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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

Water Damage at Kjarvalsstaðir and 17 Other Locations
Reykjavík fire department responded to 18 water damage calls over two hours during heavy rain, including flooding in the basement of the Kjarvalsstaðir art museum.
Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland
Vísir

Kittiwakes in Every Nook and Cranny: It Can't Be Easy to Sleep
A rooftop in Berlevåg is packed with common kittiwakes occupying every nook and cranny. The scene highlights seabirds’ increasing use of urban structures for roosting in coastal northern Norway.
Berlevåg, Troms og Finnmark, Norway
iFinnmark

Lake Mývatn Sees Largest Midge Swarm in Decades
Lake Mývatn experienced its largest midge swarm in decades, with calm, warm conditions triggering an unusually early emergence that blanketed the lake’s surface.
Mývatn, North Iceland, Iceland
Iceland Review

Avian influenza detected in Tromsø
Avian influenza was confirmed in four seagulls in Tromsø, Norway, prompting authorities to advise the public against handling dead or sick birds without protection.
Tromsø, Troms og Finnmark, Norway
NRK Troms og Finnmark

10,000 lightning strikes included railway damage, travellers warned
Network Rail Scotland warns that some of the 10,000 lightning strikes across the north of Scotland on 14 August damaged signalling on the Highland Main Line between Inverness and Perth, causing delays of up to 35 minutes.
Highland Main Line, Highland, Scotland, United Kingdom
Inverness Courier

Cougar family causing safety worries in Mesachie Lake
A mother cougar and two adolescent cubs have been repeatedly sighted in Mesachie Lake, B.C., since August, prompting safety concerns from residents. Conservation officers are monitoring the situation and advise precautions but say there’s no evidence of aggression toward people.
Mesachie Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Lake Cowichan Gazette

Rabbits with ‘tentacles’ spotted in Colorado
Some rabbits spotted in Fort Collins, Colorado, appear to have growths or tentacles coming out of their heads, which Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirms is a type of virus, Shope papillomavirus. KUSA’s Amanda Gilbert reports.
Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
NBC News

Counted a hundred farmed salmon in the lower part of Haukadalsá
An inspector from the Icelandic Fisheries Agency counted around 100 farmed salmon in the lower section of Haukadalsá, marking the largest occurrence of escaped farmed salmon in an Icelandic river, and plans are underway for removal operations including using anglers and Norwegian divers.
Haukadalsá, Dalabyggð, Iceland
visir.is

Mystery in the Mountains: Tens of Dead Reindeer Found
Forty-eight reindeer from a Hardanger herd were found dead on a rock ledge and below a cliff near Breidablik in Kvam, and authorities are investigating starvation, disease, and predator involvement.
Kvanndalseggjane, Kvam, Vestland, Norway
NRK Vestland

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

Olve (24) got a shock: The landslide went right in front of me
A landslide struck the Midnight Sun staircase in Lavangen, Norway, narrowly missing Olve Sletten (24) and scattering debris across the steps.
Midnattsoltrappa, Lavangen, Troms og Finnmark, Norway
Fremover

Juneau's glacial outburst flood has crested, water levels now dropping
The flood reached a record-breaking crest of 16.65 feet at about 8 a.m. Wednesday. Water continues to seep into Valley neighborhoods.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

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

Water Shortage in Southern Sweden – Well Driller Overwhelmed
Low groundwater levels from spring rainfall deficits have left many wells on the Varaslätten plain in southern Sweden dry, prompting water shortage warnings in 14 counties and overwhelming local well drillers.
Varaslätten, Västra Götaland, Sweden
SVT Nyheter

Alaska Airlines cancels flights to Nome, Kotzebue due to volcanic ash
The plume is expected to persist in the region for at least 18 hours, according to an advisory issued Tuesday morning.
Klyuchevskaya Sopka Volcano, Russia
Anchorage Daily News

New out-of-control wildfire south of Port Alberni grows to 630 hectares
The Mount Underwood wildfire south of Port Alberni grew to 630 hectares on August 11, prompting highway closures, campground evacuations, and a power outage affecting over 500 customers.
Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada
CHEK

Volcanic Ash Emission Halts Air Service Between Kamchatka and Chukotka
An eruption of ash from the Klyuchevskoy volcano prompted a red aviation alert and suspended flights between Kamchatka and Chukotka on August 11, 2025.
Kamchatka Krai and Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia
Anadyr Online

Smoke from Canadian wildfires drifting over Finland
Smoke from Canadian wildfires is expected to drift over Finland by Saturday evening, brightening sunsets but not affecting air quality, according to the Finnish Meteorological Institute.
Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
Yle

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

3 tornadoes touch down in Manitoba this week
A Western University research team confirmed three EF-0 tornado touchdowns in Manitoba this week—near Melita, Birds Hill Provincial Park and Dugald—causing minor tree and crop damage.
Manitoba, Canada
CTVNews

For every wild salmon in the trap, there have been 30 pink salmon – Frightening
In Kvænangen river traps caught a 30:1 ratio of invasive pink salmon to wild Atlantic salmon, requiring up to three emptyings per day.
Kvænangen, Troms og Finnmark, Norway
Nordlys

Wesley Ridge wildfire grows, expected to bring smoke throughout the summer
The Wesley Ridge wildfire near Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island has expanded to nearly 590 hectares, and smoke is expected to linger across the region through the summer.
Qualicum Beach, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
CHEK

Harvest begins unusually early
Berry farm owners Bjarni and Hrafnhildur at Vellir in Svarfaðardal report that this year’s wild blueberry harvest has started unusually early, with three shipments already arriving for sale.
Svarfaðardalur, Northeastern Region, Iceland
mbl.is

Watch roofs peel off cabins
Storm Floris struck Langesund in Telemark, Norway, ripping roofs off summer cabins at a Norsk Hydro holiday site, though no injuries were reported.
Langesund, Telemark, Norway
mbl.is

Rare white stork spotted in Dublin may be result of climate change, says expert
A white stork, normally native to Spain and Portugal, was photographed spending over 12 hours on a lamp-post in Lusk, Co Dublin, prompting experts to suggest climate change may be altering its migration behaviour.
Lusk, Dublin, Ireland
The Irish Times

Mountain biker suffers minor injuries in cougar attack near Squamish, B.C.
A mountain biker was attacked by a cougar near Squamish, B.C., suffering minor injuries before scaring the animal off with rocks.
Squamish, British Columbia, Canada
CHEK News

Increased bear activity closes several East Anchorage trails
Officials have indefinitely closed about 2.5 miles of popular biking, running and hiking trails in Far North Bicentennial Park and the Campbell Tract in East Anchorage due to heightened brown bear activity around salmon streams.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

There was debris spinning: Eyewitness shares close encounter with funnel cloud in Manitoba
Amateur storm chaser Brian Penner captured video of debris spinning as a funnel cloud crossed the road near Dugald and Anola during a violent thunderstorm in southern Manitoba.
Dugald, Manitoba, Canada
CTV News

Prairie smoke chokes Kivalliq
Wildfire smoke drifting east from Saskatchewan and Manitoba prompted air quality advisories across much of the Kivalliq Region but is expected to clear by Thursday.
Kivalliq Region, Nunavut, Canada
Nunatsiaq News

Esja snow-free and unusually early
The snow patch at Gunnlaugsskarð in Esja melted out by early August 2025, marking one of the earliest disappearances on record, previously only in July of 1941 and 2010.
Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland
Vísir

Photo Fact: Vilyuyskoye Cemetery in Yakutsk Continues to Flood
Photos taken by a local reporter show Vilyuyskoye Cemetery in Yakutsk remains flooded due to inadequate drainage, with more rain forecast to worsen the situation.
Yakutsk, Sakha Republic, Russia
Yakutia.Info

Smoke advisory issued for Iqaluit, Kinngait and Kimmirut
Environment Canada has issued an air quality advisory for Iqaluit, Kinngait and Kimmirut due to smoke from wildfires in the Prairies, reducing visibility; the smoke is expected to clear Wednesday night.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada
Nunatsiaq News

Kodiak breaks another rain record
On August 6, 2025, Kodiak recorded 2.31 inches of rain—shattering the previous daily record of 1.72 inches from 2013—and forcing the cancellation of slowpitch softball games.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States
Kodiak Daily Mirror

See the Waterspout Moving In off Kalix
At around noon on August 6, 2025, amateur runner Fredrik Blombäck filmed a rare waterspout moving across the sea near Frevisören outside Kalix.
Kalix, Norrbotten, Sweden
SVT Nyheter

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

Extremely rare and dangerous: Pyrocumulus clouds develop near Snow Lake
Pyrocumulus clouds formed near Snow Lake, Manitoba, creating thunderstorm-like conditions that posed significant risks to firefighting efforts against nearby wildfires.
Snow Lake, Manitoba, Canada
CTV News

Alarm: Barnacles Are Growing – Environmentally Friendly Tips for Boat Owners
Barnacle larvae are proliferating in the Baltic Sea, prompting the Swedish Boat Union to warn owners to wash hulls in time to prevent hard barnacle mats and reduce environmental and fuel impacts.
Baltic Sea, Sweden
SVT Nyheter

Invasive stone martens to be eradicated – hunt intensified: 'All must go'
The Swedish government has ordered the eradication of invasive Asian stone martens around Sölvesborg and Bromölla, deploying hunters to eliminate the small, inbred population to prevent costly spread.
Sölvesborg and Bromölla, Blekinge, Sweden

Large Wildfire Continues to Burn in Western Chukotka
A large natural wildfire located 24 km from the remote village of Anyuysk in Bilibino District has grown from 255 to 4 720 hectares since last Friday, with 28 firefighters, eight EMERCOM staff, pumps and a Robinson R-44 helicopter deployed.
Anyuysk, Bilibino District, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia
Prochukotku.ru

Fish and Game kills 2 Dall sheep due to likely exposure to pathogen
Alaska Fish and Game shot two young Dall sheep near Salcha after potential exposure to Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae to prevent disease spread threatening the state’s declining population.
Salcha, Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska, United States
KUAC.org

Vegetation is now obscuring old lake site
The drained lake basin near Kotzebue, Alaska, has rapidly transformed since 2024, now densely covered with vegetation and expanding erosion, revealing more ice and supporting a thriving ecosystem, highlighting significant environmental changes since the sudden drainage event in 2022.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
Susan Tessier, Benjamin Jones, Guido Grosse, Lars Flora

Tropical night in Troms
The Lenangsstraumen weather station in Lyngen, Nord-Troms recorded a tropical night with a minimum temperature of 20.1 °C overnight, part of an ongoing heat spell across Northern Norway.
Lyngen, Troms, Norway
NRK

Small Rodent Crash Triggers Crisis for Ptarmigan: Almost All Nests Plundered
On Varanger Peninsula, record low rodent numbers this summer forced predators like crows, gulls, foxes, and jaegers to raid nearly every ground nest, with only 6 of 94 nests surviving, and models predict a further 30% drop in willow ptarmigan in Finnmark.
Varanger Peninsula, Troms og Finnmark, Norway
NRK

Krasheninnikov Volcano Erupts for First Time in 600 Years
Russia’s Krasheninnikov volcano on Kamchatka erupted on August 3, 2025 for the first time in six centuries, following major seismic activity, sending ash up to six kilometers into the sky.
Kamchatka Peninsula, Kamchatka Krai, Russia
Vísir

Cloudberry Shortage in the North – Record Prices Expected
A cold early summer followed by extreme July heat has decimated cloudberry crops in northern Sweden, creating a shortage and driving expected retail prices up to SEK 300 per kilo.
Hällnäs, Västerbotten, Sweden

Multiple wildfires in the Ranua and Posio areas in Lapland – also in Tervola, Sodankylä and Rovaniemi
On August 2, 2025 multiple wildfires broke out in Lapland’s Ranua and Posio areas, with additional fires reported in Tervola, Sodankylä, Rovaniemi and Kolar. The largest wildfire, spanning 500 × 500 m, burned near Alavaarantie in Ranua by late afternoon.
Lapland, Finland
Lapin Kansa

Here it was Warmest: Very Special
Five locations in Finnmark recorded temperatures above 30 °C on Saturday, an unusually high heat for the region.
Tana, Finnmark, Norway
iFinnmark

Thunderstorms rumble Finland as heat goes on
Warnings for thunderstorms and heavy rain have been issued across many areas of Finland as temperatures above 30 °C persist, with potential for hail, strong gusts and local flooding.
Finland
Yle News

Bear ravages Robert Severin's sheep flock
A brown bear has killed six sheep at a farm in Lakselv, Porsanger, and the farmer claims authorities are delaying permission to shoot the animal.
Lakselv, Porsanger, Norway
iFinnmark

Air quality advisories as heavy smoke blankets Northwest Territories
Dense wildfire smoke has prompted air quality advisories across several Northwest Territories communities, leading to health warnings and the opening of clean-air shelters in Yellowknife and Fort Providence.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC News

Substance in Great Slave Lake water likely ash, says DFO
Residents reported an unknown black streak in the waters of Great Slave Lake near Mosher Island; Fisheries and Oceans Canada confirmed it is likely ash, posing no risk to drinking water or wildlife.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC News

Unusually Intense Thunder Shook the Coast – Maja Captured It on Video
A powerful lightning storm struck Luleå’s coast overnight, and local resident Maja Granberg filmed multiple bursts of lightning from her balcony. Meteorologist Charlotta Eriksson notes that such a high number of discharges is uncommon.
Luleå, Norrbotten, Sweden
Norrländska Socialdemokraten (NSD)

Investigating whether the site is safe
Statsbygg is evaluating if Hopen’s meteorological station should be moved due to coastal erosion and increased storm waves threatening the buildings.
Hopen, Svalbard, Norway
Svalbardposten

A pest that feeds on bees and honey has been found in Alaska for the first time
Alaska officials confirmed the state’s first detection of the small hive beetle at an apiary in the Copper River region, likely linked to imported bees from Mississippi. Experts warn the pest can damage bee colonies and honey, urging coordinated action by beekeepers to contain and eradicate it.
Copper River Census Area, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

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