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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

Joggers spot seal swimming in central Helsinki
Joggers filmed a seal swimming and eating a fish in central Helsinki’s Eläintarhanlahti bay near Hakaniemi. The sighting lasted about 20 minutes and surprised onlookers in the urban setting.
Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
Yle News

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

Bears in the backyard: Sightings on the rise in southwest Finland
A brown bear was filmed running through downtown Loimaa after emerging from the Loimijoki River, one of several recent sightings in Southwest Finland this spring.
Loimaa, Southwest Finland, Finland
Yle News

Thermometer hits 18C in Southern Finland on Wednesday
A weather station in Vihti, Southern Finland recorded an unprecedented 18°C on Wednesday, marking the highest reading for this time of year in recorded Finnish history, though colder weather is forecast later in the week.
Vihti, Uusimaa, Finland
Yle News

Strongest earthquake in Helsinki's history recorded on Christmas Day
Helsinki experienced its strongest recorded earthquake on Christmas Day, with a magnitude of 1.1. Though minor, it startled many residents, who reported a loud bang in the Käpylä area.
Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland

Warmest June on Record
Temperatures in Finland last month were between 1.5 and 3.5 degrees Celsius warmer than normal in most parts of the country.
News

Storm Hans causes power cuts in Finland
Southern parts of the country can expect showers and thunderstorms on Tuesday, with more severe storms possibly hitting central areas by evening.
News

Warm waters prompt fishing permit suspensions
The sale of fishing permits has been suspended for two sites where water temperatures have risen to critically high levels, especially for salmon.
Salo, Southwest Finland, Finland
News

All it takes is one spark - high risk of forest fires throughout Finland
One spark was all it took. The driver of the forest harvester was working a logging site at Renko in Kanta-Häme. The grapple of the machine hit a stone, throwing a spark that set the underbrush ablaze.
Renko, Häme, Finland

Weekend rains spur flooding; water levels at 25-year highs in some areas
The last time the water levels were this high in some places was in the late 1990s or early 2000s. According to the Finnish Environment Institute (Syke), floodwaters will likely spill onto fields and roads in parts of southern and western Finland, but not into buildings.
Finland

Suspected second monkeypox infection in Finland
The patient, who is receiving care at home, acquired the infection on a trip to Europe.

March in Finland was exceptionally sunny, scientists say
The last time Finland had this much sunshine in March was nearly a decade ago, in 2013. High pressure typically brings clear skies, and this was also the case last month in Finland.
Hyvinge, Uusimaa, Finland

Finland sees summer temperatures on spring's warmest day
For example, Espoo's district of Nuuksio recorded 24.8 degrees celsius (77 F) on Tuesday. Many people across the country took advantage of the warm temperatures and headed outdoors with some opting to go swimming in lakes or pools.
Espoo, Uusimaa, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Coast guard warns of thin ice
Finland is emerging from a deep freeze, giving way to milder temperatures and more snow. On Saturday three people in Helsinki fell through the ice at two different locations within the same 15-minute period.
Vihti, Uusimaa, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Finland to bask in warm weekend weather
Conditions will heat up with every passing day and weekend highs will be in the 20s across the country.
Yle Uutiset

Nordics detect elevated radiation levels around Baltic
Finland says the low concentrations of radioactive material found in air samples pose no danger.

Mild winter wakes Korkeasaari bears from hibernation
The brown bears hibernated for only two months due to the warm winter conditions, according to zoo officials.

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.

Thunderstorms knock out power to thousands
After several warm days, lightning bolts struck Finland about 16,000 times on Saturday. By evening, nearly 20,000 customers were without electricity. More trees may be felled as electrical storms move toward the Russian border.
Tampere, Pirkanmaa, Finland

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

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

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

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

Heavy snowfall stalls inter-city trains until Thursday
The state rail company VR has said that it will substitute buses on some of the cancelled rail trips.

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

Typically-tropical great egret nests in Finland for first time
Sightings of great egrets have been reported for decades, but sightings this summer confirm the first time the species has nested in Finland.
Porvoo, Uusimaa, Finland

Nearly entire Gulf of Finland overrun with blue-green algae
With current tropical conditions set to continue for another week, the situation is not likely to improve before the end of July or early August.

Street dust impacting air quality across Finland
Not only is pollen is beginning to spread, but road gravel dust and studded tyres grinding the tarmac can also cause particulates that cause breathing difficulties. There are a few ways to deal with the dust, however.
Espoo, Uusimaa, Finland

Vessel saves stranded boy – Coast Guard gives ice tips
Sea ice around Helsinki becomes more precarious as spring draws near.

Snowy and windy in the north, wet and dangerously slippery elsewhere
Rain and rising temperatures have brought warnings of extremely slippery conditions in other areas.

SW Finland faces worst winter flooding in 13 years
Packed ice crystals have pushed up water levels on the Kokemäki River, soaking some buildings in Huittinen and Pori.
Huittinen, Satakunta, Finland

Alpha male shot as wolves set up territory west of Helsinki
Wildlife authorities say that a new wolf pack has established a territory in Raseborg, but that its future is in doubt after the apparent shooting of its alpha male. Hunters had been issued with a special permit to shoot a young male.
Kisko, Southwest Finland, Finland

Mysterious bird deaths in Helsinki
Why are barnacle geese and seagulls dying by the dozens in Helsinki and not Turku? The birds have been dying in droves off the coast of Helsinki, and in the islands off coastal cities nearby as far out as Inkoo in the west and Porvoo in the east. The phenomenon was first reported on Thursday by Helsingin Sanomat.

Storm winds knock out power to thousands
High winds blasted across south-western Finland Friday, cutting electricity to customers. The rare June storm peaked on Friday afternoon.
West of Helsinki, Finland

Finland endures coldest May in nearly half a century
As many people resident in Finland already know, May was an exceptionally cold month. According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute FMI, the last time May daytime temperatures were this low was in 1969.
Paimio, Southwest Finland, Finland

Thermal spring early to southern Finland
Spring - or rather thermal spring - could be arriving to Finland as early as this week in southern and western areas.
Southern Capital Region, Finland

A sure sign of spring: Korkeasaari bears wake from winter hibernation
In Finland nothing means spring is around the corner more in the south than news that the brown bears at Helsinkis Korkeasaari Zoo have woken from their winters sleep. Zoo employees say the 16 and 11-year-old females hibernation is increasingly cut shorter as the years pass.

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