A warm spell after a very cold winter prompted overwintering butterflies in the Meri-Lappi region of Finnish Lapland to emerge earlier than usual, with multiple mourning cloaks observed in Simo in week 16.
On 19 April 2026, Tromsø set a record for its earliest snow-free day since measurements began, after an unusually warm and rainy March. Meteorologists note more snow could return soon, but the early snow-free record will still stand.
Norway experienced an unusually cold and dry January 2026, averaging 4.4°C below normal nationwide. Karasjok recorded −41.5°C on 11 January, and many stations set records for low temperatures and low precipitation.
Unusually mild January weather in eastern Washington and the Inland Northwest prompted rare midwinter sightings of Milbert’s tortoiseshell butterflies, which normally don’t emerge until March.
The sun when direct was intense, definitely not April and not May...more like the month of June.
Early butterfly observed south of the Kaiyuh Mountains along the west bank of the Yukon River.
Observations From Members 