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

Heavy snowfall creates problems in Tromsø: No place to put the snow
After a weekend of heavy snowfall, Tromsø’s snow depots are full and city crews are hauling snow to the sea. To ease plowing, the city is changing parking rules to a 24/7 ban on certain center streets.
Tromsø, Troms, Norway
NRK
Tora Jarnæs Vold; Kari Anne Skoglund; Håkon Iversen

One person caught in avalanche: Dug out on their own
An avalanche on Skittentind on Kvaløya near Tromsø caught one person, who managed to dig themselves out without injury. Police say the slide was about 40 m wide and 150 m long and occurred around 18:00, involving a party of three.
Tromsø, Troms og Finnmark, Norway
NRK

Slippery as soap in Tromsø: Police advise leaving the car at home
Heavy snowfall made roads extremely slippery in Tromsø on Saturday, leading to several accidents. Police urged residents not to drive if possible while about 70 plows worked continuously to clear snow, with more snow showers forecast.
Tromsø, Troms, Norway
NRK

It was the warmest September on record in Tromsø
Tromsø recorded its warmest September on record at 11.2°C, about 3.2°C above average, with Finnmark also nearly 4°C above normal. Meteorologists link the anomaly to persistent warm southerly winds and the broader influence of climate change.
Tromsø, Troms, Norway
The Barents Observer

Despair over sick and dead birds – call for gull patrol
Residents in Tromsø find sick and dead seagulls after avian influenza detection and urge the Norwegian Food Safety Authority to deploy a weekend gull watch.
Tromsø, Troms og Finnmark, Norway
itromso.no

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

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

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

Diesel spill in Ramfjorden in Tromsø
Light diesel leaked from an oil company facility into Ramfjorden outside Tromsø, and police, fire crews, Kystverket and the acute pollution committee are working to contain it.
Ramfjorden, Tromsø, Norway
NRK Troms og Finnmark

Lyngen: Survivor recounts being buried in an avalanche
A 39‐year‐old Slovenian man recounts his dramatic ordeal of being buried under snow for over 7 hours during an avalanche in Lyngen, while rescuers continue searching for a missing woman.
Lyngen, Nord-Troms, Norway

Evacuation of Several Residents in Tromsø Due to High Avalanche Risk
Authorities in Troms have ordered the evacuation of 45 residential units in areas including Oldervik and Breivikeidet in Tromsø due to a significant avalanche risk, although some residents choose not to comply.

Villages in Troms isolated after multiple landslides
Over 2000 people in Senja, Hadsel, and villages around Tromsø were isolated following snow and landslides on Tuesday night. Several communities remain cut off until Wednesday.
Troms, Norway

Several Roads Closed in Troms After Snow Avalanche
Several roads in Troms, Norway, have been closed due to snow avalanches, while authorities warn of challenging driving conditions across Northern Norway, particularly due to heavy snowfall and slick roads.
Troms, Norway

Tractor almost taken off the sea in storm: "Now winter is coming"
A severe storm in Finnmark led to multiple warnings for wind gusts, snow, and high water levels, causing significant damage including a tractor nearly swept to sea and a pier destroyed.
Finnmark, Norway

Finnish Lapland hit by 30-year autumn warm spell
Temperatures reached a high of 11.2 degrees Celsius in Kilpisjärvi on Friday, compared to a high of -1.7 degrees on the same day last year.
Kilpisjärvi, Lapland, Finland

The glaciers in Finnmark are melting the fastest of Norway's glaciers
The glaciers in Finnmark, particularly the Øksfjordjøkelen, are melting rapidly, with significant shrinkage observed each year, raising concerns about climate change impacts.
Øksfjordjøkelen, Loppa, Finnmark
Kristina Brekke, Hanne Larsen, Bent Lindsetmo, Kai Erik Bull, Vanja Ulfsnes

Found all the newborn reindeer calves killed by eagles
Reindeer herder Risten Inga Eira reports all newborn calves in her district have been killed, highlighting increased predator attacks and the community's frustration with the rising eagle population.

Tiny amount of radioactive iodine measured in Tromsø
The isotope measured in air in Tromsø for now is unknown. The isotope comes from a nuclear reactor, and is used in medial diagnostic.
The Independent Barents Observer

Sweden launches research rocket, accidentally hits Norway
A research rocket launched by Sweden Space Corp (SSC) early on Monday from Esrange Space Center in northern Sweden malfunctioned and landed 15 kilometers (9.32 miles) inside neighboring Norway. Work on Norwegian territory to salvage any wreckage also required prior consent, the spokesperson said. The Norwegian foreign ministry said it was not aware of whether there was any damage to the surroundings, while a SSC spokesperson said the rocket came down far from any settlement.
ArcticToday

Names released after avalanche on Reinøya in Karlsøy municipality
An avalanche Tromsø hit a residential house and a barn, killing over 100 goats on the farm.

Snow record in Tromsø
It has never snowed more in Tromsø in March than this year. There has been 158 cm of snow on the record so far this month and the previous record is 150 cm from 2000.
inyheter.no - Nyheter og aktuelt - Innenriks og Utenriks.

Building blown out to sea
The storm ravaged much of the coast. In several parts of the country, the forces of nature have done damage and loose objects have flown through in the air.

The European Arctic suffers through a heat wave
Temperatures surpassed 30 degrees Celsius across northern Scandinavia on Wednesday and many meteorological stations hit new record high temperatures for June. The thermometer in Saltdal, northern Norway, reached 31.6 degrees C. Further inside the Arctic Circle, at 69 degrees north in Skibotn east of Tromsø, the temperature was 31.7 degrees (89 F).
Skibotn, Troms, Norway
ArcticToday

Heavy snow showers replaced by mild weather and rain - violent flooding feared
On Wednesday, 17 centimetres of fresh snow fell and at its peak 127 centimetres of snow depth was recorded at the Meteorological Institute in Tromsø on the night of Thursday. But during the night, the snow stopped and turned into large amounts of rain.
Nordlys

Watch: Skaters glide on mirror-like ice
Scientists measured 16 centimeters of snow in Kilpisjärvi on Thursday, which is far less than the average depth of 39 centimeters for this time of year, according to Siiskonen. Less of the white stuff than usual, creating unusual opportunities for long-distance skating enthusiasts.
Kilpisjärvi, Lapland, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Miners hunting for metals to battery cars threaten Sámi reindeer herder's homeland
Tuomas Siilasjoki and Minna Näkkäläjärvi say they were taken by surprise when a mobile drill rig one day appeared in the horizon. Nobody had asked them about exploring for minerals inside their siida, a reindeer foraging area, in northern Finland.
The Independent Barents Observer

Thousands of reindeer calves at risk of dying due to long winter
There is concern in the reindeer industry for the prolonged winter cold in the far north – unless the heat comes soon, this year's calves risk dying.
Sápmi
Sveriges Radio

Snow Measurements in Tromsø Match Those from the Year 2000
So far this year, there has been 653 centimetres of snow in Tromsø. There has not been this much snow in the city since 2000.

Difficult grazing conditions for reindeer
In Karasjok and Kautokeino, there has been greater snowfall than usual on winter pastures. The difficulty in digging down to pasture is effecting reindeer in large parts of Troms and Finnmark.
Ivgobahta, Troms, Norway
Troms og Finnmark

Unusually Warm in Northern Norway
Extremely warm early January weather in northern Norway.
Troms, Norway
Twitter

Unusually warm in Northern Norway
You wouldn't think it was early January.
Birtavarre værstasjon
Meterologene, Meterologisk Institutt (The Norwegian Meteroligical Institute)

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

Animated Film about Chronic Wasting Disease (Norwegian)
Villrein.no - alt om villrein

Mange grågås (greylag geese - Anser anser) på Spildra
Many Greylag Goose on Spildra, Norway
Spildra, Kvænangen, Norway

Support

Observation Template