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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

Bear attacks man in public toilet in Japan
Incident north of Tokyo comes after a record 13 deaths from bear attacks in Japan since the start of April
Maebashi, Gunma, Japan

Earthquake shakes Southcentral on Thanksgiving morning
A magnitude-6 earthquake struck at 8:11 a.m. AKST on Nov. 27, 2025, centered 37 miles northwest of Anchorage at a depth of 43 miles. Shaking was felt across Anchorage, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, the Kenai Peninsula, and as far as Fairbanks.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Landslide: Norðoyatunnilin closed
A landslide just north of the Klaksvík tunnel entrance has closed Norðoyatunnilin, leaving long lines of vehicles stuck. Police cite widespread traffic problems due to heavy rain and urge extreme caution.
Klaksvík, Norðoyar, Faroe Islands
Dimma.fo

New avalanche in Finnmark: Avalanche danger has definitely increased
Multiple avalanches and high avalanche danger have closed roads in Finnmark, especially in the west, amid wind, snowdrift and icy conditions. Authorities report E69 and parts of Rv94 closed, with broader travel disruptions and warnings as milder, windier weather raises the risk.
Nordkapp, Finnmark, Norway
NRK

Storm, black ice and closed schools: Drive carefully
Norway faces widespread yellow alerts for strong winds and icy roads after a sudden thaw, with the worst conditions in Lofoten, Vesterålen and Finnmark. Bus, ferry, fast boat and some flight services are disrupted; schools closed in parts of Nordland.
Lofoten, Nordland, Norway
NRK

Ice glaze: Severe weather shuts down Bodø Airport
Freezing rain and slick runways halted flights at Bodø Airport, stranding 150–200 passengers overnight and disrupting air and ferry traffic across Nordland. Operations resumed around midday but with intermittent closures expected as conditions remain icy.
Bodø, Nordland, Norway
NRK
Katrine Olsen Sørgård; Marie Staberg; Thomas Fredrik Kristensen

West Dawson residents hunkering and hoping for Yukon River to freeze
With the ferry pulled for the season, West Dawson residents are waiting weeks for the Yukon River to freeze so they can cross, as unusually warm weather keeps water open. The delay disrupts access, raises safety concerns, and highlights increasingly unpredictable freeze-up.
Dawson City, Yukon, Canada
CBC News

Train disabled on the Nordland Line after reindeer collision
A train on the Nordland Line struck a herd of reindeer south of Trofors, lost power, and 63 passengers endured over four hours at -14°C before being evacuated by snowmobile and rail trolley. Several reindeer were killed amid ongoing seasonal movements that have caused multiple collisions in the area.
Grane, Nordland, Norway

Cancels all departures: “Can be life-threatening”
SJ has canceled all train departures between Narvik, Norway and Boden, Sweden due to extreme cold, warning the situation can be life-threatening.
Narvik, Nordland, Norway
Fremover

Rabid fox caught in trap
Another fox on Svalbard has tested positive for rabies after being caught in a trap, according to Svalbardposten.
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway
Svalbardposten

School field trip in Bella Coola turns into fight for survival as grizzly injures students, teacher
A grizzly bear charged a Grade 4–5 class from Acwsalcta School near the Bella Coola River, seriously injuring three students and a teacher; others sustained minor injuries. Authorities are searching for the bear and urging residents to avoid nearby forested areas and travel only by vehicle.
Bella Coola, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Hurricane Melissa winds hit record-breaking 252 mph, data confirms
Researchers recorded a record-breaking wind gust as Hurricane Melissa lashed the Caribbean in late October.
Kingston, Kingston, Jamaica

Stranded pilot whale rescued in Cow Bay, Nova Scotia
A young long-finned pilot whale stranded in Cow Bay, Nova Scotia, was stabilized and refloated by the Marine Animal Response Society and local volunteers, then guided to deeper water with help from a Jet Ski. The animal swam away strongly, and responders urged the public to report such incidents rather than attempt rescues themselves.
Cow Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada
PNI Atlantic News

Heavy snowfall creates problems in Tromsø: No place to put the snow
After a weekend of heavy snowfall, Tromsø’s snow depots are full and city crews are hauling snow to the sea. To ease plowing, the city is changing parking rules to a 24/7 ban on certain center streets.
Tromsø, Troms, Norway
Tora Jarnæs Vold; Kari Anne Skoglund; Håkon Iversen

One person caught in avalanche: Dug out on their own
An avalanche on Skittentind on Kvaløya near Tromsø caught one person, who managed to dig themselves out without injury. Police say the slide was about 40 m wide and 150 m long and occurred around 18:00, involving a party of three.
Tromsø, Troms og Finnmark, Norway

Rat alert at school: “It’s a rodent year”
Rats and droppings were found at Prästholmsskolan in Boden, Sweden; control measures are underway and the school says it acted immediately. The principal notes rodents have been sighted on the school grounds.
Boden, Norrbotten County, Sweden
NSD (Norrländska Socialdemokraten)

Slippery as soap in Tromsø: Police advise leaving the car at home
Heavy snowfall made roads extremely slippery in Tromsø on Saturday, leading to several accidents. Police urged residents not to drive if possible while about 70 plows worked continuously to clear snow, with more snow showers forecast.
Tromsø, Troms, Norway

Cold snap brings deep frost, snowfall and traffic warnings across Finland
Finland saw a sharp turn to winter with temperatures down to –20°C in Lapland and widespread snowfall, prompting traffic weather warnings in eastern and northern regions.
Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland
Yle News

H5N5 Avian influenza confirmed in Grays Harbor County resident
A Grays Harbor resident who was hospitalized with influenza symptoms in early November has been confirmed to have influenza A H5, a type of avian influenza. Additional testing shows the virus to be H5N5, an avian influenza virus that has previously been reported in animals but never before in humans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and DOH currently consider the risk to the public from avian influenza to be low.
Aberdeen, Washington, United States
Washington State Department of Health

Power outages over 16 hours in Salla as crews work late; customers worry about freezers
Heavy snowfall caused widespread power outages in Salla and eastern Lapland, leaving some customers without electricity for over 16 hours as repair crews worked into the evening. Thousands lost power at the peak; even a mobile phone base station went down.
Salla, Lapland, Finland
Lapin Kansa

An increase in Anchorage wolf encounters sparks curiosity, not alarm
After spotting six wolves on a trail near her home, one Anchorage resident says she's seen the pack multiple times since late August.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Early, unexpected snowfall hits southern Quebec, causing outages, tough road conditions
Heavy, wet snow and strong winds hit southern Quebec earlier than expected, causing slippery roads, power outages and some school closures. Environment and Climate Change Canada said the system intensified faster than forecasts indicated.
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
CBC

Wind tore down power poles – 80 customers without electricity
Severe winds in Nordkapp knocked down high‑voltage poles, leaving about 80 customers in Repvåg without power. Crews are splitting the line and using generators to restore electricity, with Repvågstranda expected back on the grid shortly.
Repvåg, Nordkapp, Norway
iFinnmark

Suspected leak from ship that ran aground off Tjeldsund
About 4,000 liters of diesel leaked from the grounded landing craft M/S Sørøysund near Fjelldal in Tjeldsund. Emergency crews are pumping fuel off the vessel and have deployed absorbent booms; authorities do not currently fear major impacts to wildlife.
Fjelldal, Tjeldsund, Norway
Kari Anne Skoglund; Tora Jarnæs Vold; Malin Straumsnes

100 reindeer went through the ice – at least 20 died
Around one hundred reindeer broke through thin ice at Mierojávri, north of Kautokeino; at least 20 drowned. Rescuers had to abort because the ice was too thin to walk on and too thick to use their boat.
Kautokeino, Troms og Finnmark, Norway

Meråker Line closed after landslide over the railway near Gudå in Meråker
A landslide crossed the tracks between Hegra and Gudå on the Meråker Line, which is now closed indefinitely due to ongoing ground movement. No injuries were reported; buses and taxis are replacing trains while geologists assess safety.
Gudå, Meråker, Trøndelag, Norway
Henning Levold; Sunniva Skurtveit; Bjarte Johannesen

Another humpback whale found dead in the Salish Sea
A 21-year-old humpback whale, identified as Polyphemus, was found dead near Lasqueti Island, the second confirmed humpback death in B.C.’s coastal waters in just over two weeks. Cause of death is unknown; DFO and MERS urge caution to mariners to reduce vessel-strike risks.
Lasqueti Island, British Columbia, Canada
CHEK

Polar bear mother and cub enter residential area in Dikson
A polar bear with a cub has been frequenting residential areas in Dikson amid anomalously warm weather and lack of sea ice. Authorities advise residents not to approach or feed the bears as Rosprirodnadzor monitors the situation.
Dikson, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia
Taimyrsky Telegraf

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