska wildlife biologists said of the animal — a species not native to the area. The first sighting was several years ago, the Kodiak Daily Mirror reported . Alaska Department of Fish and Game wildlife biologist John Crye said the sightings began after he got a call from an individual who was interested in raising and farming the animals.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States
AP NEWS

Extreme rain reactivates waterfall
Deadly floods in northern Chile left homes and roads destroyed.
Atacama Desert, Chile

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

Swordfish becoming much more common in Vesterålen
n 52 years, 36 observations of the species have been recorded in Norway. This one included.
Sortland, Nordland, Norway

Botulism cases reported in Nome
Public health officials confirmed that four Nome residents had been hospitalized in early January with preliminary results pointing to poising from foodborne type E botulism from an aged beluga flipper.

We get warmer and warmer later in the year
In Etne in Hordaland, 30.4 degrees of heat were measured at 15 today. Never has it been so hot so late in the year in Norway.
Etne, Hordaland, Norway
Oddleif Løset, Birger Kolsrud Jåsund and Geir Bjarte Hjetland

Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax) With Bad Odor and Taste
The smelt, caught through the ice in late January, may have caused a person who ate some to get sick. Local, tribal and state officials worked together to collect and analyze the fish.
Gay Sheffield, Bob Gerlach, Percy Nayokpuk, Jayde Ferguson, Anahma Shannon, Louisa Castrodale, Racheal Lee, Tim Thomas, Sharon Nayokpuk, David Verbrugge, Mike Brubaker

72 dead baby sharks removed from dead pregnant shark during necropsy at Coles Bay
Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the University of Victoria’s Juanes Laboratory think the shark came into shallow water to give birth and potentially had complications, as there are no signs of trauma.
Coles Bay, Saanich, BC

Icebergs and Open Sea
Very strong south winds took out all the sea ice and created an ice pile in front of the village.
Andrew Kakoona, Olivia Lee, Sharon Nayokpuk

Eagle Sighting
Eagle sighting during winter in Western Alaska.
Kongiganak, Alaska, United States

Pregnant shark washes up on Vancouver Island shoreline
The carcass of a nearly four-metre-long bluntnose sixgill shark was found on Coles Bay Tuesday.
North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Island

Pregnant Bluntnose Sixgill Shark (Hexanchus griseus) in Coles Bay
A pregnant bluntnose sixgill shark found on the banks of Coles Bay may have come in to shallow water to give birth and died from complications.
Cole Bay, British Columbia, Canada

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

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

Australians could find crocodiles, snakes in ‘unexpected places’ after floods, officials warn
Townsville, Queensland, Australia

Black bear wandering around Kincaid Park in the middle of winter? Here’s why.
If high temperatures melt snow and that leads to a bear’s den getting flooded, that’s another reason the bear might head outside. It’ll likely try to find another den, Farley said.
Kinkaid Park

Extended Cold Snap
The capital area, along with most of Iceland, has experienced constant below-freezing temperatures for a couple of weeks now.

Record cold damages grape buds in Essex County
Two record cold nights have damaged grape buds in Essex County with Merlot, Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc particularly at risk.
Essex County, Ontario
Windsor Star

More snow to hit Sweden after temperatures drop to new record cold
The weather station in Nikkaluokta recorded a frigid -39.5C, setting the record for the lowest temperature of the winter.
Nikkaluokta, Norrbotten, Sweden
thelocal.se

Chilean scientists discover mass die-off of krill in Antarctica
The scientific literature indicates that, in general, crustacean wash ashore due to hypoxia (low oxygen) or to phenomena such as excess sediment in suspension and changes in water temperature.
Antarctica
Fish Information & Services

Deep freeze hits area
MARQUETTE — In light of the bitterly cold air and wind chills falling far below zero, all Michigan state offices are closed today, and the U.S. Postal Service
Ishpeming, Michigan, United States
miningjournal.net

Reported wolverine sightings are up, says N.W.T. gov
Last week, in the wee hours of the morning, a curious wolverine was caught on camera wandering the hallway to a dormitory at Diavik Diamond Mine.
Northwest Territories

Midwest Freeze Cancels Flights, Even Stops the Mail
Chicago, Illinois, United States
NBC News

Pale Green Waters Spell Danger
When the green water is here, its dangerous to travel straight across the Lagoon to White Mountain. In the past we took the land route, cross on Kitchavik river and on up over land to White Mountain.

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.

Rising sea levels could kill off 500-year-old trees in New Jersey forest
Dark water formed an eddy around Steve Eisenhauer's boots as they sank into the muck at the base of a 90-foot black gum tree so old, its roots were deep in this ground when the Pilgrims landed.
Bear Swamp, Cedarville, New Jersey, United States
Phys.org

Brown Bear Awake in January
Hungry and looking for food, where it was last fall. Very warm 40 degrees and rain. I'm sure it disturbed his hibernation.
Pedro Bay, Alaska, United States

Large Number of Redpolls (Acanthis)
Fox, Alaska, United States

Invasion of redpolls sends seeds flying
After a record-low last winter, the birds are making a comeback. Redpolls, seen in two varieties in Alaska — the common and the hoary — have attracted scientists’ attention because the birds survive super-cold temperatures. Physiologist Laurence Irving ranked redpolls’ feathers just behind pine grosbeaks for “apparent usefulness for insulation.”Redpolls have a secret weapon other small birds, including chickadees, don’t possess: food pouches on each side of their necks.

Driver badly hurt when falling rock hits car on Seward Highway
Authorities warned that drivers should use caution in the area due to the potential for additional rockslides.

Across Australia, Yet Another Scorching Summer
Australia’s heat waves, now an annual ordeal, have been expanding into new territory — like Tasmania, where more than 50 wildfires were burning as of Friday.
Australia
New York Times

Another Sand Point fisherman is chomped on by a sea lion
The third such bite in two years prompted a police warning in the Aleutian Islands town.
Sand Point, Alaska, United States

Rare Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) Spotted in Western P.E.I.
A woman who put bird seed out in her yard in St. Chrysostome, in western P.E.I., was thrilled she ended up attracting a rare bird.
Saint Chrysostome, Prince Edward Island, Canada

A coyote attracts attention in Anchorage
A Fish and Game biologist urges people to give the animals space.

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

Uncommon: reports of 2 wolves in town of Norman Wells
Officers received four separate calls in 48 hours from Sunday to Monday. The wolves were quite active, quite brazen, coming out in the daylight hours right in residential areas. One resident had a dog encounter with one of the wolves but was not harmed.
Norman Wells, Northwest Territories, Canada

Alaska man kills polar bear that strayed from its usual habitat
Jim Hollandsworth of Arctic Village said he encountered the bear in early January. He said the bear had tried to get into his cabin about 32 kilometers from the village.
Arctic Village, Alaska, United States

Extreme wet January displaces thousands and floods farmland in Mercosur member countries
Intense rainfall in northeast Argentina and neighbouring areas in Mercosur members has caused devastating floods, amplifying the economic burdens of Argentina's recession. Over 5,000 people have evacuated the region, and millions of hectares of crops have been sent underwater.
Mercosur member countries
MercoPress

‘A sad day’: two more B.C. mountain caribou herds now locally extinct
The Kootenay populations, a fixture on the landscape for thousands of years, succumbed to industrial disturbances and other human activity in their critical habitat.
Salmo, British Columbia, Canada
The Narwhal

Another bad year for sargassum seaweed forecast for Quintana Roo
Large quantities of sargassum are likely to wash up on the beaches of Mexico’s Caribbean coast in 2019, according to a researcher.
Atlantic Ocean
Mexico News Daily

Four dead, thousands evacuated in north Argentina floods
Heavy rainfall breaks local and regional records, as provincial governments in the Litoral region struggle to
Paso de los Libres, Corrientes Province, Argentina
Buenos Aires Times

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

Freeze already! Hopes sinking for Dawson City ice bridge, despite cold snap
Normal ice build up not occurring. It seems like the ice along the shoreline is not moving into the river.
Dawson City, Yukon, Canada

Wind blew asphalt off road
Wednesday night’s storm in North Iceland brought exceptionally warm air and extreme wind conditions. The small village of Borgarfjörður eystri, in the north of the East Fjords, suffered damage that included asphalt blowing off a paved road surface.
Bakkagerdi, East, Iceland

Sinkholes in parking lot - earthquake aftermath?
It has been a month since the 7.0 earthquake in Anchorage. Are these sinkholes which suddenly appeared related?

Sea lions survive with the help of Kamchatka residents
Sea lions have been pushed to come closer town because of marine pollution and over fishing, and now they are eating the scraps from the fish processing plant.
Петропавловск-Камчатский, Kamchatka, Russia
РЕН ТВ

3 wildfires reported in Fort Liard area
'These fires can then pop back up in the spring when conditions warm up,' says the environment department. A local crew will likely extinguish the fires by Monday.
Fort Liard, Northwest Territories, Canada

Windstorm and Widespread Forest Blowdown
Damage assessment underway due to fallen trees, hanging debris
Whisky Creek, British Columbia
Port Alberni Valley News

Wolves are preying on dogs in Old Crow
Wolves don't typically linger around the community, they're hungry because the caribou are all in Alaska right now. There's also little snow around Old Crow so it may be harder for wolves to hunt moose. About ten dogs have been killed.
Old Crow, Yukon, Canada

East Iceland hit 18 degrees yesterday
Genuine summertime temperatures were recorded in East Iceland yesterday. The warmest place was Dalatangi, which reached 18°C. Not far behind was Bjarnarey on 17.8°C and Eskifjörður recorded 16.6°C.
Dalatangi, Iceland

Possible Alaska Hare (Lepus othus) Tracks
Strange tracks between Pilot Point and Ugashik, found near the river may belong to an Alaska hare (*Lepus othus*)
Pilot Point, Alaska, United States
Wilson Justin, Dave Crowley, Gregory Kingsley

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?
Elizabeth Jenkins, Alaska's Energy Desk - Juneau

A jellyfish ‘epidemic’ has Australian scientists wondering if climate change is to be blamed
More than 13,000 stings were recorded in Queensland alone last week, with more than 2,500 people seeking treatment over the weekend, according to rescue organizations.
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
BostonGlobe.com

Wandering seals swarm streets of Newfoundland town
Officials are warning residents in Roddickton, Newfoundland to keep their distance from seals that have wandered into town.
According to resident Brendon Fitzpatrick, some have crawled 6 to 8 km away from the ocean.
Roddickton, Newfoundland, Canada
The Weather Network

Thousands of Queensland beachgoers stung by swarm of jellyfish
Surf Life Saving Queensland said a “whopping” 3,595 people were stung by jellyfish, forcing the closure of popular swimming spots across the northern state. Lifeguards said the invasion was caused by unusually strong north-easterly winds.
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
The Independent

Decline of mountain bird populations
Some species have experienced a much greater decline than average. For the snowflake in Scandinavia there is talk of approx. 35 percent, patchwork 25 percent.
Vadsø, Finnmark Fylke, Norway
NRK, Norwegian Broadcasting Company

5 dogs attacked by lynx in Inuvik since late November, says official
Lynx have attacked five dogs in Inuvik since late November, a trend a local wildlife officer calls surprising. The behaviour is unusual since lynx are typically reclusive animals and don't usually come into inhabited areas.
Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada

Delhi air pollution surges to emergency levels
Air quality index at 12 times US government-recommended level and visibility low
Delhi, NCT, India
the Guardian

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

Strong winter storm batters Finland, causing power cuts, traffic delays
Record wind speeds have been clocked in southern maritime districts as a storm dubbed Aapeli causes widespread power cuts and train delays across Finland.
Tampere, Pirkanmaa, Finland

First ever winter sighting of blue-green algae in Gulf of Finland
In the frigid waters of the Gulf of Finland, cyanobacteria has been observed for the first time during the winter months.
Pernå, Uusimaa, Finland

Black bear filmed awake and active in Eagle River
Despite it almost being January, an Eagle River homeowner has captured footage of a black bear awake and active around her house.
Eagle River, Alaska, United States
KTUU

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

Northern Extension of Crow Habitat/Range
Northwest crow (*Corvus caurinus*) pair nesting in Anchorage, possibly north of range.
Kenai Peninsula and Anchorage, Southcentral Alaska

Extreme cold warning issued for Behchoko, Whati and Wekweeti
The temperatures are expected to be –40 C, and with extreme wind chills it will feel colder than –50 C.. Environment Canada wrote that if it’s;too cold for you to stay outside, it’s too cold for your pet to stay outside.
Whati, Wekweeti & Behchoko, NWT

The changing nature of Canada's forest supply as fires, bugs, and climate bite
Mills in the heart of Canada's timber industry have fallen quieter this winter as wildfires and infestations made worse by climate change have made vast tracts of once valuable forest into barren stands of dead trees.
Fraser Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Alaska Highway News

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
Wilmington, Delaware

Hurricane force winds recorded near Tofino
Typically these storms remain off the coast of Vancouver Island and we only see the frontal systems move ashore.
Lennard Island Lighthouse, British Columbia, Canada

Heavy rain in store for the shortest day of the year
The temperature in Boston rose to 63 degrees on Friday, breaking the previous record for the day of 62, which was set in 1957.
Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Heart of White Rock breaks along with pier
Long time White Rock resident and CBC Producer Joan Marshall reflects on what the pier has meant to her and her community.
White Rock, British Columbia, 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

Birders spy 70 species during Christmas Bird Count
The Homer Tribune - Offering news of the people, places and events of Homer and the lower Kenai Peninsula

Distemper Remains Likely Cause of Gulf of Maine Seal Die-Off
Scientists have narrowed down the top likely causes of more than 1,400 seal deaths across New England.
Gloucester, Massachusetts, United States
National Public Radio

As Polar Bear Attacks Increase in Warming Arctic, a Search for Solutions
With sea ice reduced, polar bears in the Arctic are spending more time on land, leading to increased attacks on people. Concerned Inuit communities want to increase hunting quotas, but researchers are testing new technologies they hope will reduce these often deadly confrontations.
Churchill, Manitoba, Canada
Yale E360

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

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

Tornado touches down near Port Orchard, rips roofs off homes
The tornado touched down and damaged homes on the Kitsap Peninsula. No injuries were discovered in a primary search, according to the Washington State Patrol.
Port Orchard, Washington, United States
The Seattle Times

String of collapses at Del Mar bluffs
Officials press forward with emergency plan following string of collapses at Del Mar bluffs.
Del Mar, California, United States
Los Angeles Times

200 reindeer died on an Arctic Island -- and researchers think climate change is to blame
It rained on December 15th in Svalbard and the resulting ice made it difficult for reindeer to graze. The reindeer likely starved to death after being unable to find food, according to scientists at the Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI).
Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen

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

Earthquake effects linger in problems with water wells
From Eagle River to Wasilla, people on private wells are contending with cloudy water -- and worse.
Eagle River, Alaska, United States

Sea lions have enemies. Now someone is shooting them in the head.
Seattle, Washington, United States

Johannesburg: fire in township leaves thousands homeless
Local charities call for donations after blaze wrecks 500 homes in Alexandra
Modderfontein, Gauteng, South Africa

Avalanche prompts road monitoring re-think
“I wouldn’t have been on the road if there had been an avalanche warning in effect,” says a woman who fell victim to an avalanche along Flateyrarvegur in the Westfjords on Friday. The avalanche-prone road is not currently monitored, but Vegagerðin is now looking at improvements.
Flateyri, Westfjords, Iceland

Dawson City ice bridge looking uncertain again this year
Now three years in a row the river is jammed, upriver from Dawson, and that leaves a big open lead of water right in front of town.
Dawson, Yukon, Canada

Record-breaking November weather
The average temperature was higher than normal in all parts of the country and in Reykjavík November was warmer than October.
Reykjavík, Reykjavík, Iceland

Shellfish washed up on P.E.I. beach by 'ripper' of a storm
Thousands of lobsters, clams, quahogs and crabs have washed up on the shore at Robinson's Island, a consequence of no sea ice and big waves.
Robinsons Island, Prince Edward Island, Canada

7.0 earthquake, aftershocks strike Southcentral Alaska; damage reported across region
Seismologists called the quake the most significant in the state’s largest city since 1964, in terms of how strong the ground itself shook.

Earthquake creates massive sinkhole on Anchorage roadway
At least one car was on the ramp at the time of the quake, a photo of which circulated on social media Friday morning.
KTVA

Smelt (Osmerus mordax) Mortality
Thousands of smelts were found dead during low tide in the Togiak slough. Is there an environmental cause?
Togiak, Alaska, United States

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

White-winged Dove Sighted
After a day of birding on P.E.I., an Island woman returned home to find a rare white-winged dove at her backyard feeder.
Stratford, Prince Edward Island, Canada

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

Heavy showers, hail and thunderstorms for Auckland, flooding risk in Otago
And the next few days show no signs of letting up.
Otago Region, New Zealand
NZ Herald

Red Tide comes to Baldwin County
The discovery of red tide along Baldwin County's beaches has prompted warnings from the Alabama Department of Health, local health experts and city officials. State health officials said water samples, which were taken on Monday, show low to medium levels of the toxin releasing algal blooms from Little Lagoon Pass in Gulf Shores to Alabama Point in Orange Beach. It's concerning news for Mobile native Stephen Crigler, who brought his family down to Gulf Shores for Thanksgiving.
Gulf Shores, Alabama, United States
WPMI

Changing winter conditions
This was the warmest autumn on record for western Alaska. Local observer comments on how lack of sea ice is effecting fish and bird behavior.

In Siberia, When it Snows it Snows
In the industrial city of Norilsk in Siberia's Krasnoyarsk region, which sits above the Arctic Circle, visibility dropped to zero and buses, planes and ships were canceled or rerouted as a snowstorm raged on Tuesday, reaching speeds of 25 meters per second. The city's emergency services stayed on high alert as a holiday was declared for children and mobile heating stations were set up.
Норильск, Красноярский край, Russia
Moscow Times

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

Swans trapped in Mundy Pond ice in St. John’s
Two swans are stuck in the ice at Mundy Pond in St. John’s this morning.
City officials were made aware of the situation through calls to 311 and by a pedestrian walking around the pond who flagged down a passing city
Saint John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
The Telegram

Dirty water may be reason for very strange shortage of fish harvest, says N.W.T. angler
Anglers in Aklavik, N.W.T., are trying to figure out why there was a shortage of fish in local hotspots this year.
Aklavik, Northwest Territories, Canada

A month’s rain in one day
It rained solidly in Reykjavík from 15.00 on Friday and most of Saturday, and it was heavy rain by any standard, according to meteorologist Einar Sveinbjörnsson. Around 80 mm of rain had fallen by the end of the soaking—which is slightly higher than the average for the entire month of November.
Reykjavík, Reykjavík, Iceland

Finland has greyest start to November since 2000 – but there's light at the end of the tunnel
The Central Finland town of Jyväskylä has had a sum total of 4.5 hours of sunshine so far in November.
Jyväskylä, Keski-Suomi, Finland

California fires: Number of missing soars over 1,000 as Paradise reels from unfathomable losses
The death toll in the Camp fire in Northern California rose to 63 Thursday as President Trump planned to visit California to meet with people impacted by the wildfires in what marks his second trip to the state since his election.
Paradise, California, United States
latimes.com
Alene Tchekmedyian, Nicole Santa Cruz, Javier Panzar

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

Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) Sighting
Laysan Albatross (*Phoebastria immutabilis*) seen in the north during typical nesting season.
Sitka, Alaska, United States

Caribbean swamped by seaweed that smells like rotten eggs
From Belize to Barbados, tourist beaches have been swamped by huge tides of foul-smelling sargassum – and climate change could make the problem worse
Ambergris Caye, Belize, Belize

Rough seas hamper containment and recovery operations at White Rose oilfield
Husky Energy was still working as of deadline to address a sizable offshore oil spill that occurred Friday, but rough seas on Saturday and into Sunday afternoon continued to prevent containment and recovery of approximately 250,000 liters of oil despite the arrival of a recovery team Sunday afternoon.
White Rose Oilfield
The Telegram

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.

Southcentral Alaska sees most destructive spruce beetle outbreak in over two decades
Spruce beetles damaged nearly 600,000 acres of forest in 2018, and the damage continues to grow.

Warming ocean is devouring Alaska’s coast
A permafrost coastline is receding dramatically along Alaska's North Slope region. It could be an indicator of far more massive land losses across the Arctic.
Drew Point, Alaska

Bacterial Infection in 16 Broad Whitefish (Coregonus nasus)
The skin lesion in the photo is likely caused by a stress-related bacterial infection – possibly trauma initiated. Probably common opportunistic bacteria in the environment such as motile Pseudomonas/Aeromonas Gram-negative organisms.

Hundreds of sea lions take over docks of Cowichan Bay
A raucous crowd has moved into Cowichan Bay and the volume and odour coming from them is wafting for blocks around. Locals estimate over 300 sea lions have descended on the Cowichan community and their presence is proving a huge tourist draw.
Duncan, British Columbia, Canada

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

Unusually warm early winter in Lapland
Enontekiö, Lapland, Finland

'New normal' ferocious winds whip up deadly California fires
Two deadly wildfires fueled by "devil winds" tore through opposite ends of California on Sunday, with residents urged to heed evacuation orders by officials forced to leave their own homes. In northern California, the Camp Fire is one of the deadliest and most destructive in the state'
Paradise, California, United States
Reuters

Herring (Clupea pallasii) in Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) stomach
Odd time of year for seals to be eating herring.

Cattle egrets and an exceptional heron
It started when Jamie Brandon posted a picture of cattle egret in a field with cows at Great Barasway. When the dust cleared a whopping nine cattle egrets had been discovered making it the largest influx of cattle egrets in Newfoundland in living memory.
Angels Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
The Telegram

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.

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

Aftermath of Nov. Storm at Kivalina

Herring Infection Worsens
A considerable number of the herring catch that’s been landed in recent days has been found to be infected. As such, almost all of it will be incinerated.
Note, according to Fisheries Information and Resource System (FIRMS) the infection rate of herring with Ichthyophonus in Iceland was estimated to be 32% in the in the winter 2008/2009.
Vopnafjörður, Austurland, Iceland

Finland's wolf population sees up to 50 percent growth this year
According to the Natural Resources Institute (Luke), the wolf population is expanding into the south and west – but winter will once more contain their numbers.
Posio, Lapland, Finland

Chemically-cleaned Finnish lake still clear, but now overrun by waterweed
Littoinen Lake made headlines in 2017 when it was chemically treated because it was overwhelmed with phosphorous and algae. Now there is a new problem.
Turku, Varsinais-Suomi, Finland

25 polar bears plus cubs besiege village of Ryrkaypiy in Chukotka
The animals are irritated because they are ready to leave the area and start hunting in the deep sea, but ice is too thin, said Malakhova.
Ryrkaypiy, Russia

Ecological collapse of Toronto's ravine system has begun, researcher says
Ravines in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Italy floods leave 30 dead — 'illegal building' targeted by regional court
At least 30 people have been killed over the past week in storms, tornadoes, floods, mudslides and gale-force winds across Italy.
Palermo, Italy
euronews

'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

Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) North of Usual Range
Brown Booby (*Sula leucogaster*) sighted far north of its usual tropical habitat.
Sitka, Alaska, United States

Rarely seen whale stranded on Waikato beach dies
A stranded whale on a Waikato beach has died, despite rescuers; best efforts to save it.
Waikato Region, New Zealand
Radio New Zealand

Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) die-off French Beach
Many mature Sitka spruce trees dying off from French Beach south into Sooke along waterfront. Many dead partway up and needles thin.
Elizabeth Graham, Jacob Earnshaw, Robin Mulvey

Dangerously high levels of Red Tide found in bivalve shellfish on B.C. coast
The threshold for closure is set at 80 parts per million, but concentration in those areas were found to be as high as 1,300 parts per million.The warning applies to oysters, clams, scallops, mussels and geoduck.
Sechelt, British Columbia, Canada

Three new humpback whales identified off east Vancouver Island
Three new humpback whales have been identified off the East Coast of Vancouver Island as that species makes a massive comeback in our waters.
Strait of Georgia, British Columbia, Canada

Three-quarters of Venice underwater as city hit by worst flooding in a decade
At least 11 people were killed across Italy as a result of severe storms, authorities say.
Venezia, Venezia, Italy
CBS News

Red tide has contributed to the deaths of nearly 190 Florida manatees, FWC says
Red tide has contributed to or is suspected in the deaths of nearly 190 manatees so far this year.
Florida, United States
WFTS

Jelly-like Meat Texture Found in Ringed Seal (Phoca hispida)
Ringed seal (*Phoca hispida*) found with jelly-like meat texture and thin skin near the armpit and ribcage.
Scammon Bay, Alaska, United States

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

Rising Seas Forcing Changes on Maryland's Historic Eastern Shore Farms
Scientists search for options as coastal farms surrender to salt water
Princess Anne, Maryland, United States
VOA

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)
Gray Catbird found northwest of its normal range.

Dead Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)
Dead sea otter (*Enhydra lutris*) found on the beach with no obvious sign of injury although it did show signs of hair loss.
McDonald Spit, Alaska

The Abandoned Graveyards on a Thawing Arctic Island
Climate change is causing trouble on Herschel Island.
Herschel Island, Yukon Territory
Atlas Obscura

Sea otter (Enhydra lutris) living near Race Rocks
Race Rocks Ecological Reserve, British Columbia, Canada

Large Sea Purse (Big Skate, Raja binoculata?)
Large egg case found on beach, perhaps belonging to a Big Skate (*Raja binoculata*)

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

Sea Nettle Jellyfish (Chrysaora melanaster) are Landing
Sea Nettle (*Chrysaora melanaster*) jellyfish washed up on the beach.

Cordova windstorm wrecks roofs, sets derelict fish processor adrift
A 100-foot vessel, the Polar Bear, ended up aground on an island across a channel from the town.
Cordova, Alaska, United States

Odd Starfish Appearance (Pisaster ochraceus)
Sea Star (*Pisaster ochraceus*) appears sick but is actually healthy.
Larsen Bay, Alaska, United States

Remote Hawaiian island vanishes underwater after hurricane
East Island, a strip of gravel and sand northwest of Honolulu, "appears to be under water" after Hurricane Walaka surged past Hawaii, officials said.
East Island, Hawai'i
USA TODAY

Two rare earthquakes shake western Alaska coast
Two quakes shook the coast of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Tuesday night about 45 miles offshore of the community of Hooper Bay.
Hooper Bay, Alaska, United States

Natural anthrax killed 13 bison on farm in northern B.C.
The animals are thought to have contracted the disease from exposure to dormant anthrax spores in the soil of a feeding site on a farm. This is the first documented case of anthrax in livestock in B.C
Fort Saint John, British Columbia, Canada
680 NEWS

Nearly 3,000 people evacuated in Puerto Vallarta
Between two thousand and three thousand are estimated to have been evacuated in Puerto Vallarta, according to estimates by municipal authorities; however,
Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico
Puerto Vallarta News

Coyote (Canis latrans) Sighting
Uncommon coyote sighting in the Interior.
Fox, Alaska, United States

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.

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.

The warm-water blob is back off the B.C. coast
The blob is the popular name for a huge patch of warm water that has reached above normal temperatures in the Pacific Ocean.
Tofino, British Columbia, Canada

Ketchikan on 24/7 diesel power for foreseeable future
During Thursday’s Ketchikan City Council meeting, City Manager Karl Amylon said that Ketchikan Public Utilities started switching back and forth between hydro and diesel a few weeks ago, but starting Oct. 15th, extremely low lake levels meant switching completely to diesel.
Ketchikan, Alaska, United States
KRBD

Seismologist says earthquake may have triggered mudslide on the Haines Highway
Southeast Alaska had a very dry September. Heavy rains returned to the region this month, triggering a large mudslide on the Haines Highway.
KHNS - Haines

'A really, really significant sighting': Vancouver Island birdwatchers aflutter over unusual arrival
It's believed the pine bunting has never been seen south of Alaska — until this week.
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

'Son of the blob': Unseasonably warm weather creating new anomaly off B.C. coast
A meteorologist says unseasonably warm weather in B.C. is once again causing a large area of the Pacific Ocean to heat up considerably, emulating a phenomenon from past years known as the “blob.”
Gulf of Alaska

Warm early winter topples century-old records
For the first time in more than a century with no recorded snow -- not even a trace -- this late in October, as of Tuesday the 16th. On top of that, warm weather across the state is setting marks for the latest freeze date on record.
Casey Grove, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage

Unusual Squid Found on Shoreline
Squid are becoming more common on the shoreline over the past few years.
Aleksandrovsk, Alaska, United States

Potentially deadly infection hits California sea lions
A rescue center says California sea lions are coming down with a potentially fatal bacterial infection in near-record numbers.The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito says more than 220 sea lions rescued this year have been diagnosed with leptospirosis.
Sausalito, California, United States
ABC News

Missing Bull Kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) Bed
Large bull kelp (*Nereocystis luetkeana*) bed near the 1st channel marker, which used to attract sea otters, has disappeared.
Larsen Bay, Alaska, United States
David Harmes, Joy Britt, Mandy Lindeberg

'It's like a war zone': Nun among 12 dead as flash flooding hits France
In what the local weather agency said was some of the worst flash floods the Aude river has seen in more than a century, the heavy rainfall brought the equivalent of up to seven months' rain fell in just a few hours.
Villegailhenc, Aude, France
ABC News

20°C in October, Autumn temperature records broken
October temperature records were broken on Sunday afternoon, with the mercury surpassing 20°C in many places, according to the Finnish Meteorological Institute.
Ylivieska, Pohjois-Pohjanmaa, Finland

One killed as Wales battered by storms
Rivers burst their banks, homes were flooded and travel was impacted as Wales was battered by Storm Callum.
Wales, United Kingdom

At least 34 dead after Uganda landslide
At least 34 people have been killed after a river in eastern Uganda burst its banks, sending thick sludge and rocks barreling into homes.
Bukalasi, Uganda
The Times of India

Magnitude of Storm Callum captured as Scots hit by landslides and 70mph winds
The stunning image from the University of Dundee shows the scale of the extreme weather engulfing the country. And it comes as heavy rain has caused further landslips delaying the reopening of the key roadways.
Scotland, United Kingdom
The Scottish Sun

European aspen still in summer foliage
Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland

Feed the birds, people urged
The latest group to feel the ongoing effect of Iceland’s poor summer weather this year is the country’s bird population. With few berries and seeds on trees and bushes in the southern half of the country, experts worry for the birds’ survival this winter.
Reykjavík, Reykjavík, Iceland

Catching some hell; Hurricane Michael slams into Florida
Hurricane Michael slammed into the Florida Panhandle with terrifying winds of 155 mph Wednesday, splintering homes and submerging neighborhoods before continuing its destructive march inland across the Southeast.
Port Saint Joe, Florida, United States
AP NEWS

Bad weather impacts grain harvest
Grain harvests in North Iceland this autumn do not look encouraging, farmers say. A frost in late August damaged the corn and wet weather in the autumn has delayed harvests.
Akureyri, Northeast, Iceland

Warm weather prompts migratory birds to extend stay in Finland
Unusually mild weather and foggy mornings have caused many migratory birds to delay their departure south, according to Birdlife Finland.
Muhos, Pohjois-Pohjanmaa, Finland

Officials Weighing Options As North Strabane Landslide Threatens More Homes
More rain fell over the weekend, which is adding to the urgency in North Strabane, where a landslide has led to the demolition of two homes.
Strabane, Pennsylvania, United States
KDKA

Whaling captain, crew member die in boating accident
The two men, who were both part of an active whaling crew, were in one of the boats on a towline, towing a whale to shore, when their boat flipped, according to fellow whalers who were there when it happened.
Alaska Media, LLC., Steve Keller designer and application developer

Late blooming iris (Iris setosa) and lowbush cranberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea)
During fall time, we only hand pick when the blackberries turn brown. As I was picking I saw this wild iris, like it bloomed just a few days ago. I was very awed to see this flower in October.

Powerful winds rock Baffin Island, sending debris flying through Iqaluit
Nunavut is bracing for another day where wind gusts could reach 140 km/h after severe weather sent debris flying through the streets of the territory's capital overnight.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada

Vancouver temperatures hit an all-time record low yesterday
The low temperature in Vancouver hit a chilling 1.6°C, breaking an all-time low that's stood in place since 1937 when temperature gauges hit 2.8°C.
Daily Hive

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

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

Another minke whale washes ashore dead in Marshfield, adding to 'exceptional' year of die-offs
The whale washed up in the Brant Rock neighborhood, the second in the past two months.
Marshfield, Massachusetts, United States
masslive.com

Adult Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Snatches a Seagull
Bald eagle feeds on seagull
Larsen Bay, Alaska, United States

Foam in Womens Bay
Sea foam collecting on the beach where it is not normally seen.

‘Mosquito-pocalypse’: North Carolina residents battle massive bugs after hurricane
Massive, aggressive mosquitoes are swarming North Carolina weeks after Hurricane Florence tore through the region.
Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States

Drought in a Rain Forest
The Tongass Forest in southeast Alaska, a temperate rain forest, is experiencing record-low precipitation and severe drought conditions, impacting community hydroelectricity production.
Metlakatla, Alaska, United States

Hot weather impacts growing conditions in Pakistan
Weather conditions including drought are effecting vegetation in Punjab and other areas of Pakistan.
Gojra, Punjab, Pakistan

Beetle damage skyrockets to nearly 1 million acres in Southcentral Alaska
The latest tally of beetle kill shows more than 550,000 acres of forest with dead spruce from the ongoing infestation this year alone, much of it in Mat-Su.
Knik-Fairview, Alaska, United States

Delphiniums (Delphinium glaucum) Growing Again
Delphiniums (*Delphinium glaucum*) are still growing late in to the season.
Grayling, Alaska, United States

Accelerating Erosion at Kincaid Beach
Erosion of Kincaid beach bluffs accelerated compared to previous years.

Red-footed Booby (Sula sula) off Haida Gwaii
An adult dark morph Red-footed Booby came into BC waters at 2pm on Sept 27-2018. He was first discovered on Sept 22-2018 by Kyle Brynjolfson, as it flew onto his commercial fishing vessel "La Porsche."
West of Haida Gwaii
BC Rare Bird Alert

Parasite found in walrus meat in Sanikiluaq, warns health department
A walrus has tested positive for trichinella, also known as “pork worm” in Sanikiluaq, Nunavut according to the territorial health department.
Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, Canada

Scientists stumble across endangered whale not seen in Canada in years
An endangered whale that has only been seen off Canada's west coast twice in the last 50 years has been seen alive and well in BC waters.
Canada's Pacific Exclusive Economic Zone
CTVNews

Record levels of toxic blue-green algae invade Lake Agawam in Southampton
Toxic blue-green algae were found in record levels in Southampton’s Lake Agawam earlier this month, capping a summer during which a dozen South Fork lakes and ponds were closed due to high levels of the harmful bacteria.
Southampton, New York, United States
Newsday

Beluga whale sighting in Britain’s River Thames
An off-course beluga whale was spotted splashing around near London, and Brits can’t quite believe it.
Gravesend, Kent, England, United Kingdom

Home break-ins by black bears surge in Connecticut suburbs
In recent months, bears have shredded a car’s interior, wandered into a liquor store, even woken residents in their own bedrooms.
Canton, Connecticut, United States
Associated Press

Across the Arctic, bubbling lakes are leaking carbon dioxide, methane and other dangerous greenhouse gases
Set against the austere peaks of the Western Brooks Range, the lake, looked like it was boiling. Its waters hissed, bubbled and popped as a powerful greenhouse gas escaped from the lake bed.
Western Brooks Range, Alaska
National Post

Investigating threats from invasive species in the Aleutians Islands
The results of the Plate Watch program only indicated one invasive species in the area, Caprella mutica, otherwise known as the Japanese skeleton shrimp.
Alaska Sea Grant

Another Southern Resident killer whale is losing body condition, and researchers are concerned about the pregnant females
Salish Sea
Candace Calloway Whiting

How much has this caribou herd dropped since 2001? 99 per cent
The George River caribou herd, which straddles Labrador and Quebec, is in a critical state, according to biologists.
Labrador City, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Seabirds found with more than 250 pieces of plastic lodged in their stomachs
Scientists examining the devastating impact plastics are having on the world's oceans have identified seabirds with more than 250 man made objects lodged in their stomachs.
The Telegraph

‘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.

Nunavut hunter calls for changes to polar bear rules after fatal summer attacks
A hunter from Arviat says more polar bears seem to have no fear at all of human activity. He says recent human-polar bear conflicts have left hunters feeling scared and helpless to defend themselves.
Arviat, Nunavut, Canada

Spread of the Lone Star Tick (Amblyomma americanum) into Southern Ontario
Welland, Ontario, Canada

Trash and a shortage of wild foods are creating a ‘perfect storm’ of bear trouble in Alaska cities
Black bears have taken over a Juneau arboretum, shut down a fish-cleaning facility in Cordova and added to an unusually high year of bear kills in Anchorage, prompting one wildlife authority to call this summer the "craziest" year of bear encounters he's seen.

Warmer Arctic waters attract surprising visitors: clams, fish and whales
Ice in the north Bering Sea is diminishing, researchers aboard a Coast Guard ship report.

Unusually warm weather ‘obliterating’ September records in Anchorage, while dry streak continues
You're not imagining things: September's weather has been one for the record books, for both the warm weather and unusual streak of sunny days.

Dead and dying birds rain down in unexplained occurrence in B.C. community
A British Columbia man who witnessed dozens of birds falling from the sky just south of Vancouver says he was horrified by the sight.
Tsawwassen, British Columbia, Canada
National Post

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

A veil of spider webs is taking over entire town
The phenomenon is rare, although the webs have appeared before in other parts of the country. According to arachnologist Maria Chatzaki, they are always from the same type of spider: the Tetragnatha genus, a tiny critter no longer than 2 centimeters, or 0.7 inches.
Aitoliko, West Greece, Greece
WTAE

Angry Canadian crabs invade coast of Maine
While their main target appears to be the region's soft-shell clam population, they're also munching through acres of eelgrass, a native flowering plant that shelters and nourishes life under the sea.
Coastal Maine, United States
Mother Nature Network

87 days of smog: Southern California just saw its longest streak of bad air in decades
Southern California went 87 days without a clean air day, the longest stretch of consecutive ozone pollution violations in at least 20 years. Regulators blame the persistence in pollution on hot, stagnant weather and are studying whether climate change is driving it.
Los Angeles, California, United States
latimes.com

A 300-metre-long spiderweb has been woven in Greece
There's nothing for humans to worry about. Gnats, on the other hand...
Aitoliko, West Greece, Greece

Late-blooming Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium)
Fireweed blooming in mid-late September after other plants have gone to seed.

Another Landslide Hits The Philippines
At least 15 people are dead and dozens more are missing.
Naga City, Naga, Philippines

Rare birds stop off in Iceland
Two bird species that breed in the northernmost parts of the world are currently on a rare visit to Iceland as they make their way south for the winter.
Gardur, Southern Peninsula, Iceland

The sea around Denmark hit by marine heat waves
Waters are up to eight degrees warmer waters than normal. DTU Aqua is conducting research into the impact of climate change on marine fauna and flora.
Skagerrak
DTU Aqua

Discolored Spruce (Picea sitchensi) in Seldovia
Spruce branch girdling causing discoloration in tree.

Mass die-off of clams fouls Revere Beach
The Division of Marine Fisheries is analyzing the clams and expects to have preliminary results in the coming days that might point to a cause.
Revere, Massachusetts, United States
The Boston Globe

Discolored Spruce (Picea sitchensis) Trees
Discolored spruce (*Picea sitchensis*) needles

For methane researcher, golf course bubbles are a first
“It’s an area that I and some other colleagues have started thinking about: can you get methane forming in terrestrial environments? But it’s a very new area of science,” carbon scientist Katey Walter Anthony said.
Ravenna Koenig, Alaska's Energy Desk - Fairbanks

Calls of bear sightings are up around Juneau. But why?
Last year, Fish and Game and the Juneau Police Department received roughly 470 calls about bear activity. By the end of August this year, they had already fielded more than 600.

Denver extends heat wave record for September with ninth consecutive 90-degree day
Denver's hot weather keeps on sizzling, tying a record for consecutive 90-degree days in September.
Denver, Colorado, United States
The Denver Post

Quebec farm under quarantine after animal with chronic wasting disease discovered in Laurentians
This is the first time CWD, which affects the nervous systems of deer and elk and has no known cure, has been discovered in the province.
Quebec, Canada

You're not imagining it — September is colder than usual in Yellowknife
According to Environment Canada, not even halfway through September, Yellowknife has already broken cold records for three days.

Sheriff: toxic algae suspected in dog’s death, 6 other dogs falling ill
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office believes a toxic algae bloom is to blame for killing one dog and making six others sick.
Stuart, Florida, United States
WSVN

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

Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassirostris) in Lund/Powell River
At 12pm on Sept 13-2018, while kayaking; Ken Wright found a 3rd cycle Black-tailed Gull near Lund. The bird was resting on Major Islet whic...
Powell River, British Columbia, Canada
BC Rare Bird Alert

'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

Ticks arriving in Yukon as stowaways
Yukon's animal health unit says there were four ticks found on people and pets in the territory this summer. Lab results revealed three different species of ticks including the rocky mountain wood tick and the American dog tick — are not found in Yukon.

Low Coastal Cloud Ceiling on Landing
White, puffy, clouds unusually close to the land.

Salmon fishing closes on large stretch of Columbia
The counts of fall Chinook at Bonneville Dam are 29 percent below preseason forecasts, and ongoing fisheries are approaching the allowable catch limits under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Columbia River, Washington, United States
The Columbian

33.48 tons of dead fish collected in Pinellas County as red tide bloom lingers
Red tide is officially impacting Pinellas County. Crews have picked up a total of 33.48 tons of dead fish and hauled them off to the county dump.
Madeira Beach, Florida, United States
WFTS

Coyote believed first sighted in Beaufort Delta region since 1974
A coyote caught on camera in the Richardson Mountain range is the first spotted in the region in decades, a wildlife biologist says.
Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada

High And Dry: Swiss Army Airlifts Water To Cows In Drought-Stricken Mountains
Water scarcity and heat are threatening two of Switzerland's main agricultural products: milk and cheese. But the shortage affects far more than cows — Swiss glaciers also feed Europe's major rivers.
Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
NPR.org

Scientists baffled by number of whale deaths on the coasts of Scotland and Ireland
Scientists are baffled by a wave of whale deaths - which saw more carcasses wash up on the coasts of Scotland and Ireland in the past month than in the previous decade.
Scotland & Ireland
The Scotsman

When Heavy Rain, Erosion and Gravity Cause the Earth to Give Way
In the mountainous areas like western Pennsylvania and West Virginia, heavy rainfall is not just a hassle, but can lead to problems exacerbated by the region’s constrained topography.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Route Fifty

Russian salmon fishermen dumping excess catch
Salmon harvesters in the Far East parts of Russia have landed so much fish that they have begun to dump some of their excess catch wherever they can, forcing the region to confront an epidemic of rancid, rotting salmon.
Kamchatka, Russia
Moscow Times

DOT officials puzzle over soggy ground – with no recent rain – at site of Seward Highway landslide
State transportation workers found wet ground may have contributed to the small landslide, despite the lack of recent rain.

Seaweed Takes Over Popular Beach at the Grand Turk Cruise Center
Sargassum Seaweed has invaded the beach at the Grand Turk cruise center which is popular with cruise ship passengers.
Cockburn Town, Turks and Caicos Islands
Cruise Hive

Prickly Rose (Rosa acicularis) in Bloom WAY Out of Season
Prickly rose plant is blooming when others have gone to hips.

Shellfish Warning
Crescent City, California, United States

Shooting of bear highlights ‘infestation’ in Cordova after poor salmon returns
Residents speculate the black bears are venturing into town because they're hungry, after a poor run of pink salmon and rainy weather that hurt the abundance of berries, limiting food for the animals.

Indian Summer: Unusually Warm September
Unusually warm September temperatures.
Nelson Lagoon, Alaska, United States

Residents of Aklavik spotting more grizzly bears in town
About 10 grizzly bears have been living at the community dump in Aklavik, N.W.T., this summer. Arey said a couple of bears were destroyed earlier this summer, but said more may need to be killed as residents are still seeing the bears coming into the community near homes.
Aklavik, Northwest Territories, Canada

Late-blooming Clover (Trifolium pratense L.?) or Perhaps Second Bloom?
"They are extremely fresh-looking, as if it were the springtime."

Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) in Kelowna
At 4:30pm on Sept 9-2018, 15 year old Kalin Ocana found a female Orchard Oriole at Munson Pond. The bird was sitting in the grass at this l...
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
BC Rare Bird Alerts

Unusual September weather pattern brings sunshine to Southcentral Alaska
“We typically don’t see this type of pattern in September,” an Anchorage meteorologist said. Anchorage's record high temperature was broken on both Friday and Saturday.

Sargassum harasses South Florida during worst seaweed assault on record
South Florida beaches faced a sargassum assault this summer that some scientists believe is part of the largest spread of the nomadic marine weed on record, and one that could continue through September.
Palm Beach, Florida, United States
Palm Beach Post

Was it a tornado? Power outages persist from yesterday’s storm
Brunswick schools are closed today and CMP crews are out 'in full force' after Thursday's brief but intense thunderstorm.
Brunswick, Maine, United States
Press Herald

Hundreds of Seals Are Dying on the New England Coast
Deaths of gray and harbor seals, in much greater numbers than usual, have been attributed to viruses related to distemper and the flu.
Isles of Shoals, 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

Bald Eagle Pairs (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Abandoned Nests
Bald eagles (*Haliaeetus leucocephalus*) disappeared from usual nesting spot.

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.

Toronto beats temperature record as students swelter in schools without AC
Students and teachers at hundreds of Toronto schools without air conditioning sweltered their way through record-breaking heat on Wednesday, as the city’s largest school board said it understood why some parents might choose to keep their children at home.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Rare sighting of lone Brown Pelican in Oak Bay waters
Bird is uncharacteristically alone and far from home
Oak Bay, British Columbia, Canada

Irish summer heatwave sees Shannon record hottest day in over 70 years
Ireland's highest temperature was reported at Shannon Airport, Co Clare on June 28 reaching a high of 32.0 °C, its highest since 1946. The summer of 2018 will be remembered for the scorching heatwave and drought conditions that affected the whole country.
Shannon, Clare County, Ireland
The Irish Sun

Gulf of Maine Water Temperatures Soar Near Record Highs After Ocean 'Heat Wave'
NOAA and NASA satellites measured an average sea-surface temperature of 68.93 degrees Fahrenheit in the Gulf of Maine on Aug. 8, only 0.05 degrees below the all-time record high of 68.98 set in 2012. It is the epicenter of the U.S. lobster fishing industry, an important feeding ground for rare North Atlantic right whales .
Gulf of Maine
The Weather Channel

May-August period was the warmest on record in Finland, says FMI
It was the hottest summer in the 174-year history of weather records in Helsinki, and the second hottest in the 118-year history of the weather station in Sodankylä, Lapland.
Finland
Helsinki Times

Erie records record-high temperature of 93 Wednesday
The 93-degree temperature was recorded at 2:13 p.m.
Erie, Pennsylvania, United States
GoErie.com

Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) in Campbell River
Guy Monty and Mark Wynja photographed a Common Ringed Plover at Oyster Bay on Sept 5-2018. They were there to view a reported Buff-breasted...
Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada
BC Rare Bird Alert

Squirrel population surges in Northeast, as does roadkill
Biologists say plentiful food and other conditions are helping the rodents to thrive, and now the young ones are hitting the road.
Cape Neddick, Maine, United States
Press Herald

Dawson City had wettest August in 54 years
According to Environment Canada’s senior climatologist David Phillips, it was the third-wettest August in Dawson since records began in 1897.
Dawson, Yukon, Canada

Small Deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis) Found with Signs of Injury or Illness
Small, approachable, deer found with possible broken jaw, discolored saliva, and injury on hindquarter.

Poaching: Almost 90 elephants dead in biggest ever slaughter in Africa
Botswana's 2018 Wildlife Aerial Survey has revealed large-scale poaching of the country's elephants with conservationists saying so far, 87 carcasses have been found.
The South African

Farmed Salmon Caught in Icelandic Rivers
Three farmed salmon have been caught in the Westfjords this season. Farmed salmon have a tendency to swim up rivers later in the season than wild salmon, meaning the true number of escapees may not be apparent until the end of the fishing season.
Isafjordur, Westfjords, Iceland

Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) mortality from drought stress
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

After 3 days, ‘stressed’ sea lion that ventured into Sitka can’t find its way back to the ocean
Why did the sea lion cross the road? Scientists don't know yet.

Indigenous reindeer herders request emergency aid after drought, wildfires
The Swedish Saami Association is demanding a comprehensive aid package from Stockholm after a season of unprecedented drought and wildfire ravaged the country, including key reindeer grazing areas.
Swedish Sapmi
RCI | English

Pod of Pilot Whales Unexpectedly Spotted in Westfjords
A marine biologist at the Marine and Freshwater Research institute who specializes in whales says that it’s rare for pilot whales to venture so far north, but said that it’s possible that the pilot whales' appearance in Iceland’s waters can be credited to warming ocean temperatures.
Isafjordur, Westfjords, Iceland

Tons Of Dead Fish Washing Ashore On Florida Beaches
Southwest Florida is reeling from a toxic algae bloom called red tide. Hundreds of tons of dead fish are washing up on beaches.
Bradenton, Florida, United States
NPR.org

Severe Bank Erosion from Permafrost Thaw
Thawing and eroding is destroying river bank, impacting access, threatening infrastructure, and causing safety concerns.
Selawik, Alaska, United States

Boston breaks temperature record
The temperature at Logan International Airport rose to 97 degrees shortly after 1 p.m. Wednesday, topping a record set in 1953.

Fewer Summer Insects
I started looking for insects months ago only to find them significantly absent from this area.
Marietta, Georgia, United States

Nunavut hunter killed by polar bear and cub
A man from Nunavut has been killed in a polar bear attack, according to local RCMP. A polar bear mother and cub were destroyed at the scene. This is the second fatal polar bear attack in Nunavut this summer
Naujaat, Nunavut

Late Blooming Rose (Rosa acicularis) Documented in Newspaper
Front page of the Daily News-Miner documents a late blooming rose during a colder than average August.

Survivor recalls deadly encounter with polar bears
A Nunavut hunter who survived a polar bear attack that killed one of his friends last week says the encounter started when a mother bear and her cub approached their camp.
Nunavut, Canada

Bears are coming into Whitehorse looking for berries
The problem is that there just aren't many wild berries this year in southern Yukon. Bears are typically feasting on soap berries and cranberries this time of year, as they try to fatten up before winter.

Maine heat flirts with the record books, disrupting some school schedules
Temperatures in southern Maine topped 90 degrees Tuesday and are expected to do the same Wednesday, prompting school officials to dismiss students early and cancel sports practices, and sending people flocking to beaches.
Portland, Maine, United States
Press Herald

Hawaii’s rain from Hurricane Lane, topping 50 inches, is among most extreme in U.S. records
The total amount of rain, measured in feet, soared to historic levels: Over four feet or 52.02 inches were measured on Mountain View, about 15 miles southwest of Hilo.
Hilo, Hawaii, United States

Giant 50,000 pound whale washes up on beach shore
Scientists are working to find the cause of death of a massive 50,000 pound whale that washed up on shore.
Duxbury, Massachusetts, United States
ABC13 Houston

Red sunset in store as North American wildfire smoke spreads across Finland
Seija Paasonen has been tracking the patterns of the North American forest fires for several weeks now. She says that the smoke has traveled as far as Europe owing to wind patterns in the upper atmosphere.
Kainuu, Finland

Tornado strikes Icelandic farm
A large 4x4 with trailer was found overturned in a ditch, fencing had been flattened, and roof panels from seven buildings were found 100 metres away from their roofs when the family returned to Norðurhjáleiga farm.
Kirkjubaejarklaustur, South, Iceland

Record Numbers Of Beaked Whale Deaths Cause Alarm
The IWDG says a minimum of 16 beaked whale deaths were recorded along the North West coast of Ireland from Galway to Donegal between 3 and 22 August, 2018.
Galway, Ireland
Afloat.ie

More than 1,000 dead fish at Malibu Lagoon may be tied to record-warm ocean temperatures
California State Parks scientists are running tests this week to determine what caused about 1,500 fish to die in Malibu Lagoon last week, but officials suspect higher-than-normal water temperatures may have played a role.
Malibu, California

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

Rare Walrus Sighting in East Iceland
A lone hiker in East Iceland found a wandering walrus, and managed to snap some fantastic photos.
Isafjordur, Westfjords, Iceland

'No grass': Europe's livestock sector stricken by drought
Mediterranean countries long ago adapted their farming practices to little rain, but this year it is the north of Europe confronting a widespread drought that could see farmers having to send much of their herds to slaughter due to a lack of feed.
Northern Europe
YAHOO!

Spruce Rust (Chrysomyxa ledicola) Appearing on Spruce Trees (Picea mariana)
The spruce along the highway between mile 157 and 162 show signs of stress, the tips of the branches are orangish and the deep green of the trees are fading.
Slana, Alaska, United States

Full report: Damage exceeds $100 million as Madison area braces for more rain, flooding in wake of this week's massive deluge
Record-setting rainfall caused massive flooding in Dane County that killed a man, washed out roads and bridges and heavily damaged property.
Madison, Wisconsin, United States
Wisconsin State Journal

Investigators, experts ask questions after ship grounded in Arctic
Investigators are on their way to Kugaaruk, Nunavut, after a passenger boat ran aground in the area.
Kugaaruk, Nunavut, Canada

Tests find dead seals had avian flu and distemper viruses
Many of the dead seals that washed ashore in northern New England in the past few weeks tested positive for either avian influenza or phocine distemper virus, but it is still too soon to say if those viruses are the primary causes of the unusual die-off.
Portland, Maine, United States
Lewiston Sun Journal

Reindeer herders say that if they don't get emergency funding, the animals may starve to death
“This is about the survival of the reindeer, and of Sami culture, which depends on them,” said Niila Inga, chair of the Swedish Sami Association.
Dikanäs, Västerbottens län, Sweden
Newsweek

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

Bracing for Lane: County, state prepare as significant rain, flooding and high winds are expected from hurricane - Hawaii Tribune-Herald
President Trump approved Gov. David Ige’s request for a disaster declaration Wednesday as powerful Hurricane Lane spiraled closer to Hawaii.
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Hawaii Tribune-Herald

Nine Whales Stranded in Eastfjords
Nine whales have been stranded so far this year in East Iceland. Bottlenose whales and Curvier’s beaked whales are members of the family Ziphiidae and it’s often been said that they are more sensitive to noise pollution in the ocean.

New England Seals Test Positive for Avian Flu and Distemper
Preliminary results suggest that avian flu and/or phocine distemper virus may be contributing to the elevated seal strandings in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts since June 1, 2018.
Lewiston, Maine, United States
NOAA

Drought has volunteers walking Cowichan Lake area’s dry rivers and creek-beds looking for stranded fish fry
Plans are underway for raising the weir: a reflection of widespread concern, says Ken Traynor
Cowichan Lake Area, British Columbia, Canada
Lake Cowichan Gazette

Hot, arid summer guts a third of Sweden's cereal harvest
An unusually dry, hot summer means Sweden will see smaller yields of crops like wheat, barley and oats.
Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden
Eye on the Arctic

McCarthy Road reopened after being rocked by mudslide
Rain caused mudslides are affecting roads in the southeastern Interior. The Alaska Department of Transportation reports that the McCarthy Road was shut down by a slide last night. Listen now
McCarthy, Alaska, United States

White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) in Port Renfrew
A White-winged Dove was photographed at the Port Renfrew Marina at 11:57 am on August 22-2018 but was misidentified as a Band-tailed Pigeon...
Port Renfrew, British Columbia, Canada

Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) near Malcolm Island
Gord Curry and Ted Down found an adult Brown Booby sitting on a log in Queen Charlotte Strait, NW of Pultney Point Lighthouse on Malcolm Island, while they were fishing.
Queen Charlotte Strait

‘Atmospheric river’ from the tropics pours rain on Southcentral Alaska
Days of rain have triggered flooding in Cordova and slowed drivers on the Taylor Highway and McCarthy Road.

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

Damage widespread, 1 dead after record rainfall causes flash flooding in Dane County
An epic rainfall swept one man to his death, washed out bridges, swamped homes, cars and businesses, and marooned dozens of shoppers overnight at a Middleton discount store Monday.
Madison, Wisconsin, United States
madison.com
BILL NOVAK, ROB SCHULTZ and CHRIS HUBBUCH Wisconsin State Journal

Northernmost American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) Observation on iNaturalist
The American Bullfrog is native to the Eastern United States and southern maritime provinces of Canada. It has famously spread west and now north in recent decades.
Inland Lake Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada
iNaturalist.org

6.4 earthquake was the strongest ever recorded in region
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake rattled a remote region of Alaska's North Slope southeast of Prudhoe Bay Sunday morning. The state seismologist called it the biggest quake ever recorded in the region.
Kaktovik, Alaska, United States

New Mexico plateau named for birds seeing them die off
A 10-year study on the Pajarito Plateau shows a 73 percent decrease in abundance and a 45 percent decrease in variety of species.
Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States
Santa Fe New Mexican

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

Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus) Sighting in Utqiaġvik
Unusual Stellar sea lion (*Eumetopias jubatus*) sighting in Utqiaġvik.

Rare Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) Sighting
Wood frog sighted on trail.
Ester, Alaska, United States

A summer without insect stings
Fewer wasp and mosquito interactions in Anchorage in 2018 than typical.

NOAA survey shows shocking lack of thermal barrier between northern and southern Bering Sea
The “thermal curtain” is another expression for “cold pool” that acts as a barrier to keep some species—pollock and Pacific cod, for example — from migrating across the eastern Bering Sea shelf and northward toward the Bering Strait. For the first time in 37 years of surveying the Bering Sea, we could not find the cold water barrier.
Diomede, Alaska, United States

Unidentified Beetle Pupa Found Near River Bank
Unidentified beetle pupa found near camp on a river bank.
St. Mary's, Alaska, United States

Race against time: Engineers use Apex River to refill Iqaluit's water supply
Stantec engineering designed the plans for pumping water from the Apex River to Lake Geraldine, the city's reservoir, which has lower water levels than in years past.

Hundreds Killed as Kerala, India, Hit by Worst Floods Since 1920s
Torrential rains left at least 324 people dead, and hundreds of thousands more have been made homeless.
Kerala, India

Thick smoke in the Alberni Valley, lasting days
Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada

B.C. declares state of emergency as hundreds of wildfires burn across province
The British Columbia government has declared a state of emergency to support the provincewide response to the ongoing wildfire situation.
British Columbia, Canada

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