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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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Observations

Australia bushfires trap thousands on east coast beaches
Residents fled toward the waterside as winds pushed an emergency-level wildfire towards their homes. The town was shrouded in darkness from the smoke before turning an unnerving shade of bright red.
Mallacoota, Victoria, Australia
The Globe and Mail

Soil loss during high rainfall event
The following Tweet is an observation of soil erosion and loss from an agricultural field in rural England during a rainfall event. This was documented on Twitter by Dave Throup, Environment Agency Manager for Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
General overviews of increasing rainfall and soil degradation in the UK are attached.
Herefordshire, England, United Kingdom
Twitter

Erosion Threatening Burial Site
A few years ago, people had to cover up parts of the burial site that were becoming exposed.
Wales, Alaska, United States
Racheal Lee, Max Neale, Erica Lujan, Tom Wolforth, Mike Brubaker, Michael Bruce, Debra Seetook, Vladimir Romanovsky, Louisa Castrodale

Car strikes large boulder on rockfall-prone stretch of Seward Highway
No one was injured when a car hit a 6-foot-by-8-foot rock that fell from cliffs next to the Seward Highway late Wednesday.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Erosion of Burial Site
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States

Storms worsened during lifetime
*Dr. Brian Starzomski, Director & McTaggart Cowan Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Victoria, shared an observation by his father that coastal storms have worsened during his lifetime*
Ben Eoin, Nova Scotia, Canada
Twitter

Pallets in the marsh melt in warmer climates
Palsmyr is threatened by climate change. At Ferdesmyra in Finnmark, the characteristic ice-filled pals that protrude from the terrain will be gone in a few years.
Ferdesmyra, Norway
Miljødirektoratet/Norwegian Environment Agency

Erosion threatens campsites at Nome River, Fort Davis
Severe erosion at the Nome River mouth has cost Rita Hukill and her family most of their land at their campsite at Fort Davis.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Settlement of Water Treatment Plant and Numerous Areas in Community
Ground settling is causing a wide range of impacts in Noatak, including to the water treatment plant. But are there benchmarks to monitor the changes in the water plant?
Noatak Alaska
John Warren, David Beveridge, Nellie Wesley, Vladimir Romanovsky, Brian Menghini, Paul Walton, Chris Dankmeyer, John Monville, Mike Brubaker

Erosion of Russian Era Graves
Erosion of Russian era graves is a concern because of history with epidemic, and tribal office has to collect and rebury remains.
St. Michael, Alaska, United States
Michael Bruce, Michelle Snowball, Anahma Shannon, Tom Wolforth, Racheal Lee, Darlene Chiskok

Sizable Sea-Cliff Chunk Collapses into Ocean
“I could hardly believe my eyes,” said Ingólfur Sveinsson, resident of the Skagi peninsula.
Sauðárkrókur, Northwest, Iceland
Iceland Review

Gravesite Sinking
Noatak site experiencing thawing and subsidence.
Noatak, Alaska, United States
Paul Walton, Chris Dankmeyer, Tom Wolforth

Meshik Village Erosion and the End of Goldfish Lake
Gradual sea ice reduction and reconfiguration of the coast, have increased the rate of erosion near Port Heiden over the course of several decades. Draining of Goldfish Lake brings memories, loss of community landmark, and many emotions.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States

Thaw-related Cracking of Local Roads
Observers seek guidance on causes for road cracks and how to address damage.
Brevig Mission, Alaska, United States
Anahma Shannon, Vladimir Romanovsky, James Olanna, Johnee Seetot

Ground Sinking at Historic Mass Burial Site
This year was one of the warmest and wettest in recorded history, and permafrost thaw is causing the ground at the mass gravesite to sink.
Brevig Mission, Alaska, United States
Anahma Shannon, Vanessa Tahbone, Tom Wolforth, James Olanna, Johnee Seetot, Vladimir Romanovsky, Mike Brubaker, Louisa Castrodale, Racheal Lee

Hill Where Graveyard is Located is Eroding
This year was one of the warmest and wettest in recorded history and permafrost thaw is causing the ground at the community cemetary to thaw and erode. The community is seeking guidance on best practices for relocation of remains.
Brevig Mission, Alaska, United States
Vanessa Tahbone, Anahma Shannon, James Olanna, Tom Wolforth, Johnee Seetot, Racheal Lee, Vladimir Romanovsky, Mike Brubaker

Powerful king tide causes minor flooding on Boston waterfront
Visitors to the waterfront near the New England Aquarium around 12:30 p.m. had to dodge waves slamming over docks and maneuver around water pooling on walkways. Experts say the scene will probably be replayed in the future as sea levels rise.
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
BostonGlobe.com

California fires see 200,000 evacuated while 3 million may lose power
For the third year in a row, an enormous wildfire is destroying homes and properties in California, with smaller fires raging elsewhere in the state.
Sonoma Valley, California, USA
New Scientist

Erosion of Gravesites along River
Golovin, Alaska, United States

500 earthquakes recorded in northeast
An earthquake swarm that started on Saturday night just off the coast in the Öxarfjörður area of northeast Iceland is still going strong. Some 500 quakes have now been registered, including 60 over magnitude 2.0. The epicentre of most of them is around 30 kilometres west-north-west of Kópasker.
Öxarfjörður Area
RÚV

Dam burst in Krasnoyarsk region: 10 dead, another 10 missing, 14 injured, 130 evacuated
Flood on Seyba River at gold mining facility leads to major emergency after accident near Shchetinkino village.
South of Krasnoyarsk
Siberia Times

Unidentified Foam on Fallen Leaves
Unusual foam on autumn fallen leaves does not belong to a spittlebug, but may be a type of fungus.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States
Jessie Moan, Stephen Payton, Derek Sikes

Climate change thaws permafrost
Nils Thomas discovered "sinkhole" in the middle of Finnmarksvidda. Scientists have long warned against this, and now it happened.
Vuohcetjávri, Kautokeino
NRK

Permafrost Thaw and Related Flooding
Concern about permafrost thaw and possible impacts to underground water and wastewater lines.
Golovin, Alaska, United States
Racheal Lee, Carol Oliver, David Beveridge, Mike Brubaker, Katie Lund, Bradford Blackstone, Anahma Shannon, John Warren

Heavy rain causes flooding, mudslides in Juneau
Areas of the Southeast Alaska city “received between 3 and 7 inches of rain” in 24 hours over the weekend. The sodden ground caused mudslides in some areas, and wrecked roads and ditches around John Street and Peters Lane in Douglas.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Scientists monitoring new marine heat wave off B.C. coast similar to 'the Blob'
A new marine heat wave spreading across a portion of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of British Columbia resembles the infamous "blob" that disrupted marine life five years ago.
Northeast Pacific Ocean
CBC

Svalbard is now experiencing unusually large amounts of ice
The Meteorological Institute (MET) is currently registering an unusual phenomenon around Svalbard, unusually large amounts of sea ice.
Nordaustlandet, Svalbard
abc nyheter

Getting help from Sweden and Denmark for coping with the rains in Fredrikstad
Nearly 1,000 water damages have been reported following the heavy rainfall night to Sunday.
Fredrikstad, Østfold, Norway
NRK

E16 closed after landslide
Heavy rainfall in western Norway resulted in floods, raids, evacuations and several road closures. At E16, 19 people were trapped as both sides of the tunnel collapsed.
Voss, Hordaland, Norway
NRK
Even Norheim Johansen, Valentina Baisotti, Silje Thalberg

Couples evacuated after landslides and fumes in Kvam
Inge Hamre and Marta Apelthun Hamre had to evacuate by boat as heavy rainfall turned their garden into a river.
Norheimsund, Hordaland, Norway
Even Norheim Johansen, Ole Kollstrøm Heilevang

Heavy lightning and thunder created havoc in Eastern Norway
Several trains have been delayed and canceled due to the storm.
Oslo, Norway
Anja Strønen, Hilde Nilsson Ridola, Anette Holth Hansen, Victoria Wilden, Henriette Morth, Kaja Staude Mikalsen

Hail storms cause 'doomsday' floods in Madrid as cars swept away by huge rapids and vineyards destroyed
La tormenta se ve en el eco del radar que mostrado antes de este tweet … la fuerte tromba caída en el sureste de #Madrid nos deja las primeras imágenes captadas en las calles de #Arganda @PadelKass donde el cielo se ha desplomado en pocos minutos … wow! #lluvia #Tormenta pic.twitter.com/ELI1LFB4sq — Mario Picazo (@picazomario) …
Arganda, Madrid, Spain
Olive Press News Spain

City Implements Water Conservation Measures
Persistent high pressure over the Gulf of Alaska and Bristol Bay has kept most storms well away from the lower Kenai Peninsula. At Homer, total rainfall June 1-August 16 was only 53% of normal, making this the driest since 2004. The City of Seldovia has issued a "City Water Conservation Notice" on August 20th. The notice doesn't ban any specific water use but requests residents make an effort to use less water by minimizing watering lawns and washing cars and to take shorter showers.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States
John Warren, Brian Berube, Don Green, Michael Opheim , Richard L Thoman Jr, Edward "Ted" Smith, Stephen Payton

Erosion and Weird Growth on Tundra
An unidentified fungus is growing along the eroding coastal bank.
Kotlik, Alaska, United States

Napakiak loses access to a main road as riverbank erosion persists
Storms tore more land away from Napakiak’s already heavily eroded riverbank in early August. About eight feet of bank fell into the Kuskokwim River, adding to the more than 100 feet of shoreline that has already been lost this year.
Napakiak, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

High Water in Selawik All Summer Long
High water posed safety hazards and resulted in the removal of boardwalk but also allowed boats to go further up river than usual.
Selawik, Alaska, United States
Ida Norton, Chris Dankmeyer, Crane Johnson, Tanya Ballot, Richard L Thoman Jr

Heavy rain and continuing erosion force Napakiak to block main street
Winds gusted up to 46 mph and about 2.4 inches of rain fell from Friday to Sunday.
Napakiak, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens) Nesting on Bogoslof Island
"Since the last eruption event, most seabird species that previously nested on the island have returned and made attempts to breed again...but the habitat is currently not ideal."
Bogoslof Island, Alaska, United States
Melissa Good, Kathy Kuletz, Chris Price, Nikki Whittern

August Storm Resulted in High Water
An unseasonable rain event brought high rainfall and led to high water, especially around noon on August 3rd.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States
Anahma Shannon, Gay Sheffield, Racheal Lee, John Henry, Richard L Thoman Jr, Edward "Ted" Smith

Storm-related Erosion in Shaktoolik
"We were lucky to have the berm in place. The next day, the water levels went down and the erosion was noticeable."
Shaktoolik, Alaska, United States
Anahma Shannon, Racheal Lee, Jacquelyn Overbeck, Richard Buzard, Jolene Auliye, Gay Sheffield, Edward "Ted" Smith

E39 is washed away
Several ground slides close E39 between Førde and Skei in Jølster. More than 150 people must be evacuated.
Vassenden, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
Marita Solheim, Roy Raasholm Fauske, Erlend Blaalid Oldeide, Tonje Noreng Trøen

Ingar Sægrov Died in a Landslide During Extreme Weather in Jølster Summer 2019
Ingar Sægrov was killed in a landslide during extreme weather and heavy rain in Jølster, Norway, in July 2019. He remains at the bottom of Jølstravatnet Lake.
Jølster, Vestland, Norway

More than two million hectares on fire in Siberia, with tundra on fire destroying the permafrost
Some 784,931 hectares of wildfires are raging on permafrost zones including the Arctic in Yakutia - officially Sakha Republic - and the Khanty-Mansi autonomous region, causing possibly irreparable damage to the tundra. Other infernos are sweeping through boreal forests which are known as the lungs of the Northern Hemisphere.
Vanavara, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia
Siberia Times

Rusty Tussock Moth (Orgyia antiqua) Caterpillars in Nome
Unusually high abundance of rusty tussock moth caterpillars in the Nome area.
Nome, Alaska, United States
Elizabeth Graham, Jessie Moan, Robin Mulvey, Tammy Davis, John Lundquist, John Lundquist

Scarlet Globemallow in suburban Calgary
Uncommon wildlfower species found in suburban Calgary.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

TenTen Creek return of Salmon Species
North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada

Sargassum Seaweed (S. fluitans and S. natans) beaching in Key West
Little to no apparent management posed possible ecological and environmental health concerns.
Key West, Florida, United States

The state meteorologists were not prepared for the downpour
On Wednesday, a new precipitation record was measured in Oslo with 22 millimeters in 10 minutes. "We had expected rain showers, but not that it would be so heavy," says state meteorologist.
Oslo, Norway

Arctic permafrost thawing 70 years early
A new study has found permafrost at outposts in the Canadian Arctic is thawing 70 years earlier than predicted.
Sachs Harbour, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC News

Fire Smoke in Unalakleet Area
Smoke from the North River fire is impacting outdoor air quality. The ADEC Division of Air Quality has issued an air quality advisory in effect from Tuesday, June 18, 2019 8:00 AM to Friday June 21, 2019 4:00 PM.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

Observed Smoke from Forest Fire
Smoke from the South River Hills Fire could be seen from Unalakleet. The fire began approximately 6 miles from the community, and grew from 30 to 160 acres.It was contained by BLM Alaska Fire Service Smokejumers by 11pm on June 9, 2019.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

An unstoppable force: The Pretty Rocks Landslide
There are over one hundred and forty landslides along the Denali Park road, the 92 mile road through Denali National Park and Preserve. None are more threatening than the Pretty Rocks Landslide at Polychrome Pass.
Cantwell, Alaska, United States
YouTube

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) regurgitation full of plastic found in Unalaska
Regurgitation from a bald eagle contains plastic pieces.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States
Melissa Good, Anna-Katri Kulmala, Veronica Padula

‘Pretty unnerving’: Eroding cliff creeps closer to popular trail at Point Woronzof
City park staff have set up barriers in hopes of encouraging passersby to stay far away. Potential fixes could include putting up a wall and relocating the bike path or road.
Susitna, Alaska, United States

Storm Hannah exposes 'sunken kingdom'
It is believed that the area was once-fertile land and a township stretching for 20 miles.
Borth, Wales, United Kingdom
BBC News

Unprecedented erosion in Akiak swallows up to 100 feet of riverbank
Akiak City Administrator David Gilila says the village is in danger of becoming an island in the Kuskokwim River.
Akiak, Alaska, United States

High Water in Spring Leads to Riverbank Erosion
Above average snowfall at the headwaters of the Kuskokwim, and early break up, led to higher than average river flows past Aniak. The river banks are eroding, threatening community infrastructure.
Akiak, Alaska, United States
Richard L Thoman Jr, Max Neale, Elizabeth Buckingham, Ted Williams, Crane Johnson

Facing catastrophic climate change, they still can’t quit Big Oil
The varnished wooden cross stands amid a cluster of grave markers tilted at odd angles in the cemetery, because the ground beneath them is sinking. Rising temperatures are thawing the once-frozen earth, forming pools of water that run through the graveyard.
Nuiqsut, Alaska, United States
Washington Post

Napakiak Erosion Worsens After Spring Storms
Napakiak doesn’t have a boat landing anymore. Storms over the past week ate huge chunks from the Kuskokwim riverbank close to the city school and fuel
Napakiak, Alaska, United States

Disappearance of Tundra Ponds
Kettle ponds in Denali National Park contain less water this spring than in previous years, due to low snowfall and permafrost thaw. Shrubs are replacing grasses as the lakes dry.
McKinley Park, Alaska, United States
Scott Richardson, Katie Spellman, Richard L Thoman Jr

Unique in palaeontology: Liquid blood found inside a prehistoric 42,000 year old foal
Permafrost preserved the ‘oldest blood in the world’ boosting hopes of bringing extinct species back to life.
Ese-Khayya, Sakha, Russia
Siberia Times

Erosion in Cook Inlet Damaging Old Growth Trees
Both sides of Cook Inlet are eroding near Tyonek. The erosion is reaching old and new growth trees, and causing more debris to fall in to the Inlet, which easily get caught in set nets.
Tyonek, Alaska, United States

Changing face of the Arctic: one significant island vanishes from the map but a dozen appear
Scientists confirm loss of ‘Pearl’ island, while schoolchildren using satellite maps identify one of the new icy Russian isles.
Graham Bell Island

Willows (genus Salix) Budding in March
Willows budding about a month early 30 miles above the Arctic Circle.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

Intrusion of Beach Stones and Saltwater into the Coastal Forest
French Beach Provincial Park

Northern Canada: mild temperatures cause winter road closure in Northwest Territories
Deteriorating conditions on the Mackenzie Valley Winter Road have prompted the Northwest Territories government to close the winter highway for the season.
Mackenzie Valley Winter Road
Eye on the Arctic

Flash Flood in Sao Paulo
São Paulo, Brazil

Freezing winds encase house in a shell of ice
Strong winds and freezing temperatures left an upstate New York lake house encased in a shell of ice.
Lake Ontario, Ont., Canada
CNN

30 year temperature record broken
Warm temperatures break 30 year record.
Svelgen, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
NRK Sogn- og Fjordane

Walls of ice bulldoze ashore from Lake Erie
Extreme winds from a huge weekend storm over the Great Lakes pushed huge walls of ice on the shores of Lake Erie.
Hoover Beach, New York, United States
CNN

Snake has woken early from winter hibernation
Snake wakens early from winter sleep. He is a sure spring sign, but is not happy in February. If you see a viper at this time of year, then there may be several snakes in the vicinity.
Berle, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
NRK Sogn- og Fjordane

That ice was 3300 years old. And now it melts
Thousands of years old ice disappears all over Norway. Dag Inge Bakke (42) is among those struggling to save the frozen archive of the past.
Galdhøpiggen, Oppland, Norway
NRK Norsk Rikskringkasting

Spring flowers bloom very early
The winter holiday offers 15 degrees (C) of heat and spring flowers.
Lavik, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Company) Sogn og Fjordane

Extreme rain reactivates waterfall
Deadly floods in northern Chile left homes and roads destroyed.
Atacama Desert, Chile
BBC News

Extreme wet January displaces thousands and floods farmland in Mercosur member countries
Intense rainfall in northeast Argentina and neighbouring areas in Mercosur members has caused devastating floods, amplifying the economic burdens of Argentina's recession. Over 5,000 people have evacuated the region, and millions of hectares of crops have been sent underwater.
Mercosur member countries
MercoPress

State investigates Prudhoe Bay wells after a second North Slope well ‘jacked up’ and leaked oil and gas
The incident appears similar to an oil and gas release in 2017 blamed on thawing permafrost and hot production fluids.
Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, United States

Russian military sent to assess giant rockfall blocking Bureya River
Urgent measures underway to evacuate residents of remote villages after flood threat caused by rising water above new ‘dam’.
село Усть-Ургал, Верхнебуреинский район, Хабаровский край, Russia

Sinkholes in parking lot - earthquake aftermath?
It has been a month since the 7.0 earthquake in Anchorage. Are these sinkholes which suddenly appeared related?
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Decline of mountain bird populations
Some species have experienced a much greater decline than average. For the snowflake in Scandinavia there is talk of approx. 35 percent, patchwork 25 percent.
Vadsø, Finnmark Fylke, Norway
NRK, Norwegian Broadcasting Company

Residents along Lake Erie spending thousands to protect homes from erosion
An Amherstburg couple has been dealing with shoreline erosion along their waterfront property, and they've invested thousands of dollars in an effort to protect it.
Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada
CBC

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