The Northern Climate Observer

The Northern
Climate Observer

Don't Forget Your Umbrella - The February edition of the Northern Climate Observer focused on the challenges and disruptions to winter sport. The story continued in March with articles about dog mushers encountering sandstorms, cancelled ski races, and deadly avalanches from Alaska to Sweden. Norway had its own epic story. Trondheim was the host for the 2025 Nordic World Ski Championships, and I was fortunate to be able to attend. For two weeks this city in Northern Norway welcomed the world's best atheletes for a series of cross country, ski jumping and nordic combined competitions. During the event, Trondheim experienced the wettest 5-day stretch of weather in over 100 years, receiving 11.4 cm of precipitation (4.5 inches). Organizers worked around the clock to preserve snow and keep the trails and hills ready. After days of drenching rain and stiff winds, it was amazing that there was any snow at all! The Championships culminated with the women's 50 km cross country ski race, the longest race sanctioned in World Cup and the first time it was featured at the World Championships. Despite efforts to preserve the course, racers faced sections of 'deep slop', with equal parts water and snow. This resulted in the most grueling event at the competition and what some athletes described as the hardest race they had every experienced. Climate change is impacting every aspect of winter sporting events, from location and schedule, to athelete training and equipment. Events like the Iditarod and the Nordic World Championship are having to adapt to keep the sports safe and viable in an increasing unpredictable winter. Spectators are adapting too. Next time I will be sure to pack an umbrella and my rubber boots. See also our March Map which includes 27 articles from across the circumpolar north. Mike Brubaker, Editor

	‘I’m really looking forward to being inside’: An oral and visual history of Trondheim’s wettest weather in a century Trondheim, Sør-Trøndelag, Norway Nathaniel Herz / Fasterskier / March 6, 2025 The central Norwegian region of Trøndelag is known for its inclement weather; per an ongoing tourism campaign, while “the food is iconic,” the weather is “chronic.” But the past week in Trondheim has been special even by local standards, and not in a good way. The city, according to Norwegian media, has to reach back more than a century to find a wetter five-day stretch than the one it just experienced, with 4.5 inches of precipitation. Read article on Fasterskier
	Classic Skiing Competition 7-mila Cancelled Due to Lack of Snow Robertsfors, Västerbotten, Sweden SVT Nyheter / SVT Nyheter / March 10, 2025 The classic long-distance ski race 7-mila has been cancelled due to a lack of snow for the first time since 2014, affecting over 130 registered participants and causing financial concerns for the organizers. Read article on SVT Nyheter
	Iditarod 53: Mushers, dogs regroup in Tanana after 'sandstorm' flings silt near river Tanana, Alaska, United States Jordan Rodenberger / KTUU / March 5, 2025 During Iditarod 53, mushers and their sled dogs battled high winds that whipped up a sandstorm near the Tanana River, forcing teams to pause and regroup. The unexpected conditions challenged visibility and navigation, underscoring the unpredictable nature of the race. Read article on KTUU
	Anchorage snowpack officially drops to zero, rare for early March Anchorage, Alaska, United States Zaz Hollander / Anchorage Daily News / March 3, 2025 The National Weather Service says the city has had no snow at this point in the season only twice before. On average, that doesn’t usually happen until halfway through April. Last year, which turned out to be the second snowiest on record, more than 2 feet blanketed the ground on March 3. Read article on Anchorage Daily News
	Early fire season begins with 2 small blazes reported and controlled Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, United States Jacob Dye / Peninsula Clarion / March 17, 2025 Two small wildfires on the Kenai Peninsula have been reported and quickly contained as the region enters an early fire season. Burn permits are now required on all state, private, and municipal lands due to early warm temperatures and low snowpack. Read article on Peninsula Clarion
	Snowstorm Slams Far East’s Kamchatka, Grounding Flights and Stranding Motorists Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Kamchatka Krai, Russia The Moscow Times / The Moscow Times / March 24, 2025 A powerful snowstorm battered Russia’s Far East Kamchatka Peninsula, grounding flights, stranding motorists, and triggering avalanche warnings in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Read article on The Moscow Times
	16-year-old killed in Turnagain Pass avalanche Turnagain Pass, Alaska, United States Adelmi Ruiz / KTUU / March 22, 2025 A 16-year-old snowmachiner from Soldotna was killed in an avalanche at Turnagain Pass, Alaska, highlighting the ongoing danger in the area due to unstable snowpack conditions. Read article on KTUU
	Lyngen: Survivor recounts being buried in an avalanche Lyngen, Nord-Troms, Norway Gunnar Grindstein / NRK / March 20, 2025 A 39‐year‐old Slovenian man recounts his dramatic ordeal of being buried under snow for over 7 hours during an avalanche in Lyngen, while rescuers continue searching for a missing woman. Read article on NRK
	Helicopter caught in avalanche in Abisko – two persons missing Abisko, Norrbotten, Sweden SVT Nyheter / SVT Nyheter / March 20, 2025 A rescue operation has been initiated after an avalanche dragged a helicopter that was on the ground in Abisko National Park, with two persons currently reported missing. Read article on SVT Nyheter
	3 heli-skiers killed in massive avalanche near Girdwood Girdwood, Alaska Alaska Public Media / March 5, 2025 This is Alaska’s first fatal avalanche reported this season. It is also the country’s deadliest since February 2023. Read article on Alaska Public Media

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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