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

Whale’s body spotted near Tenakee Inlet
The humpback whale was first reported dead or stranded on Killisnoo Island on Feb. 10th, by Alaska Marine Highway System personnel, said Sadie Wright, a large whale entanglement response coordinator with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s fisheries division. The animal with a long history in the area has been necropsied.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Juneau Empire

40-Meter High Wave Hits Icelandic Coast
The Road and Coastal Administration reported record-high waves at the south coast of Iceland as a severe storm swept the county.
Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland
The Reykjavik Grapevine

Extreme Weather Across Iceland Causes Power Outages and Damage
A winter storm caused power outages and property damage across Iceland. Winds reached speeds of 40 meters per second (89 mph) in the Southwest region, though precipitation was less than forecasted. See related article: A total of ten waves of 25 meters high and four waves over 30 meters high were recorded. A 40 m wave was the highest recorded since 1990.
Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland
Iceland Review

Uncommonly consistent, strong winds rip through Western Alaska
These windy conditions have started to negatively impact sea ice coverage in the Bering Strait. Based on satellite imagery and observations from residents across the region, more open water has started to appear along coastlines and thicker ice has been pushed around, climatologist Rick Thoman said. He noted that sea ice conditions are drastically different in the Bering Strait than they were five days ago.
Nome, Alaska, United States
KNOM Radio Mission

Coyote Sightings in Ottawa South
One morning in February, 2022 when I went for a walk, I noticed footprints of a four legged animal going in the direction of my path. The footprints looked different from those of dogs and given that I recently read about coyote sightings in the area, I quickly headed home.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Red Book’s Steller Sea lion rescued from a plastic death trap in Russian Far East
The endangered mammal got tied up to the Nevelsk breakwater from debris and rope that it got caught in.
Nevel’sk, Sakhalin, Russia
The Siberian Times

Record capelin catch landed
Börkur NK docked in Seyðisfjörður this weekend with a hold full of capelin. The fish took 18 hours to land and came in at 3,400 tonnes—which is likely the most capelin ever landed from a single tour in Iceland, according to a statement from Síldarvinnslan.
Seyðisfjörður, East, Iceland
RÚV

‘Blue Blob’ Is Slowing Icelandic Glacier Melt — For Now
Icelandic glaciers have been losing mass since the Little Ice Age, but that process has slowed over the last decade thanks to the influence of what scientists have dubbed the Blue Blob, “an area of regional cooling in the North Atlantic Ocean to the south of Greenland.
Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland
Iceland Review

Are ills of the Arctic hitting California? Hundreds of migratory seabirds wash ashore
Over the last two years, more than 500 northern fulmars were found sick or dead along the Sonoma and Mendocino coasts. What is ailing these seabirds?
Point Arena, California, United States
Los Angeles Times

Sprat: New Fish Species Breeding Off Iceland’s Coast
Researchers have confirmed that the fish species sprat is spawning in Icelandic waters, according to a new report from Iceland’s Marine and Freshwater Research Institute. Sprat has been found in significant numbers off the south and west coast and spawned near Ísafjarðardjúp fjord in the Westfjords last year.
Westfjords, Iceland
Iceland Review

Are ills of the Arctic hitting California? Hundreds of migratory seabirds wash ashore
Over the last two years, more than 500 northern fulmars were found sick or dead along the Sonoma and Mendocino coasts. What is ailing these seabirds?
Albion, California, United States
Los Angeles Times

Team of biologists makes daring rescue of loons trapped in iced-in waters
The openings were left after ice-in started during a cold snap, but didn’t quite finish in the deepest parts of the lake, about a quarter of a mile off shore. The two loons were stuck and unable to take off, because common loons require a water “runway” to push off and get airborne. Farther up the lake, three other loons were stuck in similar fashion.
Lovell, Maine, United States
Press Herald

Atmospheric river brings record rain, swollen rivers and unstable snowpack to Juneau
The nearly 3.5 inches at the city’s official monitoring station was a daily record – the most rain that’s fallen on January 21st ever – and also a monthly record – the most rain that has ever fallen in January.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
KTOO

Seabirds were not killed by flu
Close to 300 birds were found during a sweep of East Fjords beaches. No sign of bird flu was found in samples from dead seabirds. It is thought likely the birds died of hunger, as most were very thin. No widespread seabird deaths have been reported in any other region at this time.
Djupivogur, East, Iceland
RÚV

Fox attacks two dogs in Coral Harbor
Since November, six foxes and three dogs in Nunavut have been found to be infected with rabies. Wednesday’s fox attack brings the total to seven foxes and five dogs with likely rabies infections.
Coral Harbour, Nunavut, Canada
Nunatsiaq News

Roofs, sheds collapse after heavy snow then rain
Heavy snow followed by rain last week damaged homes around town. Shori Heaton awoke on Sunday to find that her woodshed had collapsed under a wet
Haines, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

Winter storm whipping northeast U.S. with snow, thunderstorms
A dangerous winter storm is whipping the East Coast with significant snowfall, strong thunderstorms and blustery winds. Meteorologists said a foot or more of snow fell in parts of New York state, Ohio and Pennsylvania through Monday.
Harveys Lake, Pennsylvania, United States
PBS NewsHour

Freeze up on Lower Kenai River
Cold on the Peninsula! Cabin owner on Kenai River near Soldotna says they have not seen it frozen like this in years.
Funny River, Alaska, United States

Tsunami threat recedes from huge Pacific volcanic eruption
The tsunami threat around the Pacific from a huge undersea volcanic eruption began to recede Sunday, while the extent of damage to Tonga remained unclear. Satellite images showed the spectacular eruption that took place Saturday evening, with a plume of ash, steam and gas rising like a mushroom above the blue Pacific waters.
Tongatapu, Tonga
AP NEWS

Ravages of extreme weather "Gyda"
Extreme weather event Gyda already set 20 new January precipitation records in Norway. Vinjeøra in Trøndelag was closed due to extreme damage. NRK reporter Arne Kristian Gansmo compares the asphalt with "an accordion".
Western Norway
NRK

Yakutat declares disaster as hazardous winter weather hits Southeast Alaska
With millions of dollars in damage to a new health clinic and imperiled infrastructure, the borough is requesting help from the National Guard. Yakutat has seen up to 6 feet of snow in recent weeks and a rare cold snap that pushed temperatures below zero.
Yakutat, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Meltdown: Heavy snow chased by rain prompts closures, concerns
Concern builds as rain increases weight of snow pack
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Juneau Empire

Bird flu outbreak in northern Israel ebbs; no humans harmed, officials say
An outbreak of avian flu that has killed vast numbers of domestic and wildfowl in recent weeks in northern Israel has likely reached its peak and began to abate over the past week, officials said Friday. In the Hula Lake Reserve, some 5,000 cranes died of the disease. The grim job of collecting crane carcasses from the lake by the ministry’s staff and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority was expected to end on Monday, the report said.
Hula Lake Reserve, Israel
Times of Israel

Dunleavy issues disaster declaration for Interior Alaska and Mat-Su storms
Extreme winds and cold temperatures have affected the areas. At one point over the weekend, 20,000 households in Mat-Su lost power.
Palmer, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Residents of East Texas town report fish falling from sky
A rare phenomenon that occurred in Texarkana, a city on the northeast border of Texas and Arkansas, has its residents asking, “What the — fish?” Multiple...
Texarkana, Arkansas, United States
Dallas News

Challenging pastures for reindeer: Difficult conditions in Nordland and Troms, grazing crisis in Indre Finnmark
Changing weather with a lot of snow, rain and strong frost with icing, has made it difficult for the reindeer to reach lichen and moss on the ground in Nordland.
Indre Finnmark, Troms og Finnmark Fylke, Norway
NRK

Fairbanks is riding a weather roller coaster, from freezing rain to snow and frigid cold
Department of Transportation crews are battling a thick coating of ice on roads, and the local utility, Golden Valley Electric, continues working to restore electricity to pockets of customers.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Lake Tahoe sees 16 feet of snow in December, crushing records
Following a year of both extreme heat and drought, Lake Tahoe has seen a record breaking amount of snow this December.
Truckee, California, United States
ABC News

Unexpected Warm Weather in December
Spring like thaw a week after winter begins: During the 3 days it got warm and the water going its usual route as it does in the spring when it thaws out, but this was a week after winter began.
Anvik, Alaska, United States

Heavy snow load collapses roof of Delta Junction’s only grocery store
The winter storm that dumped snow and freezing rain on the Interior over the holiday weekend also caused the roofs of two buildings in Delta Junction to partially collapse Sunday.
Delta Junction, Alaska, United States
KUAC

Winter Heat Wave: Kodiak temperature breaks state record-highs
Kodiak residents went to the trails on Sunday, taking advantage of record-breaking high temperatures. The Kodiak Airport reported temperatures reached 65 degrees that day, the warmest temperature ever recorded in Kodiak between Oct. 5 and April 21 of any year.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States
Kodiak Daily Mirror

Second fox tests positive for rabies in Igloolik
After a second fox tested positive for rabies in Igloolik, Nunavut health officials are once again urging anyone who has been bitten by a fox or a dog to go immediately to their local health centre.
Igloolik, Nunavut, Canada
CBC

A huge Alaska caribou herd's population is again in decline
One of the largest caribou herds in North America has declined by nearly a quarter in the past two years, hitting a population level that justifies new hunting restrictions. The news was delivered last week at the annual meeting of the Western Arctic Caribou Herd Working Group, an advisory organization with representatives of villages dependent
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
ArcticToday

‘The salmon will come back again’: First Nations document devastating low returns on B.C.’s central coast
First Nations on B.C.’s central coast are sounding the alarm after once-abundant salmon runs see devastatingly low returns in 2021
Bella Bella, British Columbia, Canada
The Narwhal

Foxes 'attack from nowhere' says Igloolik woman
She was then driven immediately to the hospital, where she got treatment for a potential rabies infection. Over the past month, there has been an increase in fox sightings and cases of rabies in foxes in the communities of Igloolik and Iqaluit. A fox was confirmed to have rabies in Igloolik on Dec. 14, while two foxes have been reported to have rabies in Iqaluit over the past five weeks.
Igloolik, Nunavut, Canada
Nunatsiaq News

Avian flu confirmed at Canada’s Avalon Peninsula
Highly pathogenic avian influenza has been confirmed at an exhibition farm in Newfoundland, Canada. The OIE report identified the affected birds as “non-poultry including wild birds.” On the premises, there were 419 susceptible birds. Of those, 360 died and the remaining 59 were euthanized. A Canada goose died from avian influenza on in the Halifax area on February 2 (see related articles).
Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland

High clam mortality rate forces closure on east Cook Inlet next year
An approximate 69% of adult razor clams at Ninilchik beaches and 84% at Clam Gulch beaches have died. The department said the cause of the high natural mortality rate of the clams remains unknown, but may be due to a combination of heavy surf, habitat changes, environmental stressor and predation.
Clam Gulch, Alaska, United States
Peninsula Clarion

A lost eagle from Asia has been traveling around North America for more than a year
The Steller's sea eagle — native to China, Japan, the Koreas and eastern Russia — was spotted along the Taunton River in Massachusetts on Monday. It was first seen in Alaska in the summer of 2020.
Providence, Rhode Island, United States
NPR.org

Storms hit region with high winds, snow and then rain
Strong south winds hit 71 miles per hour in St. Michael, Shishmaref had its sea ice blown away and the Nome Airport saw 0.64 inches of precipitation – mostly in the form of rain - last weekend. The storm that hit on Saturday, Dec. 18 and continued all day Sunday brought the total precipitation for December thus far to 2.04 inches.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

‘This new snow has no name’: Sami reindeer herders face climate disaster
“This new snow has no name,” said Lars-Anders Kuhmunen, a reindeer herder from Kiruna, Sweden’s northernmost town, near the Norwegian border. “I don’t know what it is. It is like early tjaevi, which normally comes in March. The winters are warmer now and there is rain, making the ground icy. The snow on top is very bad snow and the reindeer can’t dig for their food.”
Bjurholm, Västerbotten, Sweden
The Guardian

Fuel shortage and blizzard leave St. George residents rationing heat and water
“Whatever led up to the situation where all the sudden we don't have any fuel in the dead of winter, and with all these storms coming through, is beyond me,” said St. George resident Victor Malavansky. “I would like to say this is totally unacceptable.”
Saint George, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Dangerous sink hole on winter trail - an aftermath of extreme rains
I'm guessing all the rain we received during summer of 2021 created the trench.
Noatak, Alaska, United States

Unalakleet perseveres through water shortage, looks ahead to future system
Unalakleet’s supply of water was running on empty following a nasty freeze-up at the end of December. Freezing rain led to a frozen pool of standing water that shifted the community’s pump house before the New Year. This dropped the flow of water into the water tank and levels were down to two feet earlier the first week of January.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States
KNOM Radio Mission

Bowhead pod visits Savoonga with ice conditions unsuitable for hunting
Earlier this week, a pod of about nine Bowhead whales were seen off the northern coast of Savoonga but young ice conditions around St. Lawrence Island prevented hunting. If local hunters hauled a whale out onto young ice, it would break apart.
Savoonga, Alaska, United States
KNOM Radio Mission

Water shortage hits Akatsi North District capital Ave-Dakpa
Residents of Ave-Dakpa, the capital of Akatsi North District in the Volta Region, are sending desperate calls to the government to intervene following an acute water shortage which has hit the community for the past four months.
Ave-Dakpa, Ghana
GhanaWeb

Invasive European green crab found in Nuu-chah-nulth territories
The Lummi Nation has declared a disaster after removing 70,000 invasive European green crabs from their sea pond in November.
According to Seattle-based King News, the Lummi Nation cultivates shellfish and juvenile salmon in their 750-acre sea pond. The European green crab preys on young oysters, clams, and are known to dig down into the sand, uprooting eel grass, which is habitat for juvenile salmon.
Marietta-Alderwood, Washington, United States
Ha-Shilth-Sa

Ships traveling into a warming Arctic are leaving garbage in their wake, scientists warn
Following another year of stark climate impacts in the Arctic, scientists warned Tuesday of a new scourge hitting the region: marine trash. With the region warming twice as fast as the rest of the world, sea ice that has long blanketed the Arctic Ocean is disappearing, opening new routes to shipping.
Nome, Alaska, United States
ArcticToday

Storm related flooding and infrastructure damage
"We lost internet and a power outage effected several residential homes and businesses. Of course there was no way to travel. Thankfully no medical emergencies."
Golovin, Alaska, United States
Carol Oliver, Racheal Lee, Edward "Ted" Smith, Anahma Shannon

Seawall to protect Utqiagvik from extreme storms
A seawall planned for Utqiagvik is aimed at protecting residents from extreme storms while preserving their connection to the ocean.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
The Arctic Sounder
Alaska Media, LLC., Steve Keller designer and application developer

Wind gusts in Northwest Alaska pushed away sea ice, caused power outages
Extremely high winds blew over Northwest Alaska this weekend, pushing away ice cover and cutting power in some communities. The storm is expected to be 100 miles west of Utqiagvik by 3 a.m. on Tuesday morning and continue to weaken and drift north after that.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder

Back-to-back storms bring screaming winds to Nome and region
Back-to-back winter storms hit Nome and the region with very strong, screaming winds and accompanying blowing snow. While the first storm on Friday seemed just like a warm up, the second storm hit the region with very strong winds that knocked out power in Wales, ripped buildings apart in Golovin and brought water levels up 6.73 feet over normal. The high winds also pushed away ice cover.
The Nome Nugget

Glacial Outburst Flood Will Likely Peak on Sunday
The glacial outburst flood, or jökulhlaup, which started when the ice sheet in the Grímsvötn volcano beneath Vatnajökull glacier began to melt 11 days ago, is predicted to reach its peak on Sunday. At time of writing, the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration does not believe that the runoff will affect traffic on Route 1 […]

A peninsula disappears in Franz Josef Land
Eva-Liv Island in the Franz Josef Land Archipelago has almost lost a peninsula. A 3-km-long strait has formed between the main land and the melted part where Cape Mesyatsev is located. Russian Arctic National Park employees discovered the missing land during an expedition to study walruses.
The Arctic

Where are the tomcods (Eleginus gracilis)? Kongiganak
The tomcod harvests in the Kongiganak, Cavuuneq and Ilkivik Rivers have been a failure. Also in other areas, based on observations from Chevak and Chefornak. Both the surface and bottom trawl results show a clear decline in tomcod biomass in the North Bering Sea.
Kongiganak, Alaska, United States
Brian Lefferts, Anna Godduhn, Jennifer Hooper, Janelle Kinegak, Dana Diehl, Tracy Lewis, Gay Sheffield, Cynthia Paniyak, Natasia Kassel, Elizabeth Buckingham, Mike Brubaker

No skiing, no snowbanks: Severe snow droughts are coming to the West
Professional skier Amie Engerbretson is already noticing diminishing snow in her hometown of Lake Tahoe. She didn’t know what to do this past Thanksgiving because she couldn’t ski for the first time since she could remember. “The ski seasons are shrinking, and a lot of times the storms are coming in with more rain,” she says. “I can remember being a little girl with 19-foot snow banks in my front yard. I certainly haven't seen snow banks that high as an adult.”
Truckee, California, United States
KCRW

First Ever Cases of Infectious Salmon Anaemia in Iceland
The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST) has found evidence of infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) in an open-net salmon farm in Reyðarfjörður fjord, East Iceland. ISA is a highly infectious viral disease that has no treatment and causes high mortality in farmed Atlantic salmon.
Reydarfjordur, East, Iceland

Tangled Up in Blue: Skipping skating
I was looking forward to ice skating this winter. I had bought a pair of Nordic blades. This morning, I woke up to over a foot of snow. It is an early storm for Seward, which was blanketed in white this morning.
Seward, Alaska, United States
Homer News

Major Disaster Averted in Icy Kara Sea After Two Oil Barges Ran Aground
Fuel shipments normally take place during autumn from departure ports such as Murmansk and Arkhangelsk. However, last fall saw a sudden freeze-up and quickly accumulating sea-ice on the Northern Sea Route, including the Kara Sea. Of the two rescued barges, one contained 7,000 tons of diesel fuel, while the other was loaded with 170 tons of kerosene.
The Moscow Times

Ice-locked Russian Arctic towns might not get needed supplies
Quickly accumulating sea ice along the Northern Sea Route is creating a potentially critical situation along Russia’s east Arctic coast. For several weeks, a number of ships have been trapped in thick sea ice. Several ships have also been waiting to sail into the area.
Arkhangel’sk, Arkhangelskaya, Russia
ArcticToday

Chaos after extreme precipitation – Never experienced anything like it
Several roads have been closed as a result of landslides and flooding.
Storås, Sør-Trøndelag, Norway
NRK
Hanne Bernhardsen Nordvåg, Hans Ivar Moss Kolseth, Kristin Agerlie, Morten Karlsen, Marius Andrè Jenssen Stenberg

Alaska sees early cold snap, and it's not going away anytime soon
It's cold. And those frigid temperatures aren't going away anytime soon. The cold has set in across most of Alaska and set daily record lows in places like Homer, King Salmon and Bethel. It's relatively early to be seeing such cold.
Homer, Alaska, United States

Amazing November skiing! Lots of snow, lots of cold!
It is November, we have snow and we are skiing the Southcentral Alaska backcountry early and in the best conditions in years.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

This November's sea ice extent in the northern Bering is the best in years
Current sea ice extent in Northern Alaska waters is the highest it’s been since November 2001.

State leader calls for shutdown of Red Hill fuel facility as Navy grapples with tainted water system
A state leader urges the closure of the Red Hill fuel facility amid concerns over aging infrastructure and potential leaks, despite Navy assurances of the tanks' integrity.
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

Frac-out of Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project drilling under Fraser River
This happened about 250 m from the shore of the Fraser River in a creek at Colony Farms.
Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada

Where are tomcods / Naugat Ceturr'nat (Eleginus gracilis)? Chefornak
Not a single catch was reported in the village of Chefornak. Meanwhile in Kivalina, dozens and dozens of tomcods are pictured and posted on "The Alaska Life" Facebook page.
Chefornak, Alaska, United States

Heavy losses for forest owners in Hedalen in the Inland Empire after the storm
Anders Berg Stensrud (30) faces an uncertain future. The losses after the storm blew down large forest areas could amount to several hundred million kroner.
Hedalen, Sør-Aurdal, Norway
Haakon Nesse Moreau, Mette Vollan, Even Lusæter, Marte Iren Noreng Trøen, Lars Erik Skrefsrud

Harmful algae colours the Oslo fjord green
Scientists now say that the harmful alga will survive the winter and that it will probably turn green in the Oslo fjord next year as well.
Oslofjord, Oslo, Norway
Lea Girolami Bråthen, Dag Aasdalen, Maren Nan Myrseth

Winds whip up volcanic ash from 1912 eruption in Alaska
Volcano scientists issued an alert Wednesday, warning that a cloud of ash — from an eruption more than century ago — was headed toward Alaska's Kodiak Island. The ash is from the powerful 1912 eruption of Novarupta.
CBC

Later Snowfalls are Causing Challenges for Winter Sports
The first event in Lillehammer is in early December, and despite being able to easily prep the hills in the past, Lillehammer athletes must now rely on snow shipped from other parts of Norway.
Lillehammer, Oppland, Norway

Conditions improve at B.C. pump station at catastrophic risk; Whatcom expects minimal impact
Conditions at a Canadian pump station improved over night after they officials issued an evacuation order that had Whatcom residents concerned of more flooding.
Bellingham, Washington, United States
Bellingham Herald

The cold temperatures are early, but how unusual?
In the past 10 years there have only been three other weeks where Anchorage was this cold during a seven day period. Those occurred in: January 2020, January 2012, and November 2011.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

'It was terrifying': Rain and wind storm's impact felt across southern B.C.
Since 7 a.m. on Monday, crews in Vancouver responded to reports of flooding in 46 locations. Average annual cost of property damage or losses due to severe weather has increased from about $400 million before 2009 to about $2 billion annually in the last few years.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
vancouversun

Wild day for hundreds trapped by double mudslides on B.C.'s Highway 7
All 275 people were expected to be rescued by the end of Monday, said B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth, adding that there had been no reported fatalities. The Agassiz fire department was credited with saving 12 people Sunday night in “treacherous conditions,” as their vehicles filled with debris and water.
Agassiz, British Columbia, Canada
vancouversun
Glenda Luymes, Tiffany Crawford, Sarah Grochowski, David Carrigg

A timeline of how once-in-a-century flooding unfolded across B.C.
Extreme rain swamped rivers and farmland across southern B.C. and triggered mudslides that blocked every major highway connecting the Lower Mainland to the rest of the country in November 2021. This is a timeline of the first week of the crisis.
Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
A Timeline of How Once In a Century Flooding Unfolded Across B.C.

Alaska Logistics is leaving two barges to freeze in the Kuskokwim River
“It got very cold the day we got there, it got down to like single digits and ice came out of the mountains and rivers and sloughs everywhere,” said Allyn Long, general manager of Alaska Logistics.
Eek, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Two icebreakers are on the way to rescue ice-locked ships on Northern Sea Route
Over the past years, ice conditions in late October and early November have allowed extensive shipping along the vast Russian Arctic coast. This year, however, large parts of the remote Arctic waters were already covered by sea ice by late October.

Siberia up to 20C warmer than normal with huge temperature anomalies, predicts weather expert
The world’s coldest city is on course to be up to 20C milder than usual for this time of year, says the scientific director of Russia's Hydrometeorological Center, Roman Vilfand. The streams of warm air from the south and west determine this situation.
Yakutsk, Sakha, Russia
Siberian Times

25-30 reindeer drowned in the river today
25-30 reindeer drowned in the Kautokeino River today after a herd of reindeer passed through the ice. The accident happened when the herd of reindeer was crossing the fragile ice on the river. This is the third similar incident in the area in a couple of weeks. Yesterday, three reindeer went through the ice. They were all rescued alive. This article is also available in the Sami language at this
Heammogietti, Kautokeino, Troms og Finnmark fylke, Norway

After waterspout and tornado warning, B.C. residents told to prepare for another coastal storm
A tornado watch was issued around 5:30 p.m. and rescinded less than an hour later, but the storm caused considerable damage on the University of British Columbia campus. The school is located on a peninsula not far from the airport.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
British Columbia

Earthquake at Bárðarbunga Caldera
Saturday’s incident is notable as Bárðarbunga, a stratovolcano located underneath Iceland’s largest glacier, Vatnajökull, is the second largest volcano on the island. Geophysicist Páll Einarsson told reporters, however, that the powerful earthquakes underneath the volcano this summer were likely due to land rise and that an eruption did not appear to be imminent.

Earthquake rattles Santa Claus Village
A minor earthquake, described by one resident as "a proper jerk", shook Rovaniemi. Dozens of earthquakes are observed in Finland every year. Typically, however, they are relatively weak, with a magnitude of less than 4.
Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland
News

Polar bear with cub visits Diomede School
John Ahkvaluk , 56, a polar bear guard revealed that this is not a good sign for the village. It’s the first time in several years that bears come at this time of the year. “It’s a warning that they got no food out there and they came looking for it here,” he said.
After the incident, Luchie Manlangit, the school principal, and I invited John Ahkvaluk to talk to the kids and to share some protocols if polar bear will come around again.
Diomede, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

This eagle is very, very lost
The native range of the Steller’s sea eagle is typically China, Japan and Korea and the east coast of Russia. While some have flown as far east as western Alaska, none have ever been known to appear near the Atlantic Ocean.
Falmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
The Seattle Times

Here winter has become two months shorter
Winter will never be the way it was, according to scientists. Towards the end of the century, the Norwegian Meteorological Institute predicts that the winter weather will gradually disappear from Oslo.
Bodø, Nordland, Norway

The hunting tick has been discovered in Norway
The tick can carry hemorrhagic diphtheria. The disease is widespread in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. In addition, some cases have been seen in southern Europe. The fever can cause serious illness in humans.
Vestby, Akershus, Norway

Where are the tomcods (Eleginus gracilis)? Chevak
There is usually an abundance of this fish in the fall and early winter season. This is a usual harvest for most YK Delta coastal villages. Note: According to NOAA Bering Sea Bottom Trawl data, there has been an 88% decline reported in the biomass of saffron cod from 2020 to 2021 in the N. Bering Sea.
Chevak, Alaska, United States
Carmen Daggett, Gay Sheffield, Cynthia Paniyak, Jayde Ferguson, Ted Meyers

Southern temperatures in Northern Norway – warmer in Narvik than in Rome
This morning it was as hot in Narvik as in Rome and Istanbul, and far warmer than countries in southern Europe. However, the mild air is on the wane.
Narvik, Nordland, Norway

Heavy rain on Halloween
The Matanuska Experiment Farm in Palmer says they got 1 1/8" of rain on Saturday. I think we got more than that, but based on their measurements I would revise my estimate down to 1 1/2 to 2 inches on Saturday.
Chickaloon, Alaska, United States

Heavy rain and wind take toll on Southcentral
A storm that hit Southcentral Alaska on Saturday night led to flooding in Girdwood, a landslide on the Sterling Highway and left thousands of homes without power throughout the region on Sunday morning. More than a foot of rain fell in Girdwood by Sunday.
Girdwood, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Rhododendrons blooming in late October
The rhododendron in my garden is now starting to bloom in late October. I researched this and it seems that it's not unheard of and may be related to higher temperatures in the daytime and colder temperatures at night.
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

If you're a surfer, you'll want to read UCSD's final figures on the 'bomb cyclone' waves
The largest wave was a 60-foot 4-inch beast that hit Astoria, Oregon on Sunday. It was a record for the station, which is part of Scripps’ Coastal Data Information Program (CDIP).
Astoria, Oregon, United States
San Diego Union-Tribune

Jellyfish attack nuclear power plant
Scotland’s only working nuclear power plant at Torness shut down in an emergency procedure this week when jellyfish clogged the sea water-cooling intake pipes at the plant. To protect marine life and avert nuclear disasters, scientists are investigating the use of drones to provide estimates of jellyfish locations, amounts, and density.
Torness Power Station, Scotland
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Mysterious fish ended up in Vetle's boat - expert says it's extremely rare
Vetle Berntsen and the others on the trawler understood little when the black fish ended up on board. No wonder – the fish actually live in deep water around the equator. It turned out to be *Diretmichthys parini*, also known as ducat fish, one of three documented in Norway.
Barents Sea, norway

Discovery of fly larvae positive sign for salmon
Volunteers from the Friends of Bowker Creek Society say uncovering caddisfly larvae in the gravel beds of the stream show the water quality has improved to a level sufficient to sustain salmon and cutthroat trout.
Bowker Creek, Oak Bay, British Columbia, Canada
CTV News, Vancouver Island

7 hunters return home after being stranded on the frozen Yukon River for 7 days. Here's their story.
“The ice was so thick flowing down the river. It was forming so fast. It was freezing so fast. Just amazing. I’d never seen anything like that," one of the hunters, Rex Nick, said.
Emmonak, Alaska, United States
KYUK

High winds severed Ketchikan’s connection with the island’s largest hydroelectric dam on Friday
Strong winds whipped across Ketchikan Thursday evening and Friday morning, and a strong morning gust snapped power lines and severed Ketchikan’s connection to the Swan Lake hydropower reservoir.
Ketchikan, Alaska, United States
KTOO

Buzzards settle in North Carolina town despite scare tactics
One resident of Bunn, North Carolina, says she counted 58 buzzards — probably turkey vultures — in her yard, on her roof and on a fence. Town officials seem unable to get the birds to leave.
Bunn, North Carolina, United States
WFAE 90.7

Alaskans have been spotting turkey vultures all over the state this year
An unusual bird was sighted in the Yukon Flats village of Chalkyitsik recently. The raptor, uncommon to the state, has also been spotted in a few other Alaska locations. Bird biologist Jim Johnson says there’s broader evidence that the nomadic turkey vulture is expanding north.
Chalkyitsik, Alaska, United States
KUAC

Erosion at Cape Blossom
"The sea level rise and wind is making this happen because it is really vulnerable. We are always really amazed every time we go out there with the change, and pieces of earth the size of a house falling over."
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

Rare clash between two distinct kinds of orcas in the Salish Sea — and the endangered fish-eaters won
Two distinct species of orcas feed and socialize in the waters of Puget Sound: fish-eating endangered southern resident killer whales and transient, or Bigg’s, killer whales, which feed on marine mammals and are more common. They seldom mix.
Point Roberts, Washington, United States
KNKX Public Radio

Wild pigs invade national park
One of the most destructive and rapidly spreading invasive species on the continent has been found for the first time in a Canadian national park.
Elk Island National Park
CTV News, Edmonton

Gumboot Chiton Cryptochiton stelleri Die-off
We saw over 100 on a 1/2 mile stretch of beach. I am wondering if the chiton die-off is related to the stormy conditions or something else?
Coupeville, Washington, United States

Nunavut breaks 47 daily temperature records in 1st 6 days of October
October is off to a warm start for parts of Nunavut. Justin Shelley, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, says an upper ridge of high pressure is drawing up warmer than normal air into the territory.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada
CBC

Support

Observation Template