LEO Network
26 January 2014

Bad Ice Disrupts Subsistence

Unusually warm weather in January has caused problems with melting snow and ice in Unalakleet, Alaska. The warm weather has disrupted subsistence activities, making travel on rivers unsafe and causing roads to become icy and slushy. The ocean is almost entirely open, making it unsafe to set crab pots on the ice. The situation has caused difficulties for locals, with one person reporting doing three 360-degree spins on their snow machine due to a lack of traction.

Observation: There has been unusually warm weather for January. In previous years there are normally one or two nice, warm days, but this has been over a week of warm weather and has caused a lot of problems with melting snow, ice and over flow. Travel on the rivers is starting to get unsafe. It was super creepy on Sunday when my trapping partner and I went out on the trapline. The weather continues to be warm and melting. The roads are ice and slush. I did three 360's on my snow machine because I didn't have any studs or traction. Crazy. The ocean is almost all open. People launched boats to set crab pots because there hasn't been safe ocean ice to set them. Victoria Kotongan

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Unalakleet, Alaska, United States


Photo courtesy of Victoria Kotongan
Photo courtesy of Victoria Kotongan
Photo courtesy of Victoria Kotongan
Ice / Snow Change
Transportation
Food Security