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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

Community heartbroken after attempts to save stranded whales prove in vain
A massive rescue effort took place on Tuesday afternoon that lasted until sunset after five whales were discovered marooned on the shores of the west coast beach. The whales were discovered dead the morning after massive efforts by locals to save them.
Ahipara, Northland Region, New Zealand
NZ Herald

California's snowpack is melting faster than ever before, leaving less available water
For decades, Californians have depended on the reliable appearance of spring and summer snowmelt to provide nearly a third of the state's supply of water. But as the state gets drier, and as wildfires climb to ever-higher elevations, that precious snow is melting faster and earlier than in years past — even in the middle of winter.
South Lake Tahoe, California, United States
Spokesman.com

Anchorage has seen almost double its usual snowfall since December
Just this month, more than 23 inches of snow have fallen in Anchorage, 17.5 inches above normal. A weekend storm clogged Anchorage streets, creating hazardous road conditions. The Anchorage School District closed school buildings and canceled after-school activities, calling a remote learning day.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Pilots reported mysterious lights 'dancing' over Yellowknife last month
An airline crew flying into Yellowknife a few weeks ago reported seeing some unidentified high-altitude lights near the airport — apparently leaving both the crew on board and air traffic controllers on the ground perplexed.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

U.S. downs another aerial 'object' over Lake Huron as search continues for wreckage in Yukon
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the search for an object downed over the Yukon yesterday is ongoing, while several U.S. representatives say that country's military has destroyed another object over Lake Huron.
Yukon, Canada
CBC

Snares set to catch problem wolves in Fort Good Hope after 2 dogs killed
Two dogs have died from wolf attacks, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) — and community members say the number could be higher. Westwick said wolf aggression toward dogs is most likely during the breeding season between December and February, and during the denning period from April to May.
Fort Good Hope, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

Avian Influenza, 'Bird Flu, linked to deaths of black bear and mountain lion in Colorado
The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly known as the bird flu, has now been linked to other animals across the state.
Gunnison, Colorado, United States
KRDO

After China balloon scare, Air Force shoots down object flying above Alaska’s North Slope
Object shot down by US Air Force, ordered by Biden, over North slope of Alaska.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Cleanup continues at Kodiak spaceport after January rocket crash
ABL Space Systems is still investigating the crash, but says the rocket rose more than 700 feet before its engines shut down 11 seconds after launch.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Snowpack below normal
A dry January across most of Idaho left the Panhandle with below-normal snowpack and increased drought worries."Notably, the Coeur d’Alene-St. Joe basins received only 38% of normal precipitation for January," according to the Idaho Water Supply Report from the Natural Resources Conservation Service released Tuesday. Nine snow monitoring sites in the Panhandle recorded their driest or second-driest January, the report said.
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, United States
Coeur d'Alene Press

Building blown out to sea
The storm ravaged much of the coast. In several parts of the country, the forces of nature have done damage and loose objects have flown through in the air.
Tromsø, Troms, Norway
NRK

Alaska SeaLife Center admits first fur seal patient in 6 years
The female seal pup — estimated to be around six months old — was seen swimming “erratically” near the shore in Sitka last month, according to a press release from the center. Worried Sitka residents then reported the pup to the center’s 24-hour stranding hotline.
Seward, Alaska, United States

At least 24 dead in Chile as wildfires spread, driving many to flee for safety
Firefighters battled dozens of raging wildfires in Chile on Sunday, seeking to gain control of one of the country’s worst natural disasters in years as the death toll rose to at least 24 with nearly 1,000 more injured.
Santa Juana, Biobío, Chile
Reuters

Invasive goldfish seen swimming under ice at Okanagan pond
Goldfish have a special ability to live under extreme conditions, making them prolific invaders of natural habitats. They are tolerant to low oxygen conditions and can survive water temperatures well below freezing, said the Invasive Species Council of B.C. on their website.
Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada
Port Alberni Valley News

Whale washed ashore in Kauai dies with fishing nets and plastic bags in stomach
A whale that washed ashore in the island of Kauai over the weekend likely died in part because it ate large volumes of fishing traps, fishing nets, plastic bags and other marine debris, scientists said Thursday, highlighting the threat to wildlife from the millions of tons of plastic that ends up in oceans every year.
Hanamā‘ulu, Hawaii, United States
mauinews.com

Coastal Rivers Lacking Steelhead
After the January storms provided the flushing and scouring our coastal rivers desperately needed, anglers were thinking and hoping the winter steelhead would be there. Up and down the coast, well known steelhead rivers are not seeing the numbers we're accustomed to. This same scenario happened a couple years ago, but the fish finally showed up. And that will more than likely be the case again this year. But with the calendar now saying February, it's getting a little more nerve racking.
Eureka, California, United States
North Coast Journal

Hawke’s Bay red sea’s final act was to kill sea creatures
Test results show the bloom was almost certainly to blame for mass deaths of kina as well as crayfish, starfish and sea cucumber which washed ashore at Hardinge Rd, including Sandy Beach, and on a small part of Westshore Beach eight days ago.
Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
NZ Herald

Swallows sighted in February
"Swallows usually show up in the spring time or when winter months are over in Alaska."
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States

Warm in the north and lots of snow
Kirkenes had a record warm moon and Kongsberg has had more than twice as much accumulation as they usually do in January.
Kirkenes, Troms and Finnmark County, Norway
Meteorologisk institutt

Fluctuating Juneau weather set the stage for an avalanche at Eaglecrest
The upper mountain at Eaglecrest Ski Area in Juneau was closed on Friday following a large avalanche Thursday morning. No one was hurt.
Juneau, Alaska, United States

Houses hit by avalanches after pouring rain in Western Norway
Avalanches hit houses after rain in western Norway in numerous locations.
Nordfjordeid, Stad, Vestlandet, Norway
VG -Verdens Gang
Ingri Bergo, Markus Tobiassen, Synne Eggum Myrvang

Juneau’s Basin Road Trestle closed until further notice after rockfall
A boulder tumbled down the face of Mount Roberts early Wednesday, damaging one side of the Basin Road Trestle’s wooden railing and closing the road. Mattice says slides are more common in the fall, but warm, wet conditions this winter contributed to the rockfall — especially this weekend’s heavy rains.
Juneau, Alaska, United States

Swollen limb in caribou
An image of a swollen leg on this caribou raises questions that it may be a case of brucellosis.
Koliganek, Alaska, United States
Constantine Johnson, Melany Eakin, Kimberlee Beckmen

Several new avalanches hit roads in the north – E6 closed
A landslide has closed busy highway 80 between Fauske and Bodø. The Nordland Line has also been affected. The weather has been very bad with large amounts of rainfall in Nordland today. There have been snow and slush avalanches in several places in the county, and a number of road and train sections have been closed due to avalanches.
Finneidfjord, Hemnes, Nordland, Norway
NRK
Mette Kristensen, Barbro Andersen, Emma Fondenes Øvrebø, Andreas Nilsen Trygstad, Ola Helness

Slushy streets in Whitehorse, as warm spell hits the region
Southern Yukon is basking in some unusually mild January weather this week, with temperatures climbing well above the freezing point on Wednesday and expected to stay that way into Thursday.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Cat euthanised after being infected with bird flu, a first in France
Cat tests positive for Brid Flu. The animal lived near a poultry farm in Mauléon, Deux-Sèvres in the west of the country.
Mauléon-Licharre, Aquitaine-Limousin-Poitou-Charentes, France

Mohe: China's northernmost city records coldest day ever
Temperatures in China's northernmost city plunged to minus 53°C (minus 63.4 degrees Fahrenheit) -- its coldest ever recorded.
Mohe, China
CNN Travel

Mat-Su schools closed Tuesday amid Southcentral rain, icy roads
Light rain is expected to fall across much of the region Tuesday, with a storm possibly bringing more rain to Anchorage on Wednesday.
Palmer, Alaska, United States

First known epidemic of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in farmed mink
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) is a strain of the avian influenza virus that primarily affects birds, particularly poultry. It has been detected in farmed mink.
Galicia, Spain
News-Medical.net

Denali area gets more than a foot of snow as winter storm hampers travel, visibility
Denali receives a foot of snow in mid-winter storm. Interior areas, including Fairbanks, also received high amounts of snow.
Denali National Park, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Twenty Rescued from Ski Lift in High Winds
Twenty people were rescued from a chairlift at the Hlíðarfjall ski area outside Akureyri. The lift stalled when the wire was blown off its spool by a strong blast of wind.
Akureyri, Northeast, Iceland
Iceland Review

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