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

Father's Body Recovered, Five Rescued After Family Falls Through Kuskokwim On New Year's Eve
A father’s body has been recovered from the Kuskokwim River after he and his family fell through a marked, open hole the night of New Year’s Eve. Bethel
Bethel, Alaska, United States

Open Water Adds to Winter Chill - Part 2
While taking photos this afternoon of the snow ice on various objects near the Native Village of Unalakleet, which was on the approximate order of 4 minutes and with very little wind (playground, grass, powerlines), my hands were cold due to the "wetness" in the air and the ambient air temperature.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

Amid warm winter, scientists say Alaska sea ice conditions are ‘shockingly bad’
That hurts coastal communities that hunt on the ice. But colder weather may be coming, at least to some portions of Alaska.
Gambell, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Amid warm winter, scientists say Alaska sea ice conditions are ‘shockingly bad’
That hurts coastal communities that hunt on the ice. But colder weather may be coming, at least to some portions of Alaska. Ice should be hugging the coast near the village of Gambell, perched on St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea, said Mayor Susan Apassingok, on Tuesday. But ice isn't there.
Pacific Ocean-Bering Sea, East Coast, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

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

Lineup of Storms and Unseasonable Weather
Multiple storms and warm weather in St. Mary's.
Saint Mary's, Alaska, United States

After responding to 3 vehicles that broke through ice so far this year, N.W.T. gov't asks public to be careful
The number of vehicles reported to have gone through the ice around Yellowknife continues to rise. According to the N.W.T. Department of Environment, its spill response team has responded to three vehicles through the ice so far this year.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC News

Suspected stolen vehicle falls through thin ice on Chena Lake
A borough employee who went to measure ice at Chena Lake got first-hand evidence that the lake ice ready for vehicles. “Lo and behold, there was a truck upside down on the bottom in about 25 feet of water,” Haas said. “No one was in it.”
Chena Lakes, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

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

Slow River Freeze Up and Difficult Travel Conditions
Unusually warm temperatures for an extended period this winter has affected the ability to travel because the river isn't freezing over.
Galena, Alaska, United States

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

Warm, Windy, Snowy, Wet, Cool Days!
"Our roads are slippery when there would be snow to where the children were out with their sled. Planes never cancelled as much as this year to where the flights were backed up to 3 or 4 days. Lately, we've been seeing grasses regrowing after it warms up out there."
Lower Kalskag, Alaska, United States

At least 4 people, and 1 snowmobile, have broken through the ice in Yellowknife Bay
Darcy Bourassa was just walking around his house on Tuesday when 'I must have stepped right in the perfect spot and went through.' "What I think was happening here is there's a lot of snow built up it's really insulated in the snow and it hasn't been cold this fall or this winter so there's not a lot of ice penetration underneath that snow."
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC News

National ski championships still a go at Kincaid Park
Though snow is scant in Anchorage, organizers are confident they will be able to host the Jan. 3-8 race series.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

High temperatures in Utqiaġvik confuse NOAA algorithm
This November in Utqiaġvik was the hottest on record, averaging 17.2°F. It was so warm that NOAA's quality control algorithms flagged the data. “When we look out on the ocean right now we see a few icebergs,” Thomas said. “Normally we would see white to the horizon in the past, and in this case we’re seeing dark water to the horizon.”
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media
Ravenna Koenig, Alaska's Energy Desk - Fairbanks

How Global Warming Fueled Five Extreme Weather Events
Scientists analyzed 27 extreme weather events from 2016 and found that global warming was a “significant driver” for most of them. We look at five cases.
The New York Times

Arctic saw 2nd warmest year, smallest winter sea ice coverage on record in 2017 | NOAA
A NOAA-sponsored report shows that the warming trend transforming the Arctic persisted in 2017, resulting in the second warmest air temperatures, above average ocean temperatures, loss of sea ice, and a range of human, ocean and ecosystem effects.
Arctic Region, World
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

It's snowing in south Texas! Yes, you read that right
Big and fluffy snowflakes fell across parts of south Texas on Thursday, including San Antonio and Austin.
San Antonio, Texas, United States
CNN

Richardson Highway closed following avalanche and extreme snow
Crews are working to clear snow off of the Richardson Highway near Valdez, after excessive snow has not relented, and an avalanche has poured over the isolated highway stretch.
Valdez, Alaska, United States
KTUU News

Fast Weather Change: Snowfall
Rapid weather change, with snowfall.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

Ice jam causes flooding in Peters Creek area
A National Weather Service employee spotted an ice jam that's causing some minor flooding northwest of the Starner Street bridge, along Peters Creek.
Eagle River, Alaska, United States
KTUU

In Peru’s Deserts, Melting Glaciers Are a Godsend (Until They’re Gone)
Accelerating glacial melt in the Andes caused by climate change has set off a gold rush downstream, letting the desert bloom. But as the ice vanishes, the vast farms below may do the same.
Virú, La Libertad, Peru
The New York Times

Sea life beneath Antarctic ice shelf is changing, and warming may be why
In dives to the seafloor, scientists have noticed big differences in only a few years.
McMurdo Station, Antarctica
Washington Post

Global Warming Might Cause Increased Volcanic Activity in Iceland
When glaciers covered larger parts of Iceland, there was less volcanic activity in the country, a new study has found.
Iceland Review

Warm & Rainy Fall Season
The past couple years have been warmer than normal contributing to where the river is still flowing ice and with some of the plants still green.
Lower Kalskag, Alaska, United States

Thawing permafrost causes $51M in damages every year to N.W.T. public infrastructure: study
An advocacy group has put a price tag on the heaving roads and leaning buildings ubiquitous to the Northwest Territories.
Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC News

Walloping of snow in Yellowknife on Tuesday a record-breaker
It’s a winter wonderland in Yellowknife Wednesday, as the city cleans up after 24.2 centimetres of snow fell on Tuesday— a record breaking amount.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Aftermath of the Storm
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

Warm Winter Weather Patterns along Kuskokwim River
This is the second year in a row that people from Chuathbaluk are able to use boats (skiffs) on the Kuskokwim River in November.
Chuathbaluk, Alaska, United States

Polar bears in Churchill face bleak future, researchers warn
Shorter periods of sea ice on Hudson Bay as a result of climate change translate into fewer polar bears in Churchill region.
Churchill Falls, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Ask a Climatologist: Why do some lakes freeze faster than others?
One important factor is the depth of the lake. But there are other variables too.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media
Annie Feidt, Alaska's Energy Desk - Anchorage

Wild Ice - Backcountry Skating Alaska
If the winter gives you ice, then it's time to go ice skating! Backcountry skating is the practice of hunting for wild ice, whether on on a river, lake, glacial lagoon, or inside an ice cave. Filmed in Southcentral and Southeast Alaska.
Girdwood, Alaska, United States
Vimeo

Weather in the Beaufort Delta Just Like Spring
Freda Alunik says it looks 'just like spring' at her camp near the Mackenzie River.
Mackenzie River, Northwest Territory, Canada

Huge, 'mysterious' hole appears in sea ice near Antarctica
There’s a giant hole in Antarctica and scientists aren’t sure why. The hole, which was detected about a month ago, is roughly 30,000 square miles or the size of the state of Maine. It's the largest hole spotted in the Weddell Sea since the 1970s, scientists say.
King Haakon VII Sea, Southern Ocean, East Antarctica
USA Today

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

The crater that is growing in Siberia is a climate time bomb
Melting permafrost, which some attribute to climate changes, is creating huge craters in Siberia. The craters are appearing as layers of ice melt, and larg
Batagajka
The Vintage News

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

This "flock of sheep" was actually an unprecedented gathering of polar bears
Zoom in on this supposed image of sheep on a hillside and you'll be in for quite the surprise.
Wrangel Island
MNN - Mother Nature Network

Plastic waste now polluting Arctic Ocean, scientists find
Plastic waste in the ocean is now so widespread it is polluting remote ice floes in the Arctic, scientists have discovered.
Arctic Ocean
The Telegraph

A glacier dam bursts and creates minor flooding on the Kenai
Sport fishermen are struggling to reel in the rainbow trout and Dolly Varden that usually are so abundant in fall.
Snow River Bridge, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

Snow Falls In The Sierra Nevada On Summer's Last Full Day
Hurricanes have dominated weather news lately. When it snowed on Thursday in the Sierra Nevada, it not only added a new weather element to the news mix, it got resorts thinking about ski season.
Kirkwood, California, United States
NPR.org

Up to 71″ of Snow Forecast on Mt. Rainier This Week
NOAA has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the Mt. Rainier area of Washington State for today including Crystal Mountain ski resort. The Winter Storm Warning is calling for 6-10 of snow by 5…
Crystal Mountain ski resort, WA
SnowBrains

Millions at risk of water shortages as Asian glaciers melt
Asian glaciers are set to shrink by at least a third by 2100 due to climate change, researchers said on Thursday, threatening the millions who depend on their meltwaters for drinking and farming.
Himalayan Mountains
Mail Online

Video shows methane leaking from beneath an Arctic river after spectacular eruption
Gas bubbles from waters filling crater hole on Yamal peninsula two months after volcanic-style explosion in thawing permafrost.
Yamal-Nenets District, Russia
Siberian Times

Large Iceberg Spotted Off The Coast of Látrabjarg
A large iceberg was spotted approximately 93 km (57 miles) to the west of Látrabjarg, which is located in the north-west of Iceland.
Iceland Review

Hot summer ends with cold blast and 'abnormal' August snow
Yakutia in a white blanket as temperatures dip to minus 6C as winter 'comes too soon'.
Udachny, Sakha, Russia
Siberia Times

Alaska’s Permafrost Is Thawing
The loss of frozen ground in Arctic regions is a striking result of climate change. And it is also a cause of more warming to come.
Y-K Delta Southwest, Alaska, United States
The New York Times

Study shows increasing snow-free season on Slope
Snow is melting sooner and coming in later on the North Slope, and that, in turn, is having an affect on other ecological variables.
Arctic Slope, Alaska, United States
The Arctic Sounder

Walrus haulout in Northwest Alaska forms at earliest date ever recorded
Several hundred Pacific walruses have started to gather on an island off the northwest coast of Alaska — the earliest the animals have been observed leaving the water for the annual ritual, according to federal wildlife officials.
Point Lay, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

Loss of sea ice leads walruses to early appearance in Alaska
Hundreds of Pacific walruses came ashore to a barrier island on Alaska's northwest coast, the earliest appearance of the animals in a phenomenon tied to climate warming and diminished Arctic Ocean sea ice.
Point Lay, Alaska, United States

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

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

Global ocean circulation appears to be collapsing due to warming
Researchers have found a correlation between melting Arctic sea ice and changes in the planet's largest water circulation system that could lead to the collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC).
North Atlantic Ocean
Digital Journal

Retreating Exit Glacier has become an icon of climate change
The celebrity glacier on the Kenai Peninsula, though relatively small and getting smaller, looms large in the public consciousness.
Exit Glacier, Alaska, United States

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

Gas pipelines supplying Europe 'in real danger from exploding tundra' - top scientist
Pipes are built over bulging and unstable Arctic pingos prone to violent eruptions caused by 'thawing methane gas', as seen twice on the Yamal peninsula this year.
Yamal Region, Russia
The Siberian Times

A trillion-ton iceberg the size of Delaware is about to break off Antarctica
Scientists are divided about the impact of climate change on this particular break in Antarctica's ice shelf.
Weddell Sea, Antarctica
ChicagoTribune.com

M 5.8 Earthquake
USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, responsible for monitoring, reporting, and researching earthquakes and earthquake hazards
Montana Mountains NW of Helena
USGS Earthquake Hazards Program

Coastal Shore Erosion
Coastal erosion occurring near Cape Blossom, outside of Kotzebue, Alaska.
Cape Blossom, NW Alaska, United States

Extreme heat keeping Kings River at flood levels
Because this extreme heat will last for several more days, the floodwaters aren't going away anytime soon. The higher the truck, the better for residents evacuating flooded homes in the River Bend RV Park.
River Bend RV Park, Minkler, California, United States
ABC30 Fresno

Snow cancels Yukon-Alaska bike race for 1,300 riders
For the first time in 25 years, the Kluane Chilkat International Bike Relay has been cancelled - unexpectedly due to snow, 'black ice and slushy sections.'
Haines Junction, Yukon, Canada

As the North Slope of Alaska warms, greenhouse gases have nowhere to go but up
Thanks to warming winters and thawing permafrost, Arctic soil microbes are churning out carbon dioxide well after the end of the growing season ends. This extra source of atmospheric carbon may accelerate a regional warming trend that is already twice as fast as the global average.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Climate.gov

At Denali base camp, unseasonable warmth creates dangers for climbers
The fall of a climber into a crevasse highlighted this season's risky combination of crumbling snow bridges and splintered climbing teams.
Kahiltna Glacier, Mount Denali, Alaska, United States

Climate change researchers cancel expedition after climate change makes conditions too dangerous
A team of scientists had to abandon an expedition from Quebec City to Churchill, Man., on Sunday because of hazardous ice conditions caused by climate change.
Strait of Belle Isle, Newfoundland, Canada

Summer surprise: Snow in Lapland prompts ski resort to reopen
The skiing season ended in Northern Lapland in mid-May, but the weather there is still so cold and snowfall so frequent that the Saariselkä resort will temporarily reopen its slopes, which are currently up to a metre deep in snow.
Inari, Lapland, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Oceanfloor Craters Hint of Potential Arctic Methane Explosions in the Future
Hundreds of craters caused by methane explosions were discovered underneath Barents sea. Further research finds evidence that the violent explosions could happen again in the future.
Barrents Sea
Tech Times

Video: Savoonga residents describe changes in spring sea ice
As spring walrus hunting season gets underway, residents of St. Lawrence Island talk about sea ice changes and how they affect the village.
Savoonga, Alaska, United States

Melting sea ice causing 'eco-anxiety' in remote Labrador community
The annual ice melt in Canada's North is occurring earlier and earlier, and some researchers say that and other climate-related changes are affecting the mental health of populations in Inuit communities. CBC's Sabrina Fabian reports from Rigolet, Labrador.
Rigolet, Labrador Canada

Greenland Glacier Melt Actually Warped Earth's Crust
A massive wave of ice and water in 2012 caused the amount of ice lost from the Rink Glacier to increase by more than 50 percent
Rink Glacier, Greenland
Scientific American

For two Alaska villages, walruses remain essential. As sea ice disappears, can it last?
Thinning sea ice puts walruses nearly out of reach. The federal government may list walruses as an endangered species. And ivory bans elsewhere are making it hard for walrus-tusk carvers to sell their art.
Gambell, Alaska, United States

Fast Moving Hail Storm
Observed fast moving weather system... as quickly as it came it abated.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

Fast Sea Ice Movement

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

The worst may be yet to come as the flood risk rises in the Okanagan - NEWS 1130
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
NEWS 1130

Glacier National Park is Losing its Glaciers
Over the past 50 years, some of Glacier National Park's namesake glaciers have shrunk by as much as 85 percent.
Boulder Glacier, Glacier National Park
Climate Central

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

Weather is Confused!
It's still snowing in early May.
King's Cove, Alaska, United States

Climate Change Drives Up the Cost of Canada’s Northernmost Highway
Chris Burn at Carleton University is tracking the growing cost of maintaining Yukon’s Dempster Highway as warmer weather brings more landslides, washouts and other challenges.
Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada
Arctic Deeply

After the last sigluaq
Sixty years ago there were 12 of these such cellars in Kaktovik.Today there is only one left. All the other family cellars have been flooded and have collapsed.
Kaktovik, Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder

Canada's 'Iceberg Alley' Is Spectacular This Year For A Sad Reason
Ferryland, Newfoundland, Canada
The Huffington Post

Climate change is a boon for Santa Claus with April snowfall
Kirov, Kirov, Russia
Russia Beyond The Headlines

Iceberg Alley: Newfoundland's new tourist attraction
Over 600 icebergs have already floated into the North Atlantic this year, compared to an average of 687 over the whole season. Experts believe that this year’s bumper crop is down to strong counter-clockwise winds, as well as global warming.
Ferryland, Newfoundland, Canada
INDEPENDENT

Ice roads ease isolation in Canada's north, but they're melting too soon
The country's 3,300 miles of ice roads are a lifeline for marooned communities during frigid winters, but climate change is making the roads unsafe much earlier.

Scientists have discovered vast systems of flowing water in Antarctica. And that worries them.
Nansen Ice Sheet, Antarctica
Washington Post

Slow Fairbanks snowmelt slows Canada Geese migration
Sunshine is abundant this time of year, but cooler temperatures this week have slowed the melting of a well above normal snowpack in Fairbanks. That’s affecting migratory bird’s arrival at a local refuge.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Springtime in Anvik Alaska
What are the weather conditions for Anvik in mid-April?
Anvik, Alaska, United States

Receding glacier causes immense Canadian river to vanish in four days
Kaskawulsh Glacier, Yukon Territories, Canada
the Guardian

'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

A new crack in one of Greenland's largest glaciers
Petermann Glacier, Greenland
CNN

7,000 massive methane gas bubbles under the Russian permafrost could explode anytime
Yamal Penninsula, Siberia, Russia
ThinkProgress

California wildflowers erupt in super bloom
Southern California is enjoying a wildflower "super bloom" after years of extreme drought.
Cardio Plain National Monument, California, United States
CNN

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

Warnings of new Arctic explosions at some 700-plus sites in Yamal due to thawing permafrost
Scientists rush to site of latest tundra eruption - which formed a crater 50 metres deep - amid fears for homes and key industrial sites.
Bovanenkovo, Yamal Peninsula, Russia

Poor Grazing Conditions for Reindeer in Varanger
Harsh grazing conditions have been reported this winter due to some rainy days that have lead to ice cover on the ground.
Varanger Halvo, Norway

Ice Shelf Off of St George Island
Coastline along town had sheets of ice pushed against it, maybe 20 to 30 yards deep, this has not happened since 2012, 5 years ago.
Saint George, Alaska, United States

Here’s the dirt on the melting permafrost in Fairbanks
The unexpected appearance of sinkholes or groundwater flooding is something to which residents have grown accustomed.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Arctic Deeply

Paddle boarders hijack ice floe
March brings a gathering of paddle boarders on a big ice floe in Ussuri Bayk. The air temperature didn't go above 10C and water was at maximum of 5C.
Vladivostok, Primorskiy, Russia
Siberia Times

Blizzard-bound Churchill awaits supply train
Northern Manitoba town's grocery shelves are bare as residents face another blizzard.
Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Pintail ducks (Anas acuta) early
Norther pintails observered early in the Mat-Su Valley near the Glenn Highway-Parks Highway overpass.
Gateway, Alaska, United States

Open Water Adds to Winter Chill - Part 1
Unusually wet winter weather activity observed. Traveling in early February (AFE) disrupted travel due to weather conditions.

Huge winter storm cuts power to 100,000 across eastern US
Avis, Pennsylvania, United States
the Guardian

Disturbing melody of melting permafrost crater
This tadpole-shaped gash in the Earth's surface - around one kilometre long, and 800 metres wide - is enlarging by up to 30 metres a year.
Yakutsk, Sakha, Russia
Siberian Times

Warm winter can be deadly for snowmobilers and ice fishermen
The unusually warm winter has proven deadly in the northeast. More than a dozen people, including snowmobilers and ice fishermen, have died when they fell through thin lake ice.
Gilford, New Hampshire, United States
NPR.org

Photo series shows glacier disappear
A series of photos, taken by Guðmundur Ögmundsson, Skaftafell National Park manager in the past five years, shows in a striking way how Skaftafellsjökull glacier, an outlet glacier from Vatnajökull glacier, has receded.
Kálfafell, Iceland
Iceland Review

1 year later, no answers on why truck broke through ice on Deline winter road
A year after a fuel-carrying truck broke through the ice on the Deline winter road, the N.W.T.'s Department of Transportation has yet to release the results of an investigation into why the accident happened.
Déliné, Northwest Territory, Canada

Pictures Reveal How Climate Change Affects Glaciers in High Peru
"A photographer and environmental anthropologist explores melting glaciers in Peru."
Peru

First Ever Junior National Ski Jumping Event Without Snow
Sports are innovating and adapting to hold competitions even in absence of winter.
Fox River Grove, Illinois, United States

Eklutna Glacier, a source of Anchorage drinking water, is disappearing drip by drip
A new study quantifies the rate at which Eklutna Glacier is losing its icy mass. Between 1957 and 2010, the loss of glacier mass averaged 5 percent a year.
Eagle River, Alaska, United States

Waiting for winter: ice roads mean the North Slope can get to work
Every winter, a massive infrastructure project takes place on the North Slope one thats designed to disappear. Ice roads are built to minimize the oil industrys footprint on the sensitive tundra, and melt away in spring. Many of the oil industrys multi-million dollar projects on the North Slope cant be built until the ice roads are finished each year.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States

Warm, wet weather prompts road closures
Record-breaking warm temperatures had some people in Whitehorse basking in the sun. In Haines Junction it was raining so hard the sand was washing off the road.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
Yukon News

City councils spending millions on creating snow
Sweden is having another winter without much of the white stuff, but local councils are taking the matter in their own hands.
Östersund, Jämtland, Sweden
Radio Sweden

Ice cover at sea exceptionally low this winter
Ice cover over Finlands sea areas is very low. Experts warn that the ice is now very thin over sea, and with spring slowly arriving, the situation is not likely to improve.
Tornio, Lapland, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Miserable stretches of trail prompt Iditarod to move race start to Fairbanks
For the second time in three years, the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race will move its official start from Willow to Fairbanks due to poor trail conditions that race officials determined unsafe.
Willow, Alaska, United States

Sheriff: Car, Truck Plunge Into Lake Minnetonka Within Hours Of Each Other
The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office reported that two vehicles had plunged into Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota within hours of each other.
Minnetonka Beach, Minnesota, United States
CBS Minnesota (WCCO 830)

Heavy snow fears as Fraser Valley prepares for another big dump
With up to 70 cm of snow already on the ground, the Fraser Valley is bracing for another dump of snow and heavy rain as early as Wednesday.
Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Winds challenging Finland’s icebreakers despite record low Baltic ice
Meteorologist Niko Tollman of the Finnish Meteorology Institute confirms that counting up the number of stormy days this past month made January one of the windiest first months of the year over sea areas since 1994.
Oulu, Northern Ostrobothnia, Finland
Yle

People of the sea ice see cracks forming
In Nain, a coastal village in Newfoundland and Labrador, the approximately 1,400 residents rely on sea ice for transportation and traditional activities.
Nain, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Hakai Magazine

Ice of Change - Amid Waterfowl Sightings
No sea ice; hunters say it should not be like this today.
Diomede, 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

Vandalism of mammoth graveyards in Siberia
Unique paleontological sites are facing destruction from gangs seeking to sell prehistoric remains. The hunters are especially active in late summer, when the permafrost retreats leaving mammoth remains more visible.
Zhokhov island

Kenai Peninsula permafrost thawing rapidly
A recent study estimates permafrost coverage on the peninsula has decreased by 60 percent since 1950. Permafrost is usually associated with Northern and Interior Alaska, but it also occurs in isolated pockets in wetlands on the Kenai Peninsula.
Ridgeway, Alaska, United States
KBBI Homer

Fog and cold have created perfect conditions for a frosty Anchorage
After years of low snow and higher winter temperatures, Anchorage once again looks like a real northern city thanks to a heavy layer of frost.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Ski Jumpers Finally Compete
It has been three years since the Anchorage ski jumping club has been able to hold our New Year competition.

Warm winter sets back construction of Dettah ice road
Construction is beginning today on the ice road connecting Yellowknife to Dettah on the N.W.T.'s Yellowknife Bay, but a warm November means that it will open in January for the second time since the 2006/2007 season, and the second year in a row.
Yellowknife Ice Road, NWT
CBC

Support

Observation Template