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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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Snowstorm breaks daily snowfall record; deep cold returns
Fairbanks set a daily snowfall record with 10.9 inches on Dec. 12, followed by a return to deep cold with temperatures expected to drop into the -30s and possibly -40°F. National Weather Service forecasters note limited additional snow in the near term.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

High winds hit Southcentral for second straight weekend
Strong winds returned to Southcentral Alaska, with Palmer recording gusts over 80 mph on Sunday and Valdez up to 61 mph, one week after a damaging windstorm. Drivers on the Glenn Highway and across open areas reported difficult conditions.
Palmer, Alaska, United States
Alaska's News Source

Gusty winds across Anchorage bring power outages, scattered damage
A 76 mph gust was recorded at Lake Hood early Monday morning. The National Weather Service said a high wind warning in effect until noon could bring gusts of up to 60 mph.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Ice restricts access at Homer Harbor as temperatures drop
Drifting sea ice is clogging channels at Homer Harbor, restricting access for smaller vessels and complicating use of the launch ramp. Harbor officials warn conditions can change quickly with tides and forecasted cold temperatures.
Homer, Alaska, United States
KBBI AM 890

Southcentral Alaska’s cold snap expected to last through the holiday season
While there’s a chance of snow in Anchorage’s forecast on Friday, the odds of new snow for Christmas are low amid unseasonably chilly conditions, according to the National Weather Service.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

When will the deep freeze end? Alaska holds its breath.
A long-running weather pattern shows no sign of relenting. “Cranky’s a good way to describe it,” says one mayor whose village hit minus 50.
Eagle, Alaska, United States
Northern Journal

Snow returns to Southcentral Alaska, breaking up a long cold, dry spell
The Anchorage area could see between 2 and 4 inches of snow starting Friday, breaking up a long frigid and dry spell for Southcentral Alaska, according to the National Weather Service.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Heaviest snowfall in decades increases avalanche risk near Haines, Alaska
A record week of snowfall in Haines, Alaska (1.93 metres from Dec. 27–31) has created unstable snowpack conditions and raised avalanche danger, according to local experts. Officials urge backcountry users to avoid steep terrain and watch for warning signs like cracking or “woofing.”
Haines, Alaska, United States
Eye on the Arctic (Radio Canada International)

4th windstorm this month pummels Mat-Su with hurricane-force gusts
The fourth windstorm in December has hit Mat-Su, Alaska, with hurricane-force bora winds causing widespread power outages and damage, highlighting a pattern of severe wind events in the region.
Palmer, Alaska, United States

Second fishing boat sinks in harbor
A 36-foot wooden fishing troller, the F/V Faithful, sank in Haines Harbor on Dec. 30 after pumps froze in cold weather and heavy snow, creating a fuel sheen and prompting an open case with Alaska environmental officials. The boat was later salvaged and refloated, while the borough continues to incur repair and response costs.
Haines, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

Record High Snows in Juneau, Alaska
Juneau experienced record-high snowfall in December, with 82 inches, the most since the mid-1900s, defying global warming trends and recent winter patterns.
Juneau, Alaska, United States

Heaviest snowfall in decades increases avalanche risk near Haines, Alaska
Heavy snowfall in Haines, Alaska, last week has increased the risk of avalanche in the area, experts say.
Haines, Alaska, United States
CBC

Record snow overwhelms Juneau, leaving few places to pile it
The city is still tallying damages from last week's record snowfall as more continues to accumulate.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Bogus Creek 150 postponed due to extreme cold snap
Organizers postponed the Bogus Creek 150 sled dog race in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta after forecasts called for wind chills near 40°F below zero, raising safety concerns for mushers, dogs, and trail volunteers.
Bethel, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Updates as Juneau recovers from storm, avalanche evacuation advisory lifted
The Flood Advisory has ended and Thane Road has reopened, though closures are still possible.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
KTOO

Multiple small avalanches release in Juneau after city issues evacuation advisory
Multiple small avalanches released on Mount Juneau above the Behrends neighborhood after the City and Borough of Juneau issued an evacuation advisory for known slide paths amid heavy rain, wind, and warming temperatures. Some residents evacuated and an emergency shelter opened as officials warned conditions could worsen and Thane Road closures could last days.
Alaska Public Media

Haines Highway cleared of avalanche that caught three vehicles
An avalanche near Mile 16 of the Haines Highway in Alaska struck three vehicles on Jan. 9, 2026, leaving occupants uninjured but temporarily trapping vehicles on top of the slide debris. The Alaska Department of Transportation cleared the slide and later closed sections of the highway due to worsening weather and continued avalanche risk.
Chilkat Valley News

Haines residents urged to ‘get home and stay home’ amid latest blizzard
A third major snowstorm in two weeks hit Alaska’s Upper Lynn Canal, prompting officials to urge residents to stay home as plows struggled with whiteout conditions and heavy snowfall. An avalanche along the Haines Highway led to a highway closure due to high slide risk and deteriorating weather.

Kodiak hit with ‘atmospheric river’ of rain over snow
An “atmospheric river” brought more than 1.5 inches of rain onto a recent snowpack in Kodiak, creating deep roadway flooding/ponding, very icy conditions, and prompting closures and canceled meetings as crews worked to keep drains clear.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States
Kodiak Daily Mirror

Erratic Winter Weather
This winter in Anchorage has been unusually erratic, with a reversal of typical snowfall patterns, leading to record-breaking snow in January and impacting daily life significantly.

Icy roads, messy weather plagues Southcentral Alaska
A major winter storm brought snow changing to rain and freezing rain across Southcentral Alaska, creating dangerous glare ice, power outages, school closures, and road shutdowns for avalanche mitigation. High winds and localized flooding were also reported, including near Valdez and in Seward.
Alaska's News Source (KTUU)

Record-breaking snow wallops Anchorage, closing schools early and wreaking havoc on the roads
Anchorage hit a new record for the snowiest January on Tuesday as drivers contended with heavy snow around the city and on the Glenn Highway.

Houses floated away in this Alaska Native village. Now residents want to move
Kwigillingok, Alaska, has long grappled with erosion and flooding. Residents want to move to higher ground, further inland, especially after the remnants of Typhoon Halong damaged nearly every house.
Kipnuk, Alaska, United States
NPR

Advocates push for drastic measures, as the Western Arctic Caribou Herd drops to a new low
The latest estimate for the Western Arctic Caribou Herd is 121,000, a steep drop from 2023. The last time the herd’s numbers were this low, Jimmy Carter was president — almost 50 years ago.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
KOTZ

More than a dozen bald eagles are hanging out near a busy Muldoon intersection
More than a dozen bald eagles—reportedly as many as 27 in a day—have been gathering for at least a week in trees by the Debarr and Muldoon Roads intersection in East Anchorage. Alaska wildlife officials suspect the birds may be being fed, and the matter has been referred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service due to potential legal violations.
Alaska's News Source (KTUU)

‘Hazardous’ flooding creek water closes one lane of Anchorage road, APD says
Flooding creek water, possibly caused by a creek freezing over, closed the right northbound lane of Elmore Road in Anchorage between Dowling Road and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, police said.
Alaska's News Source (KTUU)

Mine workers ready respirators and go-bags as Red Dog contends with hazardous gas buildup
A recent uptick in sulfur dioxide emissions has fueled health concerns and a public response from the Indigenous-owned corporation that owns the land beneath the mine.
Red Dog Mine, Alaska, United States
Northern Journal

A rare icebow
A rare icebow was photographed over Three Sisters Mountain near Kodiak on Jan. 11, 2026.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States
Kodiak Daily Mirror

Watch: Woman rescued from vehicle in floodwater along Sawmill Road
Flooding and standing water in the Chilkat Valley near Haines, Alaska led to a vehicle becoming stuck in a ditch along Sawmill Road, where first responders rescued a woman from her car. Officials warned residents to avoid driving through floodwaters as plugged drainage channels contributed to area flooding near the airport and along the Haines Highway.
Chilkat Valley News

State declares storms a disaster
After weeks of extreme cold and heavy snowfall in Alaska’s Chilkat Valley, Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued a state disaster declaration, enabling public assistance reimbursement for storm-related emergency measures and infrastructure impacts. Residents and local/tribal crews worked for days to clear roofs and roads as conditions later shifted to flooding and avalanche concerns.

A weeklong fuel shortage in Anaktuvuk Pass caused school closures and left homes without heat
Anaktuvuk Pass faced a weeklong fuel shortage due to severe weather and mechanical issues, leading to school closures and homes without heat, prompting an emergency declaration to expedite fuel deliveries.
Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska, United States

ConocoPhillips aims to continue ambitious winter drilling plans despite toppling of monster North Slope oil rig
The rig dubbed “The Beast” crashed to the ground while being moved Friday amid an ongoing winter exploration program in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska that’s the subject of a lawsuit.
Nuiqsut, Alaska, United States

Beach Erosion
Beach erosion in Marshall is causing the loss of infrastructure and threatening buildings.
Marshall, Alaska, United States

Climate change is making destructive landslides more common across Alaska, especially in Southeast
A recent study found that the number of reported landslides started to increase in the 1980s and has skyrocketed in recent decades.
Alaska, United States

What 20 years of Arctic report cards can tell us about our changing planet
In 2006, scientists released the first version of the Arctic Report Card, now a staple at the Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States

Forest Service moves forward with logging project near Ketchikan
The project site, which surrounds Carroll Inlet on both sides, is around 41,000 acres in total. Most of the harvest will be old-growth trees, which some people worry will be devastating to the forest.
Carroll Inlet, Alaska

No injuries reported as avalanche closes upper mountain at Alyeska Resort
A natural avalanche at Alyeska Resort in Girdwood, Alaska, occurred before opening on Feb. 5, 2026, prompting closure of several upper-mountain lifts but causing no injuries or damage. Resort crews conducted avalanche mitigation and planned to reassess conditions before reopening.
Girdwood, Alaska, United States

Kipnuk confronts hard choice on relocation after last year’s devastating storm
The remnants of Typhoon Halong destroyed homes, contaminated water and left Kipnuk residents with a critical choice: rebuild in the same spot or move to higher ground?
Kipnuk, Alaska, United States

Southwest Alaska man dies after snowmachine drops into open water on frozen lake, troopers say
The 45-year-old man had left his home village of Aleknagik to visit people in Manokotak, about 25 miles away, before his body was found on Saturday, Alaska State Troopers said.
Aleknagik, Alaska, United States

One phone call at a time, Kipnuk residents vote on whether to rebuild or relocate
Kipnuk leaders are calling hundreds of tribal members to determine the village's future after last fall's storm caused widespread destruction.
Kipnuk, Alaska, United States

Possible rare dolphin washed up dead in Chiniak
The Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak responded to a dead dolphin found washed ashore near Chiniak on Kodiak Island and sent it to Anchorage for a necropsy and genetic testing. If confirmed as a striped dolphin, it could represent one of the northernmost records for the species and raise questions about changing ocean conditions.
Chiniak, Alaska, United States
Kodiak Daily Mirror

Deceased baby beluga whale found and assessed by AVPS
Scientists with Alaska Veterinary Pathology Services conducted a necropsy on a dead, stranded juvenile female beluga found at McDonald Spit near Seldovia in Kachemak Bay. Samples were sent to multiple labs for disease and toxicology testing amid ongoing concerns for the critically endangered Cook Inlet beluga population.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States
KBBI AM 890

Rough Going
During the 2026 Yukon Quest near Rampart, Alaska, a race judge checking on musher Jonah Bacon became stuck in dangerous river overflow (slush on ice) on the Yukon River and was rescued by a local community member.
Rampart, Alaska, United States
KUAC.org

With Western Alaska salmon runs weak, managers cap pollock fleet’s chum bycatch for first time
For the first time, managers have set a bycatch cap of 45,000 Western Alaska chum salmon for the pollock fleet, aiming to protect weak salmon runs while balancing the economic needs of fishing communities.

Kwigillingok's repair is underway. But community members say the 'way it was' is not the way forward.
After a devastating storm hit Kwigillingok, reconstruction efforts are underway, but community members emphasize the need for a new approach rather than simply restoring the village to its previous state.
Kwigillingok, Alaska, United States

Iron Dog riders battle storms, deep snow
Iron Dog snowmachine racers on Alaska’s west coast faced intense winter storms, whiteout conditions, and very deep snow, prompting delays and rescues near Golovin. Sea ice breaking out in front of Elim forced racers onto an alternate overland route where racers and local riders spent hours breaking trail.
Elim, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

‘Enjoying the life around you’: Anchorage man feeding bald eagles in Muldoon
Dozens of bald eagles have gathered near the Debarr and Muldoon area of Anchorage this winter, where a local resident regularly feeds them meat scraps. The congregation has drawn attention and raised concerns about nuisance wildlife and the risks of eagles relying on landfill garbage or being disturbed by people.

Alaska doctor identifies first ‘seal finger’ infection linked to brown bear
Seal finger is not uncommon in Alaska and circumpolar regions, but this is only the second time this potentially more serious strain of the infection has been identified in the state.
Cold Bay, Alaska, United States

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