LEO Network
The Northern Climate Observer

The Northern
Climate Observer


Storm Waters Rising - In early November, a series of southern storms, fueled by an absence of sea ice and warm ocean temperatures, barreled into Norton Sound, bringing warm temperatures, heavy rain and high winds. The outcomes, including flooding, erosion and lost infrastructure, are described in our feature story by RB Smith of the Nome Nugget. For Teller, Alaska, the stress from the three day storm was amplified by an evacuation, and health concerns as finding shelter took precedent over social distancing. In Nome, the waters were seven feet above normal, floating a 50 year old cabin up the Nome River. In Shishmaref, the waves completely washed out sections of the road to the community landfill and airstrip. You can read about storm surge in Northwest Alaska and about the on-going warm ocean and weather conditions in other areas of the North. Mike Brubaker, Editor

Teller, Alaska, United States
RB Smith / The Nome Nugget / November 13, 2020

Starting on the night of Wednesday, November 4, and continuing through Friday, a major storm ripped through the Norton Sound region, causing widespread closures and some damaging flooding.

Read article on The Nome Nugget



Laptev Sea
The Moscow Times / The Moscow Times / November 2, 2020

For the first time since records began, the Laptev Sea has not yet formed sea ice by the end of October. Scientists attribute the lack of ice to early summer warming and an extreme heatwave in Siberia, as well as warm Atlantic currents flowing into the Arctic.

Read article on The Moscow Times



Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Thomas Nilson / The Independent Barents Observer / November 12, 2020

At Longyearbyen airport, the peak temperature reached 9.2 °C for a short period, nearly two degrees warmer than the last November record measured in 1975.

Read article on The Independent Barents Observer



Niklas Zachrisson / Radio Sweden / November 13, 2020

For the first time, cod and squid have been found deep in the water at the center of the ocean. The research by Pauline Snoeijs Leijonmalm, a professor at Stockholm University, was part of the Mosaic expedition, an icebreaker that spent a year trapped in the Arctic's ice.

Read article on Radio Sweden



Mt. Ben Lomand
Kevin Keane / BBC News / November 12, 2020

A surge in the popularity of hillwalking during this year's coronavirus pandemic has seen daily visitor numbers at Ben Lomond grow from 1,000 on a normal sunny weekend to around 2,000. Walkers leaving official paths to avoid other people is causing hillside erosion and damage to vegetation.

Read article on BBC News



Haines, Alaska, United States
Ceri Godinez / Chilkat Valley News / November 12, 2020

Two bears were shot in the Haines Borough this past weekend, both by homeowners defending chickens. Although bear-related calls to the police dipped after last week’s record-setting snowfall, the recent activity suggests this year’s Bearpocalypse is not yet over.

Read article on Chilkat Valley 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.

Please forward this newsletter or share it on social media. Join the LEO Network to share your own stories of environmental change.

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.

Click here to view back issues (2009 to present) of the Northern Climate Observer.


Subscribe Unsubscribe


Northern Climate Observer #509
Mar 5, 2024
Northern Climate Observer #508
Feb 4, 2024
Northern Climate Observer #507
Dec 13, 2023
Northern Climate Observer #506
Nov 8, 2023
Northern Climate Observer #505
Oct 24, 2023
Northern Climate Observer #504
Sep 14, 2023
Northern Climate Observer #503
Aug 30, 2023
Northern Climate Observer #502
Jul 11, 2023
Northern Climate Observer #501
Jun 27, 2023
Northern Climate Observer #500
Jun 21, 2023
Northern Climate Observer #499
May 2, 2023
Northern Climate Observer #498
Apr 11, 2023
Northern Climate Observer #497
Feb 22, 2023
Northern Climate Observer #496
Jan 16, 2023
Northern Climate Observer #495
Nov 30, 2022
Northern Climate Observer #494
Nov 14, 2022
Northern Climate Observer #493
Oct 24, 2022
Northern Climate Observer #492
Sep 28, 2022
Northern Climate Observer #491
Sep 15, 2022
Northern Climate Observer #490
Sep 1, 2022
Northern Climate Observer #489
Aug 4, 2022
Northern Climate Observer #488
Jul 20, 2022
Northern Climate Observer #487
Jun 9, 2022
Northern Climate Observer, #486
May 18, 2022
Northern Climate Observer #485
May 5, 2022
Northern Climate Observer #484
Apr 20, 2022
Northern Climate Observer #483
Apr 7, 2022
Northern Climate Observer #482
Mar 23, 2022
Northern Climate Observer #481
Mar 4, 2022
Northern Climate Observer #480
Feb 18, 2022
Northern Climate Observer #479
Jan 28, 2022
Northern Climate Observer #478
Dec 13, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #477
Nov 17, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #476
Nov 3, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #475
Oct 20, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #474
Oct 7, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #473
Sep 23, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #472
Sep 10, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #471
Aug 24, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #470
Aug 19, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #469
Aug 10, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #468
Jul 20, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #467
Jul 13, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #466
Jun 3, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #465
May 25, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #464
May 11, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #463
May 5, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #462
Apr 29, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #461
Apr 15, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #460
Apr 8, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #459
Mar 30, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #458
Mar 24, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #457
Mar 11, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #456
Feb 24, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #455
Feb 17, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #454
Feb 10, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #453
Feb 2, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #452
Jan 27, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #451
Jan 19, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #450
Jan 13, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #449
Jan 6, 2021
Northern Climate Observer #448
Dec 16, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #447
Dec 9, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #446
Nov 30, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #445
Nov 23, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #444
Nov 18, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #443
Nov 10, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #442
Oct 29, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #441
Oct 21, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #440
Oct 15, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #439
Oct 9, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #438
Sep 29, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #437
Sep 22, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #436
Sep 14, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #435
Sep 2, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #434
Aug 17, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #433
Jul 28, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #432
Jul 13, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #431
Jul 7, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #430
Jun 29, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #429
Jun 19, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #428
Jun 12, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #427
Jun 4, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #426
May 26, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #425
Feb 26, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #424
Feb 19, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #425
Feb 5, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #424
Jan 30, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #423
Jan 9, 2020
Northern Climate Observer #422
Dec 23, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #421
Dec 12, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #420
Dec 5, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #419
Nov 27, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #418
Nov 16, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #417
Nov 9, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #416
Oct 31, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #415
Oct 17, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #414
Oct 9, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #413
Oct 3, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #412
Sep 24, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #411
Sep 17, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #410
Sep 12, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #409
Aug 27, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #408
Aug 22, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #407
Aug 15, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #406
Aug 8, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #405
Jul 31, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #404
Jul 24, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #403
Jul 15, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #402
Jul 9, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #401
Jul 3, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #400
Jun 26, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #399
Jun 19, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #398
Jun 11, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #397
May 29, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #396
May 22, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #395
May 15, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #394
May 6, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #393
Apr 30, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #392
Apr 22, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #391
Apr 15, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #390
Apr 9, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #389
Apr 2, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #388
Mar 27, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #387
Mar 19, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #386
Mar 5, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #385
Feb 26, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #384
Feb 20, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #383
Feb 5, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #382
Jan 28, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #381
Jan 14, 2019
Northern Climate Observer #380
Dec 26, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #379
Dec 12, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #378
Nov 20, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #377
Nov 12, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #376
Nov 6, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #375
Oct 24, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #374
Oct 15, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #373
Oct 9, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #372
Oct 2, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #371
Sep 27, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #370
Sep 18, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #369
Sep 13, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #368
Sep 4, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #367
Aug 29, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #366
Aug 21, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #365
Aug 7, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #364
Jul 24, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #363
Jul 17, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #362
Jul 9, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #361
Jul 2, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #360
Jun 26, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #359
Jun 18, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #358
Jun 13, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #357
May 22, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #356
May 15, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #355
May 7, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #354
May 1, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #353
Apr 24, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #352
Apr 20, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #351
Apr 9, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #350
Mar 26, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #349
Mar 19, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #348
Mar 12, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #347
Mar 5, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #346
Feb 27, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #345
Feb 19, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #344
Feb 5, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #343
Jan 29, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #342
Jan 21, 2018
Northern Climate Observer #341
Dec 28, 2017
Northern Climate Observer #340
Dec 12, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #339
Dec 4, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #338
Nov 28, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #337
Nov 21, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #336
Nov 13, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #335
Nov 6, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #334
Oct 30, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #333
Oct 23, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #332
Oct 16, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #331
Oct 9, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #330
Oct 2, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #329
Sep 18, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #328
Sep 11, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #327
Sep 5, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #326
Aug 21, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #325
Aug 14, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #324
Jul 31, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #323
Jul 11, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #322
Jul 5, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #321
Jun 25, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #320
Jun 12, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #319
May 29, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #318
May 22, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #317
May 11, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #316
May 8, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #315
Apr 29, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #314
Apr 21, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #313
Apr 14, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #312
Apr 7, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #311
Mar 24, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #310
Mar 17, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #309
Mar 9, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #308
Feb 24, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #307
Feb 17, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #306
Feb 3, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #305
Jan 27, 2017
The Northern Climate Observer #304
Jan 20, 2017