LEO Network

About the LEO Network
The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
Continue

Observations

High winds knock out power, damage buildings in Kuskokwim Bay
Winds of up to 85 mph ripped up the Southwest Alaska coast on Friday, upending smokehouses, tearing electric lines and flinging a house across the road.
Quinhagak, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Alaska gets federal disaster help after North Slope storm
A September storm caused damage in Utqiagvik, and Gov. Bill Walker declared a disaster there last month.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

For Alaskan Coastal Village, Erosion Hits Home
Melting permafrost and major storms are eating away at the coastal Alaskan village of Newtok. Residents are desperate to move, but the U.S. has no climate change policy that could help them.
Newtok, Alaska, United States
NPR

As permafrost thaws, Western Alaska village cemeteries sink into swampland
In villages like Kongiganak, communities have stopped burying their dead because, as the permafrost melts, the oldest part of their cemetery is sinking.
Kongiganak, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Southern California Fires Surpass 115,000 Acres As Santa Ana Winds Drive Flames
Driven by fierce Santa Ana winds, four intense fires near Los Angeles grew to engulf more than 115,000 acres Thursday, and officials say residents should be prepared for even more strong winds through Friday.
Ventura County, California, United States
KCBX Central Coast Public Radio

‘It Burns and It Keeps Burning’: Scenes From Southern California’s Wildfires
Wildfires have burned more than 100,000 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Fighting them were professionals and homeowners with garden hoses.
Los Angeles, California, United States
The New York Times

Record Breaking Hot Water Usage in November
There has never been more use of hot water in the capital area in November than this year. The temperature that month was measured as quite cold according to the Icelandic Met Office, explaining the need for more hot water.
Hveragerdi, South, Iceland
Iceland Review

Wildfires In Southern California Force Thousands Of People To Flee
Multiple fires are burning in Southern California, claiming hundreds of structures and thousands of acres and closing many freeways and local roadways, according to state fire officials.
Santa Paula, California, United States
NPR
Richard Gonzales, Scott Neuman, Amy Held

Paper Mill Dam: Swimming Hole Monitoring
Paper Mill Dam, Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada

Report out on Kivalina evacuation route and school site
The school site is about six miles northeast of town. If constructed, it would serve as the terminus of the evacuation route and as a modern shelter capable of housing the entire community.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States
The Arctic Sounder

Autumn storm that battered Utqiaġvik coastline caused more than $10 million in damage
The storm began Sept. 28 and continued for several days. A handful of Utqiaġvik’s roads were damaged or destroyed, and the community's freshwater source was nearly compromised.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

Storm Surge
A strong storm impacting NW Alaska with high winds and sea level rise (over 6 ft) caused localized flooding in Kotzebue.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

Pacific Communities Building Resilience in the Face of Climate Change
SUVA, Fiji, Nov 8 2017 (IPS) - In the Pacific, climate change is an ever-present threat, undermining human rights, livelihoods, and security. Pacific Islanders are working with courage and resolve to build the resilience of their communities and to catalyse international actions towards ending global carbon pollution. While the Pacific has contributed almost nothing to the causes of climate change, the region is determined to lead the world towards a more just and sustainable future. And while often labelled as ‘small island states’, Pacific Island countries are more accurately characterised as ‘large oceans states’ as they are custodians of vast tracts of ocean, to which their economies, culture, identities and livelihoods are inextricably tied.
Suva, Central, Fiji
ReliefWeb

Breathing Fire
As climate change fuels large wildfires, the pollution they're releasing is making Americans sick and undermining decades of progress in cleaning the air.
California to Pacific Northwest, United States
Climate Central

Fiji brings first-hand experience with effects of climate change to UN summit
Fiji and other Pacific island nations are vulnerable to rising seas that have flooded villages and forced residents to abandon their homes.
Vunidogoloa Village, Northern, Fiji
Toronto Star

Maine will seek disaster aid as roughly 70,000 remained without power 4 days after storm
The number of outages is down from a peak of 484,000 statewide after winds and rain ravaged the region Monday morning.
Cumberland Center, Maine, United States
Press Herald

Wind storm batters Maine
We put out the call for images of storm damage across the state Monday morning and our readers answered with some great shots.
Yarmouth, Maine, United States
Press Herald

Fall storms now regularly batter Alaska’s Arctic coastal villages — but don’t always qualify for disaster funds
Disaster funds are reserved for single events, and storms that collectively cause much damage aren't often individually large enough to count as disasters.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Arctic Now

Ireland Hit by Remnants of Strongest Eastern Atlantic Hurricane on Record
Post-tropical cyclone Ophelia put Ireland on a shutdown.
Donaghadee, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Slate Magazine

Why homes along Arctic coastline are at risk of falling into the ocean
"All it would take is one or two big storms and these houses you see behind me would be gravely at risk."
Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC Radio
The Current's Liz Hoath and CBC's Briar Stewart.

Citing safety concerns, airlines refuse to fly to permafrost-damaged Tununak Airport
About a year ago, Tununak opened a $19 million, state-of-the-art airport, but shifting permafrost is buckling the runway.
Tununak, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

Shifting permafrost threatens Alaska village's new airport
Tununak Airport near Bethel is facing a catastrophic problem, as airlines are refusing to land there due to the village's shifting permafrost.
Tununak, Alaska, United States
CBC News

Slow going in fight against deadly fires in California
The wind known as the Diablo is picking up again, the air is dry, there is no rain in sight and the killer wildfires that have scorched the wine country of Northern California remain almost completely uncontained. Officials warned Wednesday that some of the big fires could merge. Amid these grim bulletins, the huge utility company PG&E acknowledged that the extreme winds late Sunday and early Monday had knocked trees into power lines in conditions conducive to wildfires.
North Bay, California, United States
GoErie.com
Cleve R. Wootson Jr., Kristine Phillips, Joel Achenbach - The Washington Post

As permafrost thaws, village cemeteries sink into swamp
Climate change is thawing the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta’s permafrost, and it’s doing more than cracking foundations, sinking roads and accelerating erosion.
Kongiganak, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Hurricane Maria’s aftermath: ‘There will be no food in Puerto Rico’
In a matter of hours, Hurricane Maria wiped out about 80 percent of the crop value in Puerto Rico — making it one of the costliest storms to hit the island’s agriculture industry.
Yabucoa, Yabucoa, Puerto Rico
Alaska Dispatch News
Frances Robles, Luis Ferre-Sadurni, The New York Times

Hurricane Maria Makes Landfall in Dominica as Other Islands Brace for Potential Disaster
Hurricane Maria barreled through the islands that curve through the Caribbean.
Dominican Republic, Caribbean
The New York Times

For first time in 300 years, Barbuda is empty
When Hurricane Irma ravaged the Caribbean island of Barbuda, the storm left it uninhabitable." And, now, for the first time in 300 years, no one lives there.
Barbuda, Antigua and Barbuda
CNN
Joe Sterling and Cassandra Santiago, CNN

As Alaska Thaws, Everything Changes
HEALY, ALASKA—Bitter winters still dominate life in the Alaskan interior, but a practiced eye can spot the signs of a warming climate, particularly in the ground. Beneath the rolling fields of tussock scattered just north of the Alaska Range, what was once permanently frozen is starting to thaw. The impacts could ripple across the planet.
Gizmodo

Nahanni Butte residents told to stay out of community, as officials monitor nearby wildfire
Residents are now being asked to stay away from Nahanni Butte, N.W.T., after being forced out Thursday night by a forest fire burning close to the community.
Nahannie Butte, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC News

Skagway rocked by second landslide in under 2 weeks
Early Tuesday morning, a rockslide crashed into Skagway’s largest cruise ship dock. It was the second slide event in less than two weeks and caused a pair of cruise ships to divert to other ports. Some Skagway residents are calling on the city and the private company that owns the dock to take action.
Skagway, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Russian River flooding is affecting Kodiak residents
Russian River flooded last week in Kodiak leaving some residents scrambling to address the damage.
Womens Bay, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

In maps: Houston and Texas flooding
Maps and graphics show the extent of the devastating flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey in Houston and Texas.
Houston, Texas, United States
BBC News

Residents warned to ‘get out or die’ as Harvey unleashes new waves of punishing rains and flooding
The devastating storm once known as Hurricane Harvey, already the biggest rainstorm in the history of the continental United States, delivered another punishing wave of rain Wednesday to Texas and Louisiana.
Houston, Texas, United States
The Washington Post

Harvey's Impacts Outside of Houston: Flood Emergency Ongoing in Port Arthur, Texas
Harvey has been devastating beyond Houston. Here's the latest.
Port Arthur, Texas, United States
The Weather Channel

Levee breached in Texas amid 'epic and catastrophic' Hurricane Harvey flooding
The storm is not expected to relent until Wednesday afternoon.
Columbia Lakes, Texas, United States
ABC News

Floods In South Asia Have Killed More Than 1,000 People This Summer
For the past several weeks, monsoon-triggered floods have devastated regions in Nepal, Bangladesh and India. This week, a new series of storms has brought everyday life in Mumbai to a near halt.
South Asia
NPR.org

Life returning to normal in Kamloops as wildfire evacuees head home
Looking around the deserted plaza in front of the Sandman Centre arena in Kamloops on Monday, it’s hard to believe that last month it was crammed with thousands of people who were looking for help after being forced from their homes by wildfires.
Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

How Climate Change Likely Heightened Harvey’s Fury
Several factors have conspired to make Hurricane Harvey so destructive in Texas, and warming temperatures are likely part of the problem.
Houston, Texas, United States
National Geographic

How Climate Change Is Shaping the Floods of Harvey - The Atlantic
“Local rainfall amounts of 50 inches would exceed any previous Texas rainfall record. The breadth and intensity of this rainfall are beyond anything experienced before,” said a statement from the National Weather Service. “Catastrophic flooding is now underway and expected to continue for several days.”
Texas Coast, Gulf of Mexico, United States
The Atlantic

Wildfires are a climate change wake-up call
Wildfires are sweeping B.C.
British Columbia, Canada
Lake Cowichan Gazette

'Historic Devastation' ahead from Hurricane Harvey
The remnants of Harvey re-intensified into a hurricane on Thursday, and it may become a major hurricane by Friday.
Corpus Christi, Texas, United States
The Weather Network

'Environmental Nightmare' After Thousands Of Atlantic Salmon Escape Fish Farm
Officials blame the failure of a pen near Washington's Cypress Island on high tides caused by the eclipse, but that is being questioned. Fishing boats are scrambling to catch as many as possible.
Deepwater Bay, Washington, United States
NPR.org

Environmentalists question eclipse explanation for huge salmon dump
Did Monday's eclipse play a role in a huge Atlantic salmon spill from a fish farm in the San Juans? The company says yes. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is urging the public to catch as many of the fish as possible, with no limit on size or number. The fish are about 10 pounds each. No one will know how many escaped until harvesting is completed.
Skagit County, Washington, United States
KGW8 NEWS

Up to 305,000 invasive adult Atlantic salmon escape fish farm in San Juan Islands
There were 305,000, 10 lb Atlantic salmon when the pen at the fish farm in the San Juan Islands burst open on Saturday.
Anacortes, Washington, United States
Daily Hive

Please go fishing, Washington state says after farmed Atlantic salmon escape broken net
It's open season on Atlantic salmon as the public is urged to help mop up a salmon spill from an imploded net pen holding 305,000 fish at a Cooke Aquaculture fish farm near Cypress Island.
Cypress Island, Washington, United States

Hundreds of firefighters battling largest wildfire ever recorded in B.C.
Hundreds of firefighters and dozens of aircraft are working to contain the largest wildfire ever recorded in British Columbia's history, and it could take weeks to get it under control.
Chilcotin Plateau, British Columbia
CBC News

What British Columbians can do in the aftermath of the Atlantic salmon farm spill
There could be a major ecological impact to the coastal waters stretching from British Columbia to Oregon after an Atlantic salmon farm near the San Juan Islands, just east of Victoria, accidentally spilled thousands of live fish into local waters.
Anacortes, Washington, United States
Daily Hive

On Thin Ice in Peru
Human adaptation to climate change there is not going well
Lake Palcacocha, Ancash Region, Peru
Omaha World Herald

Permafrost cost: Long-term fix at Ross River school could require constant power
A Yukon school could soon require constant electricity during the summer merely to avoid sinking. The 'active refrigeration system' would freeze ground under the Ross River school. The device would be the first of its kind in Yukon.
Ross River, Yukon Territory, Canada

No end in sight for B.C. wildfires, one month since state of emergency declared
Wildfire conditions remained 'static' during the long weekend but fires still a concern through August
Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada
Yukon News

Thawing permafrost forces closure of Dawson City's rec centre
Permafrost underneath the structure is believed to have melted since last fall and key parts of the building might not be able to withstand strong winds or an earthquake, according to a professional engineer hired by Dawson City.
Dawson City, Yukon, Canada

Local rivers possible solution for Iqaluit's imminent water shortage
While it researches long-term solutions, Iqaluit is looking at small fixes, like flexible pipe connectors, to stop pipes from breaking and leaking.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada

Experts warn gas pipes are in real danger from exploding tundra
Gas pipes supplying Europe run right over swelling Yamal tundra which is deeply unstable to the release of underground methane.
Yamal Region, Russia
The Independent Barents Observer

BC wildfires caused in part by and contributing to climate change
In some recent years, GHG emissions from BC wildfires have been more than from all other sectors put together
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
The Climate Examiner

No weather relief in sight
As wildfires continue to rage in B.C., there's no rain relief in sight
Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada
Lake Cowichan Gazette

Family watches in horror as cabin is swept away by river in Alaska
A family in Alaska watched in horror as their beloved cabin (pictured) that was built in the 1940s was swept away by the Matanuska River over the Fourth of July weekend.
Matanusak River, Alaska, United States
Mail Online

California fires spread quickly, evacuation orders lifted in other parts of West
In other parts of the West, evacuation orders were lifted in Colorado and Montana towns threatened by wildfires
Santa Barbara County
CBS News

Canada's British Columbia battles wildfires
British Columbia has declared a state of emergency and thousands have been evacuated.
100 Mile House
BBC News

Lake Ontario levels are falling – but damage costs are rising
Taxpayers are staring at a $4.5-million-plus bill to repair everything from eroded trails to disappearing beaches to flooding streets.
Bayfront Park, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
TheSpec.com

A New Trend On The Great Plains: More Wildfires
Wildfires burned through thousands of acres of Great Plains farm and ranch land in the 1980s. Today, wildfires are likely to char millions of acres. The
Pine Ridge, Nebraska, United States
KUNC

Storm winds knock out power to thousands
High winds blasted across south-western Finland Friday, cutting electricity to customers. The rare June storm peaked on Friday afternoon.
West of Helsinki, Finland
Yle Uutiset

'I had no idea they would add up so quickly': Cockroaches infest Arviat home
Savia Shamee is warning Northerners who travel to pay attention to what they might inadvertently be bringing home.
Arviat, Nunavut, Canada

Western Greenland could see more flooding like Saturday's tsunami
A 300-metre wide, 1,000-meter high rock slid into the sea causing the initial wave and more of the rock face is unstable.
Nuugaatsiaq, Qaasuitsup, Greenland

Natural catastrophe in Greenland caused by tsunami
The town of Nuugaatsiaq on Greenland's west coast was hit by a tsunami on Sunday devastating the town and the people living there. The people were evacuated by helicopters.
Nuugaatsiaq, Qaasuitsup, Greenland
IceNews

Record flooding levels on Okanagan Lake
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada

They just keep coming: Tent caterpillar invasion coats Sask. home in insects — and feces
Hordes of tent caterpillars have covered Tammi Hanowski's home south of Saskatoon and have crawled up the walls and made their way into her pool.
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
CBC

Erosion Could Drain Lake at Anytime
Goldfish Lake near Port Heiden is on the verge of draining into the Bering Sea.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States
Chris Maio, Jacquelyn Overbeck, Mike Brubaker, Richard Buzard, Scott Anderson, Susan Flensburg, Erica Lujan, Moses Tcheripanoff

Earthquakes Change Well-water Quality
Residents associated poor well water quality with earthquakes.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States
Scott Anderson, Melissa O'Domin, Erica Lujan

Don't panic, humanity's doomsday seed vault is probably still safe
A lot of water went into the start of the tunnel and then it froze to ice, so it was like a glacier when you went in,” Statsbygg spokeswoman Hege Njaa Aschim told the Guardian of the water breach.
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Washington Post

‘Doomsday’ seed vault meant to survive global disasters breached by climate change
The seed bank designed to preserve the world’s crops and plants in the event of global disaster isn’t prepared to withstand the greatest global disaster facing our planet: global warming. Melting...
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
The Verge

Sinkhole pops up at Ft. Wainwright
A sinkhole has opened up on Ft. Wainwright in Fairbanks. The 3-foot diameter void discovered Monday near a housing unit, is suspected to be the result of thawing permafrost.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Landslide forces evacuations, flooding fears persist near Kelowna, B.C.
A landslide has forced residents of 17 properties to flee their homes near Kelowna, B.C., as flooding continues to threaten the area.
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
CTVNews

Shiveluch Volcano Erupts in Eastern Russia
The Shiveluch volcano in Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka region has erupted, spewing ash some 13km above sea level.Officials from the region's Emergency Situations Ministry have confirmed that the ash is not expected to land on nearby settlements, Meanwhile a "red warning" has been issued to passing planes, urging them to avoid the site.The Shiveluch volcano is extimated to be between 60,000 and 70,000 years old.
Shiveluch Volcano, Kamchatka, Russia
The Moscow Times

Quebec floods: Water-control agency eyes weekend rain, warns of 'high water' summer
Faced with record breaking water levels in Lake Ontario that are expected to climb even higher, the agency responsible for determining the downstream outflow from the lake has regularly been releasing water into Lac St. Louis since last Saturday and will continue to do so.
Châteauguay, Quebec, Canada
Montreal Gazette

Pocahontas Flood Cleanup Continues for Homeowners
Pocahontas, Arkansas, United States
ARKANSASMATTERS

Lake Ontario flood warning remains in effect for Oswego County
Oswego, New York, United States
syracuse.com

B.C. spring run-off and torrential rain cause floods and mudslides
Warm temperatures prompting spring run-off combined with heavy rainfall in some areas caused devastating floods and mudslides in several parts of B.C.
Cache Creek, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

U.S. Native Coastal Communities Moving Due to Change Climate Change
La Push, Washington
Colorlines

Water rising in Interior
With warmer temperatures in the forecast, the province has issued a high streamflow warning for streams and rivers across the Interior. Currently, Nicola Lake is about one metre below the minor flooding point, and it's forecast to continue climbing over the next 30 days.
Castanet

Wildfires rage across Siberia and the Russian Far East
Dry conditions fuel dozens of fires and result in a state of emergency across the Siberian Federal District.
Bubnovka, Irkutsk, Russia
Siberian Times

California Sea Level Could Rise 10 Feet By End Of This Century
San Bruno, California, United States
The Huffington Post

Nuclear town on fire, with residents 'choking' from smoke
Facilities for producing weapons grade plutonium believed safe despite fierce flames caused by wildfires.
Zheleznogorsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia
Siberian Times

'It scares me': Permafrost thaw in Canadian Arctic sign of global trend
For years now, buildings in Inuvik have been sinking due to thawing permafrost. It's part of a worrying trend across the Arctic, writes David Michael Lamb.
Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada

First seismic sensor installed to give early warning on new 'exploding pingos'
The aim is to give warnings over seismic activity that could lead to the sudden formation of new craters, which could potentially damage key industrial infrastructure.
Sabetta, Yamalo-Nenets
Siberia Times

As water scarcity deepens across Latin America, political instability grows
"In Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador disputes over water shortages are part of a wider fight for equal access and shared responsibility"
Cochabamba, Cochabamba, Bolivia
the Guardian

Erosion at Homer Spit is speeding up
Land's End Resort was built more than 50 years ago, and during that time, the Homer Spit has changed dramatically. A change in the direction and intensity of winds may be driving the faster erosion.
Homer, Alaska, United States

Canadian Arctic faces threat of coastal erosion
Darren Nasogaluak has an unusual problem.As the mayor of Tuktoyaktuk, a small Inuvialuit hamlet on the coast of the Beaufort Sea, he has had to watch bits of his community wash away over the years.
Herschel Island - Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park, Beufort Sea, YT, Canada
ND Arctic Deeply

Support

Observation Template