LEO Network

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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

Stinking mats of seaweed piling up on Caribbean beaches
Some tourists have canceled summer trips and lawmakers on Tobago have termed the sargassum invasion a “natural disaster.”
Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Miami Herald

Public warned not to touch sick or dead wild birds to prevent bird flu spread
Avian influenza found in Black-headed seagulls in Limerick.
Limerick, Ireland
The Irish Times

Rare pink salmon spotted southeast of Iqaluit
Karen Dunmall, a biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, said pink salmon normally prefer warmer waters than the Arctic has been able to provide. But with the Arctic warming at up to three times the rate of the rest of the world, its waters are becoming more approachable for newcomers like this species.
Nunatsiaq News

Conditions improve at B.C. pump station at catastrophic risk; Whatcom expects minimal impact
Conditions at a Canadian pump station improved over night after they officials issued an evacuation order that had Whatcom residents concerned of more flooding.
Bellingham, Washington, United States
Bellingham Herald

Canada wildfire: all 20,000 Yellowknife residents evacuating
Canadian fire crews on Thursday battled to prevent wildfires from reaching the northern city of Yellowknife, where all 20,000 residents are leaving by car and plane after an evacuation order was declared.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
Reuters

Second Landslide Destroys Road in Northern Norway
Eight houses were taken into the sea by the powerful landslide measuring 650 metres wide.
Alta, Finnmark Fylke, Norway
Life in Norway

Walls of ice bulldoze ashore from Lake Erie
Extreme winds from a huge weekend storm over the Great Lakes pushed huge walls of ice on the shores of Lake Erie.
Hoover Beach, New York, United States
CNN

Algae blooms disrupt Cape Coral canals with foul odor, green spray-paint look
Algae blooms have infiltrated much of the Cape Coral canal system, creating a foul odor and a green, spray-paint tint to some of the water.
Cape Coral, Florida, United States
The News-Press

Ecosystems across Australia are collapsing under climate change
Australia has seen an unprecedented number of widespread, catastrophic transformations in response to extreme weather events.
Australia
The Conversation

Algae bloom continuing to affect North Pond in Rome, Smithfield
The algae on North Pond began blooming about two weeks ago during a patch of hot weather, making the pond resemble a bowl of pea soup, according to Danielle Wain, lake science director for 7 Lakes Alliance, which works to preserve land and water in the Belgrade Lakes region.
Norridgewock, Maine, United States
Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel

Frosty morning temperatures smash 13 records across Saskatchewan on Thursday
It was a record-breaking Thursday morning in a number of Saskatchewan communities due to an arctic ridge of high pressure.
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Global News

Las Vegas hits 117 degrees, tying a record, as the Southwest bakes
Dozens of flights out of Phoenix, Arizona, have been cancelled because of extreme heat.
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
latimes.com

Narwhals deemed ‘not at risk’ by wildlife committee
While the population increased, the assessment did find that narwhals are sensitive to sound from boats and move away from boat traffic, Mike Hammill, the co-chair of COSEWIC’s marine mammals subcommittee, told Nunatsiaq News. Previously the species was listed as being of “special concern.”
Nunavut, Canada
Nunatsiaq News

Minor to Severe Erosion Across the Region Caused by Strong Bering Sea Storm
Late last week a strong Bering Sea storm hit the region, bringing winds up to 50mph, blowing snow, and high-water. Some communities saw significant erosion while others were mostly unscathed.
Nome, Alaska, United States
KNOM Radio Mission

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

Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) Breeding in Osoyoos
This is the first breeding record for this species in all of Canada.
Osoyoos, British Columbia, Canada
Rare Bird Alert

California wildflowers erupt in super bloom
Southern California is enjoying a wildflower super bloom after years of extreme drought.
Derby Acres, California, United States
CNN

Major winter storm blasts Cape Breton
Cape Breton finally looks like a winter wonderland. A quick-moving storm that raced across Atlantic Canada dropped about 37 cm of snow over the Sydney area.
Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
The Telegram

Hottest Ever Day Recorded in Arctic Svalbard
It was hotter today on Svalbard than in the Norwegian capital, Oslo. So much so, that the previous temperature record from 1979 was smashed.
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Life in Norway

Wildfires are a climate change wake-up call
Wildfires are sweeping B.C.
British Columbia, Canada
Lake Cowichan Gazette

What’s causing all these dead fish in the Keys?
The Florida Keys is experiencing higher than usual fish kills this summer, but wildlife officials don't think it's part of a red tide or other type of algae bloom affecting other parts of South Florida.
Florida Keys, United States
miamiherald

Heading to the beach? Get ready for thick, slimy seaweed
Heavy mats of seaweed are washing up on South Florida beaches, creating thick barriers to the ocean.
Delray Beach, Florida, United States
Sun-Sentinel.com

Jackfish spotted swimming in farmer's field
Lyndon Haskey said the water came alive with jackfish when he was checking a flooded pasture.
Wadena, Saskatchewan, Canada
Global News

Those turtles and iguanas aren’t dead. They’re just really cold.
Cold temperatures have started the Fall of the Iguanas and the immobilization of sea turtles, whose bodies have a hard time adjusting to the change in water temperature.
West Palm Beach, Florida, United States
miamiherald

The Seasons Aren’t What They Used to Be
In February, spring peepers made my ears ring as I walked through wetlands east of Nashville’s honky-tonks. These frogs were a month ahead of their normal schedule.
Canada-United States, North America
The New York Times

'It scares me': Permafrost thaw in Canadian Arctic sign of global trend
For years now, buildings in Inuvik have been sinking due to thawing permafrost. It's part of a worrying trend across the Arctic, writes David Michael Lamb.
Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC News

California wildflowers erupt in super bloom
Southern California is enjoying a wildflower "super bloom" after years of extreme drought.
Cardio Plain National Monument, California, United States
CNN

Wild day for hundreds trapped by double mudslides on B.C.'s Highway 7
All 275 people were expected to be rescued by the end of Monday, said B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth, adding that there had been no reported fatalities. The Agassiz fire department was credited with saving 12 people Sunday night in “treacherous conditions,” as their vehicles filled with debris and water.
Agassiz, British Columbia, Canada
vancouversun
Glenda Luymes, Tiffany Crawford, Sarah Grochowski, David Carrigg

A desperate plea for help as four African nations near a famine crisis
Somaliland villages
ABC News
CHRISTINE ROMO, DAVID MUIR, ENJOLI FRANCIS

B.C. Interior communities hunker down for next atmospheric river
Interior communities are shoring up dikes and roadways in preparation for another atmospheric river system expected Tuesday and into Wednesday. Officials say they are making progress helping displaced residents access services and are taking steps to save homes from further flood damage.
Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
vancouversun

Trans-Alaska pipeline under threat from thawing permafrost
The slope of permafrost where an 810-foot section of pipeline is secured has started to shift as it thaws, causing several of the braces holding up the pipeline to tilt and bend, according to an analysis by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
High North News

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