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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

Anchovies take over White Rock shores
People in White Rock, B.C. are used to seeing fish in their waters but not quite like this.
White Rock, British Columbia, Canada
Facebook Watch

Holiday cold snap breaks records, may save Northwest Alaska snowmachine races
It’s a dramatic drop from this winter’s balmy start, but this is a normal weather pattern for this time of year.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Minus 65: Interior Alaska sees coldest official temperatures since 2012
An official temperature of minus 65 was recorded 15 miles northeast of Manley Hot Springs, according to the National Weather Service. It is the coldest official temperature in Alaska since
Manley Hot Springs, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Thousands of 'sea pickles' wash up on Monterey Bay beach
Hundreds upon hundreds of specimens known as "sea pickles" washed up on Monterey Bay beaches on Thursday. As explained by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, "Big waves and strong currents are pushing pyrosomes onto local beaches.
Asilomar State Beach, Pacific Grove, California, United States
SFGate

Huge sea temperature anomaly has water six degrees above normal
Ocean temperatures as much as 6 degrees higher than usual are developing off the east coast.
South Pacific Ocean
Stuff

Boisterous bay
A winter storm combined with a 20.7-foot high tide hammered the north shore of Kachemak Bay last Thursday.
Homer, Alaska, United States
Homer News

Mat-Su declares disaster after Willow Creek flooding forces evacuations, closes bridge
Flooding on Willow Creek Saturday night and Sunday has led to seven families being evacuated, with five people taking shelter at the Willow Community Center. The Willow Fire Department, Mat-Su Animal Care and the Mat-Su Water Rescue Team organized to assist those impacted by the flood.
Willow, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Russia’s warm winter has deprived Moscow of snow, caused plants to bloom and roused bears out of hibernation
Residents are lamenting a December without the constant layer of snow that defines Russian winters, when what little light there is typically reflects off the white covering and brightens the days.
Moscow, Moscow, Russia
Washington Post

Confirmed extinction of the Chinese Paddlefish (Psephurus gladius)
Ivan Jaric Tweeted news of his published paper confirming the extinction of the Chinese Paddlefish (Psephurus gladius)
Yangtze River, China
Twitter

Record Christmas snow cover in Lapland
Powder on the ground is nearly one meter deep in some parts of Finland's northernmost region.
Inari, Lapland, Finland
Yle Uutiset

More than a dozen homes evacuated due to Willow Creek flooding; Mat-Su officials say bridge could be closed for days
The flooding started when large chunks of ice jammed at Deneki bridge, according to an advisory issued by the National Weather Service.
Willow, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Soil loss during high rainfall event
The following Tweet is an observation of soil erosion and loss from an agricultural field in rural England during a rainfall event. This was documented on Twitter by Dave Throup, Environment Agency Manager for Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
General overviews of increasing rainfall and soil degradation in the UK are attached.
Herefordshire, England, United Kingdom
Twitter

100 horses confirmed dead in storm
100 dead horses have been found following the major storm that hit Iceland last week. Some are still missing and the search continues. Some horses are known to remain in danger and vets say that farmers are exhausted.
Skagafjörður, Norðurland vestra, Iceland
RÚV

Buildings Disappears under Snow: "We’ve never before had snow on this scale"
The building, 30 feet to the gable, is buried in snow.
Hofsós, Northwest, Iceland
Electroverse

43,000 litres of milk went to waste in the storm
The severe storm that hit Iceland last week had a major impact on farmers—largely because of power cuts and closed roads. Dairy farmers could not milk their cows during power cuts, and they could not refrigerate the milk that had been collected before the power went off. MS Iceland Dairies received 43,000 fewer litres of milk from farms last week than the week before.
Akureyri, Northeast, Iceland
RÚV

Nearly 20,000 non-native salmon escaped after fire at B.C. fish farm
One wild salmon advocate fears the non-native Atlantic salmon could spread sickness and compete for habitat with struggling wild salmon population.
Queen Charlotte Strait, British Columbia
British Columbia

The snow is low, but the ice is nice
What little snow has fallen in recent weeks has disappeared, leaving inviting surfaces and smooth terrain to explore.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Pod of Orca whales migrate more than 3,000 miles from Iceland to Italy
A pod of Orca whales has made an unprecedented trip from Iceland to more than 3,000 miles away in Genoa, Italy according to a nonprofit organization that tracks them.
Genoa, Liguria, Italy
ABC News

Winter storm cuts off power to over 50,000 homes
Gusty winds and precipitation began pounding Finland from the southwest on Wednesday morning.
Heinola, Päijänne Tavastia, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Seabird Aggregation Over Abundant Northern Anchovy (Engraulis mordax)
Professor John Reynolds shared the following video of his observation of a large aggregation of gulls and other coastal seabirds over a large aggregation of Northern Anchovy at White Rock, BC.
White Rock, British Columbia, Canada
Twitter

Deadliest storm in decades for Icelandic horses
Last week’s storm was the most fatal natural disaster to Iceland’s horses in decades. The situation was worst in Vestur- and Austur Húnavatnssýsla, but horses died elsewhere around the country as well.
Vesturland, Iceland
RÚV

Erosion Threatening Burial Site
A few years ago, people had to cover up parts of the burial site that were becoming exposed.
Wales, Alaska, United States
Racheal Lee, Max Neale, Erica Lujan, Tom Wolforth, Mike Brubaker, Michael Bruce, Debra Seetook, Vladimir Romanovsky, Louisa Castrodale

Ice balls spotted on island in Finland
Hundreds of ice balls could be seen floating on the beach at Ohtakari island in Finland’s Bay of Bothnia.
Kokkola, Central Ostrobothnia, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Car strikes large boulder on rockfall-prone stretch of Seward Highway
No one was injured when a car hit a 6-foot-by-8-foot rock that fell from cliffs next to the Seward Highway late Wednesday.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Where's the snow? Warm weather to keep most of Eaglecrest closed this weekend
Night-time temperatures have been cold enough for snow but the snow quickly melts by morning.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Juneau Empire

Too icy to ski right now? Not for Junior Nordic
Most of Anchorage is currently covered in ice, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to ski.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
YouTube

K300 Season Opener Delayed Again
Poor trail conditions have pushed the Kuskokwim 300 Season Opener race back another week.
Bethel, Alaska, United States
KYUK

For the first time, scientists have found a dangerous toxin from algae in the Bering Strait and Chukchi Sea
Clams collected in late August had concentrations of saxitoxin considered dangerous for human consumption. The samples were collected in August about 70 miles north of St. Lawrence Island and about 50 miles north of Cape Lisburne, much further north than previously documented.
Cape Lisburne
ArcticToday

Kipnuk the latest village to flood as storms rile the ice-free Bering Sea
This has become the new norm across the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Late winters and sudden thawing have turned roads into slush and made rivers and sloughs, which are necessary for travel, less safe because they take longer to freeze.
Kipnuk, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Mass Worm Stranding
"I saw thousands of these on Drakes Beach on Dec. 6, after the recent storm. What happened?" David Ford
Drakes Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, California, USA
Bay Nature

Erosion of Burial Site
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

'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

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

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.

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

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