The Northern Climate Observer

The Northern
Climate Observer

Spring is Coming - February is winter festival time across the North. In Anchorage we have ‘Fur Rendezvous,’ celebrating Alaska sport and culture at a time when trappers traditionally return to trade. This year is the 90th anniversary. I can remember many years at Fur Rondy when a fur coat, hat, mittens and boots was the way to go. But on opening day this year (February 20th), temperatures reached a balmy 40 degrees Fahrenheit. It felt more like April than February! Doing a festival in these conditions is no small feat. But we are an adaptive town, and have become pretty good at making winter happen. So, snow was hauled in by the truck load and spread along the length of 4th Avenue. It may be spring conditions, but the dog races, snow sculptures, and other winter fun must go on, whether we dress in furs or in cotton. Our February map includes 13 articles from across the circumpolar north. Together they provide a picture of a warming winter, with early seasonal transitions, and a lot of disruptions to festivals, recreation and sporting events. February this year was warmer, wetter, and windier. Look out winter, spring is coming. M. Brubaker, Editor

	2025 Fur Rondy kicks off amid low snow winter Anchorage, Alaska, United States https://www.alaskasnewssource.com / February 22, 2025 The 90th annual Fur Rendezvous Festival kicked off Thursday around Anchorage and is expected to feature its traditional late-winter celebration, despite a winter season marred by low snowfall. Read article on https://www.alaskasnewssource.com
	Anchorage’s scarcity of new snow since December sets dismal record Anchorage, Alaska, United States Anchorage Daily News / February 19, 2025 Anchorage has experienced its lowest snowfall from December to mid-February since records began in 1953, with only 4.3 inches, leading to significant changes in winter events like the Iditarod and Fur Rondy due to unseasonably warm, windy weather. Read article on Anchorage Daily News
	Poor snow cover cancels Ski for Women Soldotna, Alaska, United States Jeff Helminiak / Peninsula Clarion / February 9, 2025 Due to a diminished snowpack on the central Kenai Peninsula, the Ski for Women event at Tsalteshi Trails near Soldotna, Alaska has been canceled, though organizers remain hopeful about the upcoming Tour of Tsalteshi. Read article on Peninsula Clarion
	On the Verge of Meteorological Spring in Luleå: 'No Brutal Cold' Luleå, Norrbotten, Sweden Jessica Rosengren / Kuriren / February 24, 2025 Above-zero temperatures are rapidly melting the snow cover in Luleå, prompting questions about the future of winter. Read article on Kuriren
	Ice unexpectedly departs from Nome's shore Nome, Alaska, United States Ben Townsend / KNOM Radio Mission / February 10, 2025 On February 10-11, 2025, unusually mild weather in Nome led to shorefast ice breaking free from the coastline, leaving deep blue water visible where ice had long persisted. Read article on KNOM Radio Mission
	Glacier calves into Portage Lake, stranding 2 skaters and underscoring risks of recreation on ice Portage, Alaska, United States Anchorage Daily News / February 11, 2025 A window of cold and clear weather has drawn hundreds of people to skate, bike and walk on the lake ice in recent days. Read article on Anchorage Daily News
	After man disappears, locals and state officials warn of the dangers of ice skating on Chilkoot Lake Haines, Alaska, United States Rashah McChesney - Chilkat Valley News / Chilkat Valley News / February 6, 2025 Tom McGuire, a 79-year-old Haines author and backcountry adventurer, fell through the ice while skating alone on Chilkoot Lake, triggering an extensive search by local volunteers and state officials. Read article on Chilkat Valley News
	The Wind Carried Away a Sauna in Hafnarfjörður Hafnarfjörður, Capital Region, Iceland Vísir / February 6, 2025 On February 6, 2025, an extreme wind event in Hafnarfjörður, Iceland, led to a surprising occurrence near the Óseyrarbraut roadway. Read article on Vísir
	Mild winter draws first migratory birds back Parainen, Southwest Finland, Finland Yle News / February 3, 2025 Early sightings of migratory birds in southwest Finland, including bean and greylag geese, suggest milder winter conditions and highlight the impact of climate change on traditional migratory patterns. Read article on Yle News

The Northern Climate Observer is published by the Center for Climate and Health. We track news coverage from across the circumpolar north and provide readers with a curated roundup of climate change related events. Thank you for reading our newsletter and for paying attention to our changing world.

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Northern Climate Observer

The Northern Climate Observer is published weekly by the Center for Climate and Health. We track news from across the circumpolar north and provide readers with a curated roundup of climate change related events.

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Northern Climate Observer

The Northern
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