LEO Network

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

Observations

150+ Alaska flights canceled due to winter weather
Freezing rain, fog and high winds canceled more than 150 Grant Aviation flights out of Bethel and caused dozens more delays and cancellations in Anchorage and Kenai. Operations in Anchorage and Kenai resumed Tuesday, but Bethel flights had been grounded since Saturday.
Bethel, Alaska, United States
Alaska's News Source (KTUU)

Remnants of Typhoon Halong bring widespread damage to Western Alaska
A powerful, ongoing storm in Western Alaska has flooded communities, destroyed homes and left some residents injured by flying debris. Officials say rescue efforts are underway after floodwaters in multiple communities swept homes off their foundations. The remnants of Typhoon Halong tracked farther east than expected, slamming into the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta coast early on Sunday morning. Officials said Sunday afternoon that the hardest hit communities appeared to be Kipnuk, Kwigillingok and Napakiak.
Kwigillingok, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media
Evan Erickson, Casey Grove, Desiree Hagen, Alena Naiden, Ben Townsend, Samantha Watson

Low snowpack, heavy precipitation for Y-K Delta so far this year
The Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta is experiencing unusually low snowpack and heavy rainfall, with temperatures significantly above normal for January, raising concerns about potential impacts such as increased wildfire risk and infrastructure challenges.
Bethel, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Kuskokwim 300 delayed 2 weeks due to low snow and warm temperatures
The 2025 Kuskokwim 300 sled dog race has been delayed by two weeks due to unusually low snowfall and warm temperatures, making it difficult to ensure safe trail conditions. This extended delay is rare in the race's 46-year history, typically only postponed for a day or two.
Bethel, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Deteriorating trail conditions postpone Holiday Classic sled dog race
The Holiday Classic sled dog race in Bethel, Alaska, has been postponed due to hazardous trail conditions caused by recent storms and warm temperatures.
KYUK

Tidal action and fierce winds flood low-lying areas of Kwigillingok
On January 10, 2025, Kwigillingok experienced significant flooding due to strong tidal action and fierce winds, leading to a flood advisory and a federal disaster declaration for past damages.
Kwigillingok, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Bethel Christmas bird counters spy rare bird, despite windy conditions
During the Christmas bird count in Bethel, despite high winds, volunteers spotted two bald eagles and a red-breasted nuthatch, marking the first sighting of the nuthatch in 21 years of the event.

Arctic air brings historically cold July temperatures to Bethel
Bethel, Alaska, experienced historically low July temperatures with highs in the 40s, a rare event not seen since 1971, due to an unusual cold air outbreak from the Arctic.
Alaska Public Media

Interesting Bug on the Kuskowim River
A stonefly nymph, common in Alaska but unfamiliar to local residents, was observed along the Kuskokwim River.

Kuskokwim River breakup floods roads, impacts drinking water for some communities
The Kuskokwim River breakup has led to widespread flooding, affecting roads and drinking water in several communities, with Kwethluk experiencing significant impacts.

Bethel SAR warns against Kuskokwim River travel after aerial survey
Bethel Search and Rescue advises against travel on the Kuskokwim River due to dangerous conditions of open water and thin ice identified in their annual aerial survey.
Kuskokwim River, Alaska, United States

With thousands of sockeyes passing Bethel each day, dipnets are catching on
Amid severely restricted fishing on the Kuskokwim River, one bright spot has been abundant sockeye salmon runs at 30,000 fish daily near Bethel.

Makut negairuut, Nunapicuarmi negat amllerluteng, Spider webs cover vast area
*The spiders are usually in multiple form in most areas, but it has not been witnessed in this form.* This is described as a spider "ballooning" event, the term used when spiders launch themselves in to the air. These events might be happening more frequently as warming Arctic temperatures has been associated with increases in the population of some spider species such as the wolf spider (see Spider Baby Boom in Warming Arctic), and spiders moving further north and also having more then one hatch per season.
Nunapitchuk, Alaska, United States
Santina Gay, Lauren Divine, Jacqualine Schaeffer, Theodora Nicholai, Russell Cameron , Joey Billy, Derek Sikes

Yukon River chum and coho runs remain too low to open subsistence harvest
Biologists do not expect either to reach their goals for fish reaching their spawning grounds.

Tale of two salmon fisheries: Bristol Bay breaks record, but Yukon River collapses
The booming Bristol Bay salmon run has broken the record set just last year, while on the Yukon River, Chinook are too scarce to harvest.

Beluga whales swam up the Kuskokwim River to Bethel and scientists want samples of them
In an unusual event, a pair of beluga whales swam about 60 miles up the Kuskokwim River to Bethel. After word got out, boaters pursued the belugas and took at least one of them. Now, an official is working to collect samples of the animal to better understand where it came from.

Firefighters contain blaze that burned 3 buildings in Alaska
Air tankers and smokejumpers responded to the fire, which the division said Thursday is no longer a threat.The tanker dumped retardant to help contain the fire, which had spread south, scorching about five acres of tundra. Much of Southwest and Southcentral Alaska is under a red flag warning because of hot, dry and windy conditions.
Kasigluk, Alaska, United States
AP NEWS

The largest April wildfire in Alaska in a quarter century is burning near Kwethluk
Less snow than usual fell in the area this winter. It melted early, exposing the tundra. A steady wind has dried the vegetation, and hardly any precipitation has fallen since early March. Thoman said that with no rain and abundant sunshine, the tundra has remained brown and dry. The fire still is not threatening the community of Kwethluk or any Native allotments.
Kwethluk, Alaska, United States

Small owl sighting
This small owl was sighted perching under a building. LEO Network looking for some help on an identification.
Kongiganak, Alaska, United States
Krissy Dunker, Paul Paul, Edward Weiss, Lem Butler, Marian Snively

Where are the tomcods (Eleginus gracilis)? Kongiganak
The tomcod harvests in the Kongiganak, Cavuuneq and Ilkivik Rivers have been a failure. Also in other areas, based on observations from Chevak and Chefornak. Both the surface and bottom trawl results show a clear decline in tomcod biomass in the North Bering Sea.
Kongiganak, Alaska, United States
Brian Lefferts, Anna Godduhn, Jennifer Hooper, Janelle Kinegak, Dana Diehl, Tracy Lewis, Gay Sheffield, Cynthia Paniyak, Natasia Kassel, Elizabeth Buckingham, Mike Brubaker

Alaska Logistics is leaving two barges to freeze in the Kuskokwim River
“It got very cold the day we got there, it got down to like single digits and ice came out of the mountains and rivers and sloughs everywhere,” said Allyn Long, general manager of Alaska Logistics.
Eek, Alaska, United States

Dismal Yukon River salmon returns prompt widespread fishing closures, emergency aid — and tough questions
A decades-long decline in salmon in the Yukon River has reached a crisis this year, forcing harvest closures and prompting emergency shipments of salmon from other regions of Alaska to river residents who are otherwise facing food shortages.
ArcticToday

‘River is getting close.’ Erosion is threatening Napakiak's school
The village is losing ground three times faster than it was 10 years ago, according to studies of Napakiak’s erosion. During high tide, the river is only 64 feet from the high-schoolers’ original classroom and gets closer by the day. On windy days, waves crash against the shore where students used to play, battering it until the land relents and crumbles.
Napakiak, Alaska, United States
KTOO

Unprecedented salmon declines force fish donations to Alaska’s Yukon River villages
Chum returns are the lowest on record, leaving communities with empty freezers and uncertainty about getting through the winter.
Anchorage Daily News

Southwest Alaska community on Bering Sea coast experiences severe flooding
Kwigillingok, a community on the Bering Sea coast of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, is used to some flooding during high tides. But in recent years, that flooding has grown more severe, reaching a new threshold last week.
Kwigillingok, Alaska, United States

Kuskokwim River Chum Run Extremely Low So Far
The Kuskokwim River king salmon run does not look particularly strong this year, but chum numbers look even worse. Historically, around 60% of the salmon in the river at this point in the season would be chum or sockeye, but right now Bethel Test Fishery numbers show that just over 20% of the salmon are.

Research Shows Predators May Be Large Factor In Decreased King Salmon Size
The size of king salmon returning to Western Alaska rivers to spawn has been decreasing over the past few decades. Researchers at the University of Alaska

Heavy Snowfall Means Constant Plowing, Shorter Kuskokwim Ice Road
Heavy snowfall has made maintaining the lower Kuskokwim Ice Road a challenge this year. The road is shorter than usual, even as its crew is working harder.
KYUK Bethel

Sewage Lagoon Project Finally Completed
Abnormally warm winters in 2018 and 2019, in which the ground did not freeze solid enough to support heavy equipment, delayed completion of this project.
ANTHC Plumb Dandy

No Kuskokwim Ice Road Yet
The weather may be cold, but it’s too soon to get out on the river ice. The ice is forming up better than it did two years ago, when the winter was the warmest on record, but it is not freezing as fast or as well as last winter, when conditions were near-perfect.

Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) with Dead or Dying Eggs
Dead or dying eggs in a female coho salmon are a possible symptom of environmental stress felt by the fish. In Western Alaska, water levels have been low following a rapid spring snowmelt and low precipitation.
Quinhagak, Alaska, United States
Jayde Ferguson, Erica Lujan, Richard L Thoman Jr, Ted Meyers

Chum runs on Kuskokwim River are late and low
Usually Aug. 7 is the midpoint of the coho run, but this year it was not until Aug. 8 that numbers at the Bethel test fishery increased, and then only modestly.

Nunapitchuk Flood Worst In Years
While many communities along the Kuskokwim River escaped major flooding, one small village is still seeing high water.
Nunapitchuk, Alaska, United States

Flooding In Bethel's Hangar Lake and Alligator Acres Neighborhoods, And In Kwethluk
Most Kuskokwim River communities have escaped heavy flooding so far, but not Kwethluk. Social media photos show water rising high and completely covering
Kwethluk, Alaska, United States

"Napaimute Wave" Of High Water Heading Down Kuskokwim River
Break up continues on the Kuskokwim River. Napaskiak resident and river observer Earl Samuelson has been tracking the ice and water levels on the Kuskokwim

After a rabid coyote attacked a dog, Quinhagak lifted travel ban for a vet
A decline in caribou abundance is causing coyotes and wolves to come closer to the community of Quinhagak. When a rabid coyote attacked a local dog, it forced the village to bring in a veterinarian from outside the village - and temporarily lift the Southwest community's travel ban.
Quinhagak, Alaska, United States

Mulchatna Caribou Hunt Closing On Federal Lands Amid Steep Population Decline
Midnight on Dec. 31 brings the close of 2019 and also the close of the hunting season for Mulchatna Caribou on federal lands. The federal season,

K300 Season Opener Delayed Again
Poor trail conditions have pushed the Kuskokwim 300 Season Opener race back another week.

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

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.

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
Anchorage Daily News

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

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

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.

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.
Anchorage Daily News

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.
Cecilia Franko, Jennifer Hooper, Kathy Kuletz, Hillary Burgess

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

Late Freeze up in Lower Kuskokwim
Late freeze on the Lower Kuskokwim produced ice conditions unsafe for travel in November.
Oscarville, Alaska, United States

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

Drying Fish And Having Trouble With Flies? A Local Biologist Wants To Help.
As fishing restrictions push salmon harvests on the Kuskokwim River later into the wet part of summer, families are seeking new ways to dry their fish and keep bugs away.

Allayuk uguguaq, "Strange Caterpillar," identified as Bedstraw Hawkmoth (Hyles gallii)
Unusually colored caterpillar in area identified as Bedstraw Hawkmoth (*Hyles gallii*)
Oscarville, Alaska, United States

Phaeohyphomycoses Fungal Infection on Smelt (Hypomesus olidus)
Smelt caught in Bethel with fungal infection previously found in the Norton Sound region.

Bethel highway repair begins as warm winter destroys state roads across Alaska
Starting Thursday, the Department of Transportation will begin repairing Chief Eddie Hoffman Highway. The warm winter has wreaked similar havoc on highways across Alaska.

In Alaska, a town threatened by climate change gets federal funding to relocate
Newtok, Alaska, United States
ThinkProgress

4 mushers scratch due to icy conditions in Kuskokwim 300 sled dog race
Four teams had scratched as of 7 p.m. Saturday because of the icy conditions, said Kuskokwim 300 race director Madelene Reichard. "It's the same thing for all of them," Reichard said. "The dogs aren't used to running on the ice, and people were wanting to keep their dogs healthy."

Open water turns Kuskokwim 300 into a 2-lap race for the first time
For the first time, the race will run two laps to its halfway point and back. Mushers agree it’s the safest way to run the race, but it could present challenges.

State report details potential health impacts of climate change
How will climate change affect health in Alaska? Dangerous travel conditions could cause more accidents, warmer temperatures could spread new diseases and the topsy-turvy weather could worsen mental health. Those are some conclusions from a new state report released Monday. Listen now
Newtok, Alaska, United States
Rachel Waldholz, Alaska's Energy Desk - Anchorage

There Are So Many Open Holes, Search And Rescue Ran Out Of Blue Tape To Mark Them
The warm winter has made traveling on the river ice more hazardous than Bethel Search and Rescue ever remembers.

After two-week delay, sled dog racing season kicks off on the Kuskokwim
Sled dog racing season officially began on the Kuskokwim this weekend. Listen now

Father's Body Recovered, Five Rescued After Family Falls Through Kuskokwim On New Year's Eve
A father’s body has been recovered from the Kuskokwim River after he and his family fell through a marked, open hole the night of New Year’s Eve. Bethel

High winds knock out power, damage buildings in Kuskokwim Bay
Winds of up to 85 mph ripped up the Southwest Alaska coast on Friday, upending smokehouses, tearing electric lines and flinging a house across the road.

For Alaskan Coastal Village, Erosion Hits Home
Melting permafrost and major storms are eating away at the coastal Alaskan village of Newtok. Residents are desperate to move, but the U.S. has no climate change policy that could help them.
Newtok, Alaska, United States
NPR

As permafrost thaws, Western Alaska village cemeteries sink into swampland
In villages like Kongiganak, communities have stopped burying their dead because, as the permafrost melts, the oldest part of their cemetery is sinking.

Open Holes On Ice Road Says Bethel Search And Rescue
The ice highway that residents are used to driving this time of year has yet to fully freeze. Bethel Search and Rescue calls the number of open holes on

Hundreds of dead blackfish found in waters near Bethel
Some local officials suspect water pollution killed the fish, but state officials offered an alternative explanation.

Hundreds of dead blackfish found in waters near Bethel
Smart started finding dead fish in his trap near Dull Lake about two or three weeks ago. Now there are hundreds and hundreds of them.Some local officials suspect water pollution killed the fish, but state officials offered an alternative explanation. According to the Fish and Game representative a local fisherman forgot to check a blackfish trap and may have dumped the dead fish in Dull Lake.

Dead Little Fish After High Water
A resident of the community was near the gravel pit when he came across a number of dead fish.

As permafrost thaws, village cemeteries sink into swamp
Climate change is thawing the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta’s permafrost, and it’s doing more than cracking foundations, sinking roads and accelerating erosion.

Climate change may have driven gray whale up Kuskowkim
Climate change may be responsible for pushing Alaska’s Gray Whales up into estuaries and rivers like the Kuskokwim.

Gray whale harvest on the Kuskokwim stirs up controversy
In Southwest Alaska, a tired crew of volunteers on Saturday night, dragged a large whale’s carcass onto shore near Napaskiak’s airport. The whale was grey, bloody and barnacled, and the men who set to work butchering it said it was at least 37-feet long. Residents are still distributing its blubber and meat, saying it will feed families throughout the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta for months.
Napaskiak, Alaska, United States

What Kind of Beetle is This?
Unknown Beetle

Where are the kings? Kuskokwim River may see its worst run on record.
Residents who have long depended on chinook salmon to fill drying racks and smokehouses are worried about their food for next winter.
Alaska Dispatch News

Green Algae In Lake
Unknown species of green algae in a lake near Kongiganak.

Crack in the Tundra
Possibly an effect of thawing permafrost.
Kipnuk, Alaska, United States

Blooming Raspberry (Rubus arcticus) Plants
Blooming Raspberry plants

Start of January felt like early springtime
The start of January 2016 felt like it was early springtime.
Kwethluk, Alaska, United States

Black Fungus (phaeohyphomycoses) on Smelt
Smelt caught on the Kugkaktlik River were found to have dark spots on the skin. Photo examination suggests that the cause is the same black fungus found in saffron cod in Norton Sound. Continued surveillance for this condition in fish is requested by LEO Network members.
Kipnuk, Alaska, United States
Gay Sheffield, James Berner, Jennifer Dobson, Jayde Ferguson, Nick Slim

School Fire Raises Health Concerns
Ayaprun School Fire

Erosion Threatens Boardwalk
River erosion damaging pedestrian walkway

Ruby Tiger (Phragmotobia fuliginosa) Moth
Unusual moth
Kwinhagak, Alaska, USA

Increase in Northern Pike (Esox lucius)
4/4/15 Increase in pike - Quinhagak, Alaska, USA
Quinhagak, Alaska, USA

Needle Fish Die-off
2/20/15 Needle fish die-off - Kongiganak, Alaska, USA

Record High Temperatures
1-9-15 Record high temperatures - Bethel, Alaska, USA

Bethel Receives an Unusual Winter Visitor – A Robin
A rare winter robin has been spotted in Bethel and it has folks wondering what exactly it means. Locals and a biologist say they think it has to do with climate change.

Whitefish (C. nelsonii) has Brown Skin
Fish had a brownish moldy growth all over its body.

Winter River Breakup
11-18-14 Winter river break-up - Kongiganak, Alaska, USA

Unseasonably Warm
11-15-14 Unseasonably warm - Kwinhagak, Alaska, USA
Kwinhagak, Alaska, United States

Arctic Char with Sores and Parasites (Salmincola)
10-24-15 Arctic char with sores and parasites - Quinhagak, Alaska, USA
Quinhagak, Alaska, USA

Bright Green Bug
7-1-14 Bright green bug - Kongignak, Alaska, USA

Rare Brown Bear (Ursus arctos)
4-25-14 Rare brown bear visit - Bethel, Alaska, USA
Bethel, Alaska, Unites States

River Ice Treacherous
4-13-14 River ice treacherous - Bethel, Alaska, USA

Very Little Snow
2-20-14 Very little snow - Bethel, Alaska, USA

Willows Budding in Winter
1-24-14 Winter plants blooming - Bethel, Alaska, USA

Unseasonal Warm Winter
12-7-13 Unseasonably warm weather - Quinhagak, Alaska USA

Sinkhole Appears Along Road
Sinkhole appears along road

Sewage Lagoon Vulnerable - Coastal Erosion
Coastal erosion potential threat to community sewage lagoon.

Extreme Temperatures
6-19-13 Extreme temperature Bethel, Alaska, USA

Sick Spotted Seal (Phoca largha)
Local hunter reported that he had caught a spotted seal that he thought was sick.
Eek, Alaska, United States

Pressure ice ridges
2-22-12 Pressure ice ridges "Vuneqs" - Kwigillingok, Alaska, USA
Kwigillingok, Alaska, USA

Kuskokwim Chums Still At Record Low, Reds Coming In Strong, Weather Makes Drying Fish Difficult
Kuskokwim River chum salmon numbers remain off-the-charts low. However, sockeyes are still coming in strong. Meanwhile, the summer rain has not been

Bethel Rainfall In July Near Record Highs
Some people in Bethel have called this the dreariest, wettest summer of their lives, and they're right. Last month was the wettest July in Bethel in over

Salmon Fishing On Lower Yukon Shut Down
On the Yukon River, subsistence salmon fishing is being closed to protect king salmon as they migrate upriver.

Support

Observation Template