The Northern Climate Observer

The Northern
Climate Observer

A Winter Unprecedented - It has been quite a winter in Greenland. The news has been filled with stories about the persistent warm and wet weather, and challenges for winter activities and athletic events. We have been following the stories in Sermitsiaq, a Greenlandic newspaper, based in Nuuk. The stories remind me of past winters, in Anchorage. Our winter thaws have historically been related to brief ‘Chinook’ storms, bringing a few days of intense warm winds and temporary snow loss. In recent years, however, we have seen entire months, and sometimes entire winters characterized by warm temperatures and lack of snow. This story of a winter lost in Greenland resonates with me, and I think it will for readers in other places as well.

The first sign appeared on November 21. Where is the Snow? read the headline. Throughout November temperatures were almost 5 degrees above normal. In early December, a second story: Ski Festival Without Snow. The subject being the Lârsêraq Ski Festival, scheduled for December 10- 14. Said coordinator Martin Møller, “I can’t remember there not being snow at this time before.” With cross-country trails bare, organizers pondered stock piling snow and other ways to make future festivals more resilient. This was in Sisimiut, a community located above the Arctic Circle!

On January 5th, reporter Oline Inuusuttoq Olsen tried to make sense of it all. The story Atypical Weather Conditions for the Season, described a strong high‑pressure system over Iceland and the British Isles that was in effect blocking winter in parts of Greenland. Meanwhile the hockey rink in Nuuk melted. On January 6, another story documented the lack of snow, It Looks Bleak – You Can Almost Pick Black Berries. It was the warmest January ever across Greenland’s west coast with temperatures in Nuuk averaging 0.1°C—7.8°C (32-46 degrees Fahrenheit).

On February 4, Henriette Dohm reported on the impact on Nuuk’s Sisorarfiit ski area. Record High Temperatures Leave Nuuk’s Ski Slopes Empty (see attached article link). Looking at the bare slopes Operations Manager Qulu Heilmann remarked, “We have never experienced anything like this—at least not to this extent.” The impact of losing the area all winter is being widely felt in Nuuk, both on recreational and competitive skiers. On February 19, Sermitsiaq reported on another ski event, the Arctic Circle Race, a 3-day and 160-km event in Sisimiut. This year it is scheduled from March 27 – 29. The lack of snow and sea ice, however, could cause organizers to relocate the start and set a different route.

Thinking about this winter in Greenland, I wonder if there is any place left in the Arctic that has not experienced a weird snow year of some kind. My heart goes out to Greenland over a winter lost. The good news is that winter is not over yet. The Arctic Circle Race is still a go and there is snow in the forecast this week. You can read other Sermitsiaq stories in LEO Network here. Mike Brubaker, Editor

	Record-High Temperatures Leave Nuuk’s Ski Slope Empty Nuuk, Greenland, Kingdom of Denmark Henriette Dohm / Sermitsiaq / February 4, 2026 After Greenland’s warmest January on record, Nuuk’s Sisorarfiit ski lift has been unable to open due to a lack of snow and persistent above-freezing temperatures. Meteorologists and local skiers say the event shows how climate change is already affecting everyday winter life on Greenland’s west coast. Read article on Sermitsiaq
	Dozens of dead birds found in Bergen; avian influenza confirmed Bergen, Vestland, Norway Julianne Mossing; Laurita Fure Briceño / NRK / February 5, 2026 In recent weeks, 50–60 dead birds have been found in Bergen, Norway, and testing confirmed avian influenza in several cases. Authorities urge the public to avoid touching sick or dead birds and to keep pets away while they monitor the situation to protect commercial poultry. Read article on NRK
	Wildfire in Ørland: A large area has burned Oksvoll, Trøndelag, Norway Mette Vollan; Ingrid Lindgaard Stranden; Tariq Alisubh; Frida Myrvang Saxrud; Morten Andersen; Sunniva Skurtveit / NRK / February 7, 2026 A wildfire at Oksvoll in Ørland, Norway burned most of a 4.5 km² area, prompting evacuations and road closures. Authorities report no injuries; one outbuilding burned and power outages affected local residents. Read article on NRK
	Particulate pollution far above health-protection limits Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland Vísir / February 13, 2026 Particulate (PM) air pollution across Iceland’s Capital Region is reported to be well above health-protection limits, with air quality in some areas classified as unhealthy. Read article on Vísir
	Mysterious Environmental Toxin in Abisko: “This Is a Priority Case” Abisko, Norrbotten County, Sweden Sindre Kristiansen / Fremover / February 23, 2026 Local authorities are investigating unexpectedly high levels of flame retardant chemicals found in Arctic char from Lake Abiskojaure near Abisko in northern Sweden. The source of the contamination is unclear, and the issue is being treated as a priority by local authorities. Read article on Fremover
	In already chilly Fairbanks, this winter is one for the record books Fairbanks, Alaska, United States Casey Grove / Alaska Public Media / February 27, 2026 Fairbanks, Alaska is experiencing an unusually cold and snowy winter, with the most -40°F days in more than five decades and February ranking among the snowiest on record. A climatologist says the season is an outlier for snow locally, even as other parts of Alaska have been relatively low-snow. 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 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

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