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

Rare birds’ arrival an ‘unmissable sign’ climate emergency has reached Britain
Pushed north by global heating, birds like the European bee-eater seen in Norfolk likely to become established visitors
Mundesley, England, United Kingdom
the Guardian

River erosion threatening old dump site
Community gravel source and old dump site threated by erosion.
Noatak, Alaska, United States
Joy Britt, Kayla Nay, Sarah Durand, James Benzschawel, Jeffrey Luther, Erin Nelson, Desirae Mack, Joanna Barton

First case of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus infection in a black bear
The bear was exhibiting strange behavior, wandered between vehicles, went down to the water in a fishing harbor, began to swim around in circles, came out and hit a wall.
Forillon National Park, Quebec, Canada
Healthy Wildlife

Spittle bug widespread in Clare, Ireland
I saw an extreme amount of spittle bugs not only on grasses and plants but on flowers.
Liscannor, Munster, Ireland

Mosquitoes are unusually dense and vicious all of a sudden
Our Mosquito Magnet trap filled in under a week. We normally empty it once a month or so.
Ester, Alaska, United States

Fears of bird flu in colony on Hornøya in Finnmark with critically endangered seabird
Endangered guillemots sit tightly in the bird cliff. Infection of bird flu can pass through the colony quickly, fear scientists, who have found several dead birds in recent days. The finds on Hornøya join the series of observations along the coast. There are constantly new reports of sea otters in particular being found in Western Norway. There are also reports of sick gulls and sea eagles along the entire coast up to East Finnmark.
Hornøy Island, Vardø, Finnmark Fylke, Norway
NRK

Unusual thunderstorms ignite fires around Bristol Bay
Southwest Alaska has had an unusual increase in lighting storms this month. That lightning has ignited at least half a dozen wildfires in the Bristol Bay area.
Dillingham, Alaska, United States
KDLG

Yukon issues evacuation alert for areas of Ross River over potential flooding near Pelly River
The territorial government is alerting residents to be prepared for potential impacts of flooding in certain areas of Ross River.
Ross River, Yukon, Canada
CBC

Russian Cosmonaut Shares Unique Video of Shrinking Aral Sea as Seen From Outer Space
Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev posted a video of the Aral Sea on his Telegram channel showing the surface of the Aral Sea.  “Flying over the Aral Sea… or rather, what is left of it,” Artemyev wrote under the video.
Aral Sea
The Astana Times

A very big whitefish
No one in Grayling has seen this big a whitefish before. ADFG lists state record for broad whitefish as 11 lbs. This one weighed in at 15 lbs!
Grayling, Alaska, United States
Bernice Nicholi, Ted Meyers, Jayde Ferguson, Aren Gunderson

Thunderstorms in Southcentral Alaska spark at least 1 structure fire
It’s not often that Southcentral Alaska residents wake to thunder in the middle of the night. But what forecasters are calling an unusual storm moved from the Talkeetna Mountains into the Matanuska Valley and then Anchorage and south to the Kenai Peninsula from Wednesday night into Thursday morning. At least one lightning-caused structure fire was reported.
Palmer, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Atmospheric river dumping rain on overflowing rivers raises flood alarm
It's coming up to peak flood season in BC with extra thick snowpack melting into rivers. On top of that, an atmospheric river is coming.
Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada
Daily Hive News

Large tundra fire burns 12 miles away from St. Mary’s
“It’s been hot, it’s been dry, and it’s been windy. And those winds gusts of 20 miles per hour, it’s kind of funneled through the Andreafsky River drainage,” said Beth Ipsen. Federal entities sent in more firefighters this week, and some residents are thinking about preparing their go-bags.
St. Mary's, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Historic Lower Yukon wildfire forces evacuations from St. Mary’s and Pitkas Point
Two villages along the Lower Yukon River have begun evacuating their most vulnerable residents from a tundra fire.The fire late Thursday was burning less than eight miles from St Mary’s and nearby Pitkas Point, and wind continues spreading the flames closer to the villages with a combined population of over 700 people. Yute Commuter Service is sending all its planes to St. Mary’s to evacuate residents, and Grant Aviation is prepared to assist.
Pitkas Point, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Three high water advisories in effect for Yukon
Emergency measures organization has issued advisories for Upper Liard, Carmacks and Ross River areas.
Carmacks, Yukon, Canada
Yukon News

Shorebird from New Zealand spotted in Yukon after overshooting its destination in Alaska
'It flew right over Alaska and it landed just west of Herschel Island, at Qikiqtaruk [Territorial Park], along the coast along the Yukon's North Slope,' Cameron Eckert, a conservation biologist with Yukon Parks and a bird enthusiast, said of the bar-tailed godwit.
Hershel Island
CBC

Decaying Sea Cucumbers
I have photos of four different sea cucumbers decaying, but my friend claims to have observed around 10 dead sea cucumbers.
Saxman, Alaska, United States
Jesse Endert, Gary Freitag, Mandy Lindeberg

Suspected second monkeypox infection in Finland
The patient, who is receiving care at home, acquired the infection on a trip to Europe.
Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
News

Stickleback fish die-off
There were a plenty of what appeared to be juvenile dead stickle back fish on the top of the embankment of a few ponds.
Elim, Alaska, United States
Gay Sheffield, Jayde Ferguson, Brandon Ahmasuk, Leigh Takak, Scott Kent

Unusual bird behavior and illness observed across species on Yukon Delta
"Since about May 25, crews have been seeing multiple species showing what we believe are signs of highly pathogenic avian influenza. The signs we are seeing widespread is a headshaking that we equate to "getting the cobwebs out", like a person may do when they first wake up. This behavior occurs regularly every couple minutes. This behavior has been observed in: black brant, cackling geese, bar-tailed godwits, dunlin, lapland longspurs, spectacled eiders, emperor geese, greater white-fronted geese, sabines gulls, glaucous gulls, and red-necked phalaropes."
Newtok, Alaska, United States
Kimberlee Beckmen, Angela Matz, Louisa Castrodale, Gay Sheffield, Bob Gerlach, Michael Bruce, Andrew Ramey, Eric Taylor, Eric Taylor, Bryan Daniels, Rose Kalistook, Brian Lefferts, Brian Berube, Raphaela Stimmelmayr

Huge section of river bank collapses in Noatak
The collapse was documented with drone imagery as was a permafrost rebound signature in the river water.
Noatak, Alaska, United States
Edward "Ted" Smith, Edna Bailey, Jeffrey Luther, Joy Britt, Anna Liljedahl , Paul Walton, Hiram Walker, Chris Dankmeyer

Western Alaska residents fill buckets of late-budding salmonberries
Some possible causes for late budding in berries include more precipitation when flowers bloom, which reduces pollination, an overall lack of pollinators, or sometimes animals and birds eat the berries during the winter.
Nome, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Hurricane Ida traps Louisianans, shatters the power grid
Rescuers in boats, helicopters and high-water trucks brought hundreds of people trapped by Hurricane Ida's floodwaters to safety Monday and utility repair crews rushed in, after the furious storm swamped the Louisiana coast and ravaged the electrical grid in the stifling, late-summer heat.
New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
CTVNews

Sea cucumber die-off near Vancouver Island
When Kathleen Reed descended for her usual weekly dive off the coast of Nanaimo, B.C., last Saturday she was shocked by how many dead sea cucumbers she saw. Experts and harvesters fear that sea cucumbers are being hit by an illness similar to sea star wasting disease.
Dolphin Beach, British Columbia, Canada
CBC

Not seeing as many earthworms after rain events
"This year I walked along the same route after a rainstorm and see only one or two — sometimes none"
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Kimberly Porter, Luke Williams, Derek Sikes

NASA scientists spot troubling melting in Greenland from a plane
NASA scientists flew over Greenland this week, and gazed at a sprawling polar world of melted ice and dark pools of water.
Mashable

24 meters in a year: Like walking in a lunar landscape
Over the course of a year, the end of the glacier arms of the mighty Hardangerjøkulen has retreated so fast that huge amounts of gravel and stone comb have now appeared.
Midtdalsbreen, Hardangerjøkulen, Vestland, Norway
NRK

Agriculture Officials Really Want Those Spotted Lanternflies Gone, Gone, Gone
Pennsylvania officials are giving the following advice to those who encounter the pesky invasive insects: "Kill it! Squash it, smash it ... just get rid of it."
Pennsylvania, United States
NPR.org

First water shortage in recorded history declared for Colorado River system
Lake Mead, near the Arizona-Utah state line, is where the shortage was declared. Arizona farmers are being hit with water cuts as a result. Millions of Americans rely on the Colorado River system for water and hydroelectric power. Bureau of Reclamation statistics show Lake Mead is just 35% full.
Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States

Fire Updates: McFarland Containment Advances as McCash Fire Grows
A handful of fires burning east of Humboldt continue to spread, although some containment efforts have made progress in the McFarland Fire and River Complex...
McFarland, California, United States
North Coast Journal

Lightning strikes shock Iqaluit
Lightning struck in Iqaluit during a storm on Sunday. Terri Lang, Environment and Climate Change Canada’s meteorologist for Nunavut, said the department's weather system did not pick up how many times lightning struck, but that it did occur in the region.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada
Nunatsiaq News

This heatwave is no joke for farmers — or their visitors
It's another scorching hot day today and the trend is expected to continue into the first half of the week — and farms are feeling the impact. “When it's this hot, you don't feel like apple picking, says farmer Stephanie Quinn. It doesn't feel like fall, so we're worried that we're going to miss some of those sales later in the season. People are going to show-up in October and it's going to be too late.
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Montreal

Alaska biologists say wood bison reintroduced to the wild are thriving
State biologists completed an annual survey of the Innoko-Yukon River wood bison population earlier this summer, and they say the results show the animals are doing well six years after a seed group of bison was released in the area.
Holy Cross, Alaska, United States
KTOO

More than 200 illegal fishing nets seized on Fraser River by fishery officers
Sweeping salmon closures and protection measures were put in place for the 2021 season to protect stocks of concern. Between 200 and 250 illegal fishing nets have been seized on the Fraser River so far this year.
Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada
Port Alberni Valley News

Maritime wet weather may be reason behind increase in ticks this summer: researcher
Karley was diagnosed with Lyme disease. Her mother was told a tick bite was the likely cause. Just as we caught it, she was also developing Bell's Palsy, which was on the left side of her face, said Shields. The condition can cause one side of the face to droop. It would traumatizing for any person, but especially a 10-year-old.
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Atlantic

3 volcanoes erupting across Aleutian Range
Three volcanoes are erupting across the Aleutian Range — Great Sitkin and Semisopochnoi in the Aleutian Islands and Pavlof Volcano on the Alaska Peninsula.
Adak, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

"Snowlike" Saline Soils in Southern Alberta
The large quantity of salt that had accumulated this year, 2021, was a lot more predominant and at a much higher quantity then has been observed in previous years.
Farms along Hwy 1 with salt accumulation

The field has been giving strawberries for 80 years, but not anymore – it's completely dead
All farmer Arild Stenhaug is left with is tiny berries that cannot be sold. He believes the cause is climate change. "We have to listen to a farmer who has lost everything," says a researcher.
Utskarpen, Rana, Nordland, Norway
NRK

Five dolphins die in 'highly unusual stranding event'
The dolphins were part of a group of more than 50 that got into difficulty in the Cromarty Firth.
Invergordon, Scotland, United Kingdom
BBC News

Suddenly Njord (13) got a tuna on the hook – I was surprised!
The fishing trip to Gaiakulpen in Vesterelva offered a real surprise to friends Njord Lindgård and Tobias Holm (13).
Vesterelv, Nesseby, Troms og Finnmark Fylke, Norway
iFinnmark

Puffins bounce back in spectacular style
The heaviest puffling (baby puffin) ever recorded in Iceland was weighed by scientists in the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago recently, and the director of the South Iceland Natural History Institute believes the puffin stock overall may never have been bigger than now. The news comes after many failed breeding seasons since 2000 and worries for the species’ future.
Vestmannaeyjar, South, Iceland
RÚV

Fears oil ship will fall apart
Despite extensive and expensive work last summer to prevent further oil leaks from the Second World War shipwreck El Grillo, in Seyðisfjörður, oil is still leaking into the sea. It is thought the wreck still contains some 10-15 tonnes of oil.
Seyðisfjörður, East, Iceland
RÚV

Mysterious smelly fat blobs pollute West Vancouver beach
District of West Vancouver staff say they cleaned up 40 litres of fat from Ambleside Beach. Vancouver Coastal Health and the province are investigating.
West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
North Shore News

Bank erosion putting community water wells and transmission line in danger
Community Water System at Risk: Extreme precipitation throughout the summer and sustained high water has resulted in erosion of the location for the water transmission line and Noatak's two water wells.
Noatak, Alaska, United States
Malinda Chase , Max Neale, Chris Dankmeyer, Crane Johnson, John Warren, Paul Walton, Richard L Thoman Jr, Edward "Ted" Smith, Jeffrey Luther, David Beveridge, Joy Britt

Drought-choked Colorado River faces an unprecedented water shortage
Federal officials declared a water shortage for the Hoover Dam’s Lake Mead, the largest water reservoir in the US. It will trigger mandatory water cuts to several western states starting next year.
The Verge

Rare polar bear sighting causes a stir in Kotzebue
Locals in Kotzebue showed a mix of excitement and concern over the weekend in response to reports that a rare polar bear was spotted in the area.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Rare footage shows a polar bear hunt a swimming reindeer
Rare footage shot by a researcher expedition in Norway shows a polar bear hunting and catching a swimming adult reindeer. The video, captured by Mateusz Gruszka, a cook for an expedition of Polish researchers in August 2021 on the Svalbard archipelago, shows the bear catching the reindeer and drowning it before dragging it ashore.
Svalbard Archipelago
ArcticToday

For the second year in row, large numbers of wild reindeer are found dead along Russia's Khatanga River
A state of emergency was declared in mid-August in Khatanga, a small town on the banks of the river of the same name in Russia’s far northern Taymyr Peninsula, after more than 1,200 dead reindeer were found scattered on the river’s banks.
Khatanga, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia
ArcticToday

Heavy Greenland rain event
On August 14, 2021, temperatures rose above freezing on the summit of Greenland, fueling a rain event that dumped 7 billion tons of water—the heaviest since records began in 1950.
Greenland
Twitter

1st live Asian giant 'murder hornet' of 2021 spotted in Washington state
Entomologists confirm the report of the world's largest hornet — a worrisome invasive species that originates from East Asia and Japan — by a person in a rural area near the Canadian border.
Blaine, Washington, United States

2021 Summer Heat Wave in Cranbrook: Low Water Levels in the Philips Reservoir Causing Unusual Water Restrictions to the Community
These prolonged above-normal temperatures required the City of Cranbrook to increase water restrictions to levels not generally experienced by the community. Additionally, during this time (personal experience), the water was discoloured and had an odor, forcing bottled water to ensure safe drinking.
Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada

Fire Updates: Smoke Intensifies, River Complex Estimated Containment Date Oct. 1
A handful of fires burning east of Humboldt continued to grow overnight with minimal containment, bringing air quality and travel impacts. Parts of State Route 36 have reopened to controlled traffic. Overall hot, dry conditions are expected to complicate fire suppression efforts.
Junction City, California, United States
North Coast Journal

Dismal Yukon River salmon returns prompt widespread fishing closures, emergency aid — and tough questions
A decades-long decline in salmon in the Yukon River has reached a crisis this year, forcing harvest closures and prompting emergency shipments of salmon from other regions of Alaska to river residents who are otherwise facing food shortages.
Bethel, Alaska, United States
ArcticToday

More buildings lost in main B.C. fire as heat wave is set to bake B.C.
The wildfire has now grown to 565 square kilometres in size.
Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada
vancouversun

‘River is getting close.’ Erosion is threatening Napakiak's school
The village is losing ground three times faster than it was 10 years ago, according to studies of Napakiak’s erosion. During high tide, the river is only 64 feet from the high-schoolers’ original classroom and gets closer by the day. On windy days, waves crash against the shore where students used to play, battering it until the land relents and crumbles.
Napakiak, Alaska, United States
KTOO

He has lived for 74 years – for the first time the river is dry
Extreme drought in the west means that households with private waterworks are out of water. Elvar's dried up. "The situation is very serious," he says.
Skinlo, Breim, Vestland, Norway

When polar bears hunt snow geese, hunger justifies the means
At this time of year, the geese are moulting — and therefore unable to fly — so they congregate near ponds to avoid the Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), which is reluctant to jump into the water. But the bear was about to use a new hunting technique: he dove under the water, disappeared from the eyes of the geese who had stopped fleeing, and emerged from underneath one of them.
Bylot Island, Nunavut Canada
NNSL Media

Dead seabirds wash up on regional shores
Starting last week, regional residents reported numerous dead seabirds washing up on regional beaches. Alaska Sea Grant Agent Gay Sheffield said there were carcasses of murres, puffins, shearwaters and a kittiwake starting on July 28; in Golovin, Solomon, Nome and a dead Little Diomede.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Second year in row, big numbers of wild reindeer calves are found dead along banks of great river Khatanga
Poaching and climate change might be the reasons why more than 1,200 migrating animals did not make it across the wide Arctic waterway.
Khatanga river, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia
The Independent Barents Observer

Warmest July on record in north and east
This July was the warmest on record in nearly all of North and East Iceland. The average temperature was above 14°C at several weather stations, and no average monthly temperature in Iceland is ever known to have been higher.
Akureyri, Northeast, Iceland
RÚV

Siberia Feels the Brunt of Climate Change as Wildfires Rage
The driest summer in 150 years has turned Yakutia into a tinderbox and seen wildfires tear through the region.
Yakutsk, Sakha, Russia
The Moscow Times

July was Kotzebue's wettest month on record
The record was driven in part by a heavy rainstorm that set Kotzebue's single-day precipitation record.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
KTOO

Rapid Erosion Exposes Old Landfill
Unusual high water all summer in Noatak, causing massive erosion towards the airport and old buried landfill, exposing old trash into the river.
Max Neale, Paul Walton, David Beveridge, Jeffrey Luther, John Monville, Jacquelyn Overbeck, Crane Johnson, Joy Britt, Chris Dankmeyer, Richard L Thoman Jr

Insect eating red currant leaves
Red currant leaf consumption by something was observed by my supervisor while walking along a salmon stream.
Lazy Mountain, Alaska, United States

Seeing some Worms in Kenai Salmon
About 10% of our catch during dip net fishing at mouth of Kenai River was harboring these worms.
Kenai River, Alaska, United States
Jayde Ferguson, Mike Brubaker, Ian Williams

Smoke may cause unhealthy air quality in Southcentral and Interior Alaska, DEC says
Parts of Interior and Southcentral Alaska will see poor air quality as a result of wildfires this week, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation warned on Tuesday.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

North Athens fire ‘out of control,’ traps residents, responders
An unknown number of residents, firefighters and policemen are reportedly trapped between two fronts of a major wildfire in northern Athens that has already destroyed homes in the suburb of Varymbombi and is spreading to Thrakomakedones.
Athens, Attica, Greece
Ekathimerini.com

Kobuk Rain and High-water Flood
After significant rain and high water from the Kobuk River the Native Village of Kobuk is now flooded.
Kobuk, Alaska, United States
Chris Dankmeyer, Crane Johnson, Richard L Thoman Jr, Ida Norton, Virginia Commack, Francine Moreno, Edward "Ted" Smith, David Beveridge, Mary Mullan, Max Neale

Phytoplankton blooms hint at changing Arctic waters
Recent research has found that coccolithophore blooms are occupying increasingly more space in the Barents Sea. Between 1998 and 2016, coccolithophore summer blooms have expanded poleward and their surface area in the Barents Sea has doubled.
Nunatsiaq News

Larva of water beetle (Dytiscus)
Tribal member of St. Mary's finds the larva of a predaceous diving beetle.
St. Mary's, Alaska, United States

The Norwegian Environment Agency is concerned about phosphorus in the mountain Lake Gjende
There are high levels of phosphorus in Gjende, which is located 984 meters above sea level, at the foot of the country's most popular mountain ridge, Besseggen. Phosphorus from the deposition of mud from melting glaciers affect the plankton in the lake. Scientist note that in the stomachs of the thin fish there is little zooplankton.
Gjende, Jotunheimen, Norway
Dag Kessel, Even Lusæter, Lars Erik Skrefsrud, Eilin Spolén Juva

Spittlebugs galore in Sand Lake area
"I am seeing spittlebugs deposits everywhere I look in the Sand Lake area."
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Unprecedented salmon declines force fish donations to Alaska’s Yukon River villages
Chum returns are the lowest on record, leaving communities with empty freezers and uncertainty about getting through the winter.
Bethel, Alaska, United States

Killer whale stranded on Prince of Wales Island frees itself
A killer whale that beached itself on Prince of Wales Island on Thursday has freed itself, according to federal biologists.
Craig, Alaska, United States

When will Oregon’s heat wave end? 4 Portland weather experts make their predictions
When will the second heat wave round end in the Portland area?
Portland, Oregon, United States
oregonlive

Greenland experienced 'massive' ice melt this week, scientists say
With climate change fueling high temperatures across the Arctic, Greenland lost a massive amount of ice on Wednesday with enough melting to cover the U.S. state of Florida in 2 inches (5.1 centimeters) of water, scientists said. It was the third-biggest ice loss for Greenland in a single day since 1950.
Greenland

Finland's worst wildfire in decades is raging through a northwest forest - ArcticToday
Finland’s worst wildfire in more than half a century scorched the country’s northwest for a fifth day on Friday, tearing through forests left dry by record summer heat.
Pyhäranta, Finland Proper, Finland

30 percent have been bitten
The notorious lúsmý (Culicoides reconditus), a species of biting midge that has colonised Iceland for the first time in the past few years. The tiny flies can cause severe reactions, with large, sore, itchy spots that can remain angry for a week or more, and sometimes spread into a sort of rash.
Húnaþing vestra, Northwestern, Iceland

Tsunami warning canceled after 8.2 offshore earthquake sent people in many Alaska coastal communities to higher ground
The Tsunami Warning Center recorded waves of less than 1 foot above normal as a result of the earthquake.
Chignik, Alaska, United States

Russia's Norilsk sees a heatwave
Residents of the Russian Arctic city of Norilsk spent time in and around Lake Dolgoye on Tuesday, as temperatures in the region soared. The lake is used for water discharge from Norilsk‘s Central Heating and Power Plant No. 1, but was used for swimming on July 27 as the temperature in the city reached 30 degrees Celsius (86 F).
Norilsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia

A Fall Storm in the Summer
Unusual mid summer storm in Golovin and local observations about changes in the salmon harvest.
Golovin, Alaska, United States

Sea Life Die-Off Found on Beach
"While on a field trip for work, we stopped at the beach and you can notice hundreds of dead clams and star fish littering the beach."
Elim, Alaska, United States
Carol Oliver, Derek Sikes, Leigh Takak, Gay Sheffield, Racheal Lee

Floods, landslides impacting Costa Rica on Friday
The consequences of heavy and persistent rainfall continue to impact Costa Rica on Friday, particularly in the canton of Turrialba and on the Caribbean.
Turrialba, Cartago, Costa Rica
The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate

Record-breaking rains devastated central China, but there is little talk of climate change
As record heat waves hit western North America and deadly floods swept Germany, the growing risks associated with climate change have grabbed headlines, and prompted widespread discussions in the West.
Henan, China
CNN

Changes in fish size and parasite load of Kasilof sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)
"My husband and I have been dipnetting on the Kasilof since 2014. This year we noticed more small fish than usual and all but ~5 of the 35 fish we caught had parasites."
Kasilof, Alaska, United States

B.C.'s heat wave may be to blame for several cases of shellfish poisoning
Several people have fallen ill with food poisoning after eating shellfish in B.C. in the last 10 days, and health officials are warning that warm ocean waters might be to blame.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Coast Guard rescues man after being pounced, stalked by grizzly
By Julia Lerner Richard Jessee, a longtime summer miner, survived an aggressive bear attack near his cabin last week.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Coyote bites another Stanley Park jogger a week after 4 of the animals put down
The BC Conservation Officer Service said the latest attack happened around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday night, while a woman was jogging along the seawall.
West End, British Columbia, Canada
Global News

Decline in and delayed salmon on the Skeena River
In recent years, we have observed the salmon arriving at our territory along the Skeena River later than normal and in fewer numbers. The total number of wild sockeye (Oncorhynchus nerka) returning to the Skeena River have decreased by 69% in comparison to historical stocks.
Gwax Ts'eliksit, British Columbia, Canada
Kristen Davis, Tom Okey, David Oswald, Cody Thomas

'Unprecedented' absence of southern resident killer whales from Salish Sea
The most common pod of southern resident killer whales who migrate to the Salish Sea during the summer have not been seen for than 100 days, marking a highly unusual absence from their historic summer hunting ground, according to researchers.
Salish Sea
Vancouver Island

Bristol Bay’s Nushagak District is seeing a record-setting sockeye salmon run
Tim Sands, an Alaska Department of Fish and Game area management biologist, said he is hopeful the strong run throughout Bristol Bay will continue next year.
Naknek, Alaska, United States

Veterinarians of the village of Providence "resuscitated" the exhausted walrus
The female aroused interest among local residents. Specialists suggested that scars on its body could mean that it was attacked by an orca; the walrus hauled out a few days after a group of walruses had been trapped by orcas. After treatment, the walrus left the shore.
Provideniya, Chukotskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia
Chukotka

Caterpillars on Kesugi Ridge
Hikers on Kesugi Ridge observe a large abundance of Rusty Tussock Caterpillars all over cairns marking the trail from Coal Creek to Byre's Lake. They swarmed on the hiker's bodies and packs and from a distance covered structures to the point where they looked black.
Chase, Alaska, United States
Jessie Moan, Carl Roland, Kendra Wissel, Adrienne Fleek, Sarah Stehn

‘It’s a nightmare’: 300 wildfires blaze, another evacuation order issued as southern B.C. still parched
As of Monday, some 300 wildfire were burning across British Columbia. Thirty-seven blazes, 12 per cent of all B.C. fires, are rated as highly visible or a threat to life or property. Several new evacuation orders and alerts were posted over the weekend by regional governments across B.C.’s southern Interior.
British Columbia, Canada
vancouversun

Siberian wildfire smoke causes hazy skies in Southcentral Alaska
The haze is expected to subside by the middle of next week, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service said.

Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) Extended Range into the St. Lawrence Region
Double-crested cormorants have been observed in the St Lawrence River region, with record-breaking numbers, in recent years.
Gananoque, Ontario, Canada

'Stay away from Maaseik' as dyke threatens to break, mayor warns
As experts are expecting that the water level of the Meuse river will continue to rise until noon and the water has starting flowing over the dyke, the mayor of Maaseik in the Limburg province urged people to stay away.
Maaseik, Limburg, Belgium
The Brussels Times

Opah on the Oregon Coast
On July 14, a rare 100-pound opah fish was found on the Oregon coast. The 3.5 foot 100 pound fish washed up at Sunset Beach, and was reported to the Seaside Aquarium.
Sunset Beach, Oregon, United States
WRAL.com

Blue mussel die-off in Skagway
"The first wave of dead mussels washed ashore on July 14th, possibly earlier but this was the first report we received. I took the pictures included in my LEO observation on July 16th, and the temperatures were only just then beginning to climb into the upper 70s and lower 80s."
Skagway, Alaska, United States
Kris Holderied, Mandy Lindeberg, Reuben Cash

Beaver dam outburst floods prompt effort to protect Richardson Highway
Alaska transportation officials believe there’s a low risk that anyone could be harmed in an outburst, but they say they’re acting swiftly to prevent another road closure.
Paxson, Alaska, United States

Thousands evacuated after floods devastate homes and towns
Germany's most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia, is in shock. Entire municipalities there have been evacuated, including Heimerzheim, a town of 6,000.
North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
DW.COM

Air quality statements expand throughout Alberta as heat wave continues
Air quality concerns have extended across the foothills and west-central Alberta including Calgary and surrounding areas.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Calgary

Invasive seaweed detected on Aotea/Great Barrier Island
Caulerpa brachypus, which can spread rapidly and create dense mats, was found in July in Blind Bay and Tryphena Harbour. This was the first time the pest species had been detected in New Zealand.
Great Barrier Island
NZ Herald

Extreme heat could kill nearly all young salmon in the Sacramento River, officials say
As temperatures near and surpass triple digits, many reservoirs in California's Central Valley have diverted more water to cities and farmers during the drought, making rivers shallower and too hot for the fish to develop from eggs, a process which can take at least 60 days to complete. To combat the poor river conditions in the Central Valley, some fish preservation organizations have tried to save the salmon population by launching large scale trucking operations to transport millions of salmon to the San Pablo Bay, San Francisco Bay and other fish farms where they are more likely to survive.
Sacramento, California, United States
CNN

West Coast drought puts fish and forests in dire straits
West Coast fish and forests are in greater peril than ever as the B.C. government issues widespread drought warnings after a record-breaking heat wave and an explosion of wildfires across the province.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Island

'Unprecedented:' Rare sei whales spotted off Vancouver Island
Researchers on an expedition 300 kilometers west of Vancouver Island stumbled upon a group of 25-30 endangered sei whales.
300 kms West of Vancouver Island, Canada
CHEK

N.W.T. has now detected mosquito borne viruses
Of the 92 pools of mosquitoes tested, 30 had at least one mosquito that tested positive for California serogroup viruses. There has been one confirmed diagnosis of meningoencephalitis — a severe neurological condition — caused by the snowshoe hare virus. There have been no positive cases yet of West Nile Virus.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

At Least 600 Tons Of Dead Fish Have Washed Up Along Tampa Bay's Shore
The hordes of fish were killed by a red tide, a large "bloom" of toxic algae that appears on Florida's Gulf Coast about once a year. Experts say the bloom shouldn't be happening right now.
Tampa, Florida, United States
NPR.org

Environment Canada issues air quality warning for Nunavik
Active fires in northeastern Ontario and eastern Manitoba are expected to send smoke across northern Quebec today and Wednesday, Environment Canada said in a special air quality statement posted for each of the region’s 14 communities.
Kuujjuaq, Quebec, Canada
Nunatsiaq News

Permafrost is ablaze with hundreds of wildfires in world’s coldest region
Wildfires on permafrost are ravaging Yakutia - or the Sakha Republic - the largest and coldest entity of the Russian Federation. The scale is mesmerizing. There are some 300 separate fires, now covering 12,140 square kilometers - but only around half of these are being tackled, because they pose a threat to people. The rest are burning unchecked.
Sakha, Russia
Siberian Times

Unusual Arctic thunderstorms spark rare lightning strikes in Northern Alaska
Thunderstorms in Northern Alaska over sea ice on Monday sparked rare lightning strikes. The Washington Post reported lightning strikes occurred north of Prudhoe Bay, directly over sea ice, a rare phenomena that occurs once or twice a decade.
Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, United States

Rabid bat discovered in Toronto's High Park
A bat in High Park tested positive for rabies on Wednesday, according to Toronto Public Health.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Maine Has a Dangerous, Small, and Very Itchy Problem
Climate change is keeping temperatures higher in the fall, setting up browntail-moth caterpillars to boom in summer. Their hairs are barbed and hollow and there’s a reservoir of a toxin inside.
Portland, Maine, United States
The Atlantic

Low Abundance of Fish Harms Norton Sound’s Commercial Fishing Season
The prospects are dim for this summer’s Norton Sound commercial fishing and crabbing seasons.
KNOM Radio Mission

Volcanic Gases Cause Haze and Breathing Issues
Gases from the ongoing eruption on Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula may lead to fewer sunny days this summer, Vísir reports. Eruption gases have been creating a haze in the capital area in recent days and causing discomfort for people with asthma or other lung conditions. Air quality specialist Þorsteinn Jóhannsson says locals should get into the […]
Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland
Iceland Review

Evacuation order issued for Chena Hot Springs area as wildfire grows to nearly 20,000 acres
As of Monday evening, no structures had been damaged in the Munson Creek Fire, which was less than a half mile from the popular resort.
Pleasant Valley, Alaska, United States

Air quality poor in parts of B.C. as more than 200 wildfires burn across province
Air quality alerts remain in place for several areas in B.C.'s southern Interior on Tuesday as more than 200 wildfires continue to burn through hundreds of square kilometres of the province.
Thompson-Nicola J, British Columbia, Canada

Exceptional heat takes toll on berries, other crops
An extended period of hot, dry weather is affecting the harvest outlook and impacting grain growth. Even the wild berry season, which was off to a good start, may be in peril.
Kullaa, Satakunta, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Such was the temperature in July
It's been a hot July. In fact, it was the 10th warmest in 120 years.
Lakselv, Troms og Finnmark Fylke, Norway

Whitehorse residents warned not to feed wildlife after black bear killed in Riverdale
After a black bear was shot dead in her front yard, a Whitehorse resident is concerned that people are inadvertently luring bears into the neighbourhood by feeding wildlife.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

‘Pure hell’: Cyprus hit by worst forest fire in decades
Deadly blaze that killed four people and forced evacuation of 10 villages is now close to being under control
Arakapás, Limassol, Cyprus
the Guardian

Finland braces for renewed warm, dry spell as Lapland sees record temperatures
Lapland was Finland's hottest region on Monday with a measuring station in the village of Utsjoki recording 33.5 degrees celsius. A high-pressure front dominating Central and Eastern Europe is behind the drought and high temperature readings.
Utsjoki, Lapland, Finland
Yle Uutiset

There's a lot of flies in the mountains and heat, but there are things you can do to cope
Millions of small black flies have taken over mountains and hiking trails. "I thought it was horrible," says Pernille Frøskeland.
Skrovtinden, Reipå, Nordland, Norway
Sofie Retterstøl Olaisen, Emma Skau Solås

Continued river warnings in north
According to police sources, flow in the region’s swollen rivers dropped slightly overnight, but that this is likely explained because the air temperature usually drops overnight. Flow is expected to increase again today.
Hjalteyri, Northeast, Iceland

Strange Plant found below Oskawalik on the Kuskokwim River
An Aniak resident found these plants below Oskawalik and never have seen them before. Identification is still in progress.
Below Oskawalik, Alaska, United States

Number of deaths recorded during B.C.'s heat wave up to 808, coroners say
The number of deaths recorded across British Columbia during the province's recent record-breaking heat wave has climbed to 808, according to coroners.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
CTV News

‘Our poor little town’: Village at center of Canada’s heat wave devastated by wildfires
Lytton, British Columbia, broke successive Canadian heat records early this week, with temperatures peaking at 121 degrees on Tuesday. Then the fires swept in.
Lytton, British Columbia, Canada

European Skipper (Thymelicus lineola) in Northwest, BC
A European Skipper butterfly is observed in Northwest BC, an introduced species and one of several stressors underlying insect declines.
Smithers, British Columbia, Canada

B.C. heat wave 'cooks' fruit crops on the branch in sweltering Okanagan and Fraser valleys
Farmers are trying to salvage their cherry crops following damage from a week of extreme temperatures. Cherry crops in the BC Interior have been burned due to the extreme temperatures brought by the heat wave at the end of June.
Peachland, British Columbia, Canada

Vancouver trees dry out as heat wave continues to take its toll
British Columbia's unprecedented heat wave and drought-like conditions may be what is causing some Vancouver trees to shed their leaves this week, a scientist says.

Landslide Damages Two Houses in North Iceland
No one was injured in a landslide that occurred yesterday in Varmahlíð, North Iceland, though two houses sustained significant damage. Nine homes on four different streets in the town have been evacuated. The evacuation will remain in force until after the region’s local Civil Protection and Emergency Management Committee meets this morning to assess the […]
Varmahlíð, Northwest, Iceland
Iceland Review

Downstream Erosion after Heavy Rain in Brooks Range
Photos show some of the erosion caused by surge of high water in late June on the Noatak River. As of June 29th, 24 feet of bank have been lost adjacent to the Noatak Airport, and 28 feet adjacent to the landfill.
Jeffrey Luther, Edward "Ted" Smith, Richard L Thoman Jr, Paul Walton, Crane Johnson, Joy Britt, John Monville, Chris Dankmeyer

For 3rd straight day, B.C. village smashes record for highest Canadian temperature at 49.6 C
Lytton, B.C., has broken the record for the hottest temperature ever recorded in Canada for a third straight day, hitting a scorching 49.6 C on Tuesday.
Lytton, British Columbia, Canada

Intertidal life after significant heat wave
In Malahat Drive in BC, an extraordinary heat wave, combined with low tides during the middle of the day resulted in the die off of possibly billions of intertidal invertebrates along the coast of British Columbia and Washington State.
Malahat Drive

Unprecedented Heat Wave in the Bow Valley
While seasonal fluctuation is normal, there is evidence that this region is being strongly affected by climate change. The Municipality of Canmore’s Climate Change Adaptation Background Report and Resilience Plan (2016) shows that there has been a warming trend that is moving faster than the global average with the average annual temperature of the Bow Valley increasing.
Canmore, Alberta, Canada

Heat wave linked to sudden deaths in western Canada as temperature hits 121 in B.C. town
Environment Canada said the weather system shattered more than 100 heat records across British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon and Northwest Territories.
Lytton, British Columbia, Canada

Southwest Alaska community on Bering Sea coast experiences severe flooding
Kwigillingok, a community on the Bering Sea coast of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, is used to some flooding during high tides. But in recent years, that flooding has grown more severe, reaching a new threshold last week.
Kwigillingok, Alaska, United States

Wildfires begin blazing in wake of record-breaking heat across Washington
Wildfires have already begun to take hold across Washington in the wake of record heat both east and west of the Cascades. Responders are currently battling a 31-square-mile fire in Adams County, after getting sparked in the town of Lind on Sunday morning. The fast-moving brush fire has been threatening homes and vital infrastructure.
Lind, Washington, United States
MyNorthwest.com

Seattle already set a record high temperature Sunday; Monday’s forecast is ‘unheard of’
For the first time in Seattle’s history, temperatures spiked above 100 degrees two days in a row, with residents scrambling to find relief — and flocking to beaches, parks and...
Seattle, Washington, United States
The Seattle Times

Extreme heat cooks shellfish alive on Puget Sound beaches
A record-shattering heat wave June 26-28 coincided with some of the year's lowest tides on Puget Sound. The combination was lethal for millions of mussels, clams, oysters, sand dollars, barnacles, sea stars, moon snails, and other tideland creatures exposed to three afternoons of intense heat.
Anacortes, Washington, United States
KUOW

Erosion impacting wells and transmission line
River erosion in Noatak is posing a threat to wells and transmission lines along the bank as the river ebbs closer.
John Monville, Chris Dankmeyer, Joy Britt, Jeffrey Luther, Paul Walton

Coast Guard responds to tar-like substance spill on Utqiagvik beach
Officials are still examining the substance in a lab to determine what it is, but DEC suspects it’s black tar or asphalt.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Wesley Early, Alaska's Energy Desk - Kotzebue

Flood Level on Takhini River
"River is running bank full with all gravel bars and low islands underwater."

Halibut fisherman weathers freak storm on trip back from Togiak
Westfall thanked his training with the Alaska Marine Safety Education Association to help him maximize his odds for survival.

Flood warning in Carmacks docks the 2021 River Quest
The Yukon River Quest has been cancelled for the second year in a row. When the river is high like that the banks are being eroded, there is no place to pull out so if you do have a problem it's really dangerous indeed.
Carmacks, Yukon, Canada
Yukon News

Thousands of lightning strikes spark more than a dozen wildfires in Northwest Alaska
On Tuesday night, the state of Alaska saw thousands of lightning strikes. “Most of the 3,800 lightning strikes were concentrated in the Northwest Arctic,” said BLM Alaska Fire Service spokeswoman Beth Ipsen. There are several communities in close proximity to new fires.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
Wesley Early, Alaska's Energy Desk - Kotzebue

UN weather agency affirms 2020 Arctic heat record in Siberia
The agency said it has certified a 100.4-degree reading in the Russian town of Verkhoyansk last year as the highest temperature ever recorded in the Arctic.
Verkhoyansk, Sakha, Russia

Lymantria dispar dispar outbreak
Lymantria dispar dispar also known as spongy moth was observed in Waterloo Ontario to be in unusually large quantities during the summer of 2021.
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Record-setting heat blasts the West: ‘Your skin is almost sizzling’
Fueled by climate change, the heat wave is unprecedented in its timing, intensity and scope. Coupled with a catastrophic drought that has damaged crops and shrunk vital reservoirs to all-time lows, the blazing weather is a trademark of human-caused warming.
Sacramento, California, United States
The Washington Post

Kuskokwim River Chum Run Extremely Low So Far
The Kuskokwim River king salmon run does not look particularly strong this year, but chum numbers look even worse. Historically, around 60% of the salmon in the river at this point in the season would be chum or sockeye, but right now Bethel Test Fishery numbers show that just over 20% of the salmon are.
Bethel, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Burn ban issued for Kenai Peninsula
High-fire danger prompts burn ban this week, A burn suspension is in effect for the Kenai Peninsula due to high fire danger, high fire activity and limited firefighting resources, according to a special notice from the Alaska Department of Natural Resources.
Homer, Alaska, United States
Homer News

Coldest June night in 43 years
The temperature in Akureyri last night dropped to -1°C, the coldest night this late in June since 1978—or 43 years ago.
Akureyri, Northeast, Iceland

Deadly Flash Floods in Department of Sololá, Guatemala
Heavy rainfall caused the Quibá river to overflow in the village of Guineales, municipality of Santa Catarina Ixtahuacán in Sololá department.
Santa Catarina Ixtahuacán, Sololá, Guatemala
FloodList

Red rust on endemic roses
My unprofessional opinion is that climate change is affecting these endemic roses and that they are in peril.

Tiny insects ate the needles off a half million acres of Tongass hemlocks. Most of the trees will be fine.
Dead crowns in the canopy and rusty-colored branches are woven in with the otherwise healthy, green temperate rainforest. About a third of the trees around here were hit by the voracious sawfly. The larvae get mistaken for caterpillars. Adults are a kind of non-stinging wasp, a little smaller than a pinky finger.
Juneau, Alaska, United States

Russia’s largest and coldest region is on fire - again, and this year wildfires strike early
Even school children are in firefighting brigades in some areas of Yakutia.
Srednekolymsk, Sakha, Russia
Siberian Times

Tiny worm comes back to life after 24,000 years in Siberian deep freeze
A microscopic organism has wriggled back to life and reproduced asexually after lying frozen in the vast permafrost lands of northeastern Siberia for 24,000 years. Russian scientists found the tiny, ancient animal called the bdelloid rotifer in soil taken from the Alazeya River basin, in the far north of Russia’s Yakutia region.

Paralytic Shellfish Toxin Advisory
The Southeast Alaska Tribal Ocean Research program found that all shellfish species in Settler's Cove and Seaport Beach in Ketchikan and Starrigavan North beach in Sitka are affected by high levels of Paralytic Shellfish Toxin, posing the risk of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning for consumers.
Ketchikan, Alaska, United States
Southeast Tribal Ocean Research

Abnormal abundance of ticks
My colleague who has been doing this work for over 35 years indicated that he has never experienced that many ticks.
Scott Road Landfill (near Cardinal)
Chyna Williams, Andrea Sare, David Oswald

Mysterious black substance on Wells Beach turns out to be millions of dead bugs
The black substance was staining the feet of people at the beach, prompting one local resident to alert state officials.
Wells Beach Station, Maine, United States
Press Herald

Rapid permafrost thaw expected in N.W.T., Yukon after heat wave, experts warn
The heat wave sweeping through the N.W.T. and Yukon will have a major impact on permafrost thaw in both territories, experts warn.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Large wildfire breaks out in Cairngorms National Park
The blaze in forestry south of Loch Morlich near Aviemore has now been extinguished.
Kincraigy, Donegal, Ireland
BBC News

Low king counts to close Anchor River, Deep Creek to fishing
“The midpoint of the Anchor River king salmon run was extremely late. These fish are really having some odd, unprecedented run timing and behavior."
Kasilof, Alaska, United States

Elephant herd now close to Kunming
A herd of wild Asian elephants that left Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve in the south of Yunnan province last year is still moving northward, local media reported on Wednesday. The 15-member herd has traveled nearly 500 kilometers from its original habitat. Experts said the move northward is unusual and they do not know the reason for it.
Kunming, Yunnan, China

Tick found on dog on Anchorage Hillside
An unidentified tick was found on the nose of a dog in the backyard of a home in south Anchorage. Neither the family nor their pet had been traveling recently. The identification of the tick species is pending.

'This is what we've been waiting for': Calgarians embrace first heat wave of the season
Much of Alberta remained under a heat warning Wednesday but after months cooped up indoors, many Calgarians are embracing the warm weather.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Calgary

Heat records broken in 10 places in B.C. so far this week
Environment Canada says records were broken in 10 places Tuesday - from 29 C in Fort Nelson, just edging a record set in 1961 - to 34.6 C in Trail, and highs ranging from 27 to the low 30s in Sechelt, Gibsons, Clinton, Merritt, Pemberton, Princeton and the Malahat on Vancouver Island.
Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada
British Columbia

Karuk Tribe Declares Climate Emergency
The Karuk Tribe has declared a climate emergency as the Klamath River Basin has seen the worst conditions in history with very low precipitation and...
Yreka, California, United States
North Coast Journal

Record heat in Svalbard is causing problems – Mine 7 inundated with meltwater
The glacier over Mine 7 in Adventdalen on Svalbard is thawing in the summer heat. This has resulted in a severe flood with thousands of liters of water.
Gruve 7, Advendtdalen, Svalbard
Anja Ariel Tørnes Brekke, Aslaug Aarsæther

Unalaska records 120 mph winds during record-breaking August storm
The strong winds toppled boats, threw shipping containers into the bay, and even blew the windows out of American President Lines crane. The winds came during a storm from the remnants of Typhoon Bavi.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States

Mystery lines on Haida Gwaii beach
I've asked quite a few of the elders here if they had ever seen and none of them said they had ever seen it, said Skidegate Chief Councillor Bill Yovanovich, who took the photos Saturday on Lina Island. They show small bits of white shells arranged into what appears to be an intentional grid pattern that stretches at least a hundred metres along the beach.
Lina Island, Haida Gwaii, Canada
Global News

Waterfowl Disappearance and Other Lake Ecosystem Changes
Residents note significant changes in the Christiansen Lake ecosystem since 2019. This includes fewer nesting birds, fish, and mammals around the lake, while the leech population has increased along with the occurrence of algal blooms.
Talkeetna, Alaska, United States

Uncommon Slimy Sculpin (Cottus cognatus) Catch
Slimy sculpins (*Cottus cognatus*) are small, nocturnal, bottom-dwelling fish that lack a swim bladder to help them stay bouyant in the water. Their size and habitat allow them to easily avoid fishing gear designed for salmon.
North Fork Andreafski River

Huge explosion leaves crater 165ft deep in Arctic tundra
Giant hole, thought to have been caused by methane release, is biggest of its kind discovered in Russia’s Yamal peninsula. It is the 17th crater of its kind to be found and documented in Yamal since 2014.
Yamal Peninsula, Russia

Foreign plastic continues to wash up on region’s beaches
There has been a surge of plastic trash that has been washing up on beaches in Nome and across the Bering Strait Region.
The Nome Nugget

Grasshoppers are Becoming More Common
Warming temperatures may support growing grasshopper populations along the southern Seward Peninsula.
Koyuk, Alaska, United States

Polar bear kills man in Norway's Arctic Svalbard islands
The man, identified as 38-year-old Dutch citizen was attacked in his tent before dawn and died shortly afterwards of his injuries. Svalbard officials say there were seven people on the site at the time and they are being looked after by health services.
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
BBC News

Dead whales wash up near Unalaska, but pandemic complicates necropsies
Two dead whales have washed up on Unalaska's shores in the past week: an adult fin whale — which is the second largest mammal in the world — and a juvenile humpback.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States

Dead beluga calf poses questions for biologists
It is thought to be either an aborted fetus or a very young calf. The calf is one of six belugas that have been found dead this year, five in the last month.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Juneau Empire

Waterspout spotted off Newfoundland
Steve Angel was treated to quite a sight Monday afternoon: a non-tornadic waterspout dancing on the water off the coast of Stephenville, N.L.
Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
The Telegram

Polar bear mother brings her cubs into the Arctic town of Pevek in Chukotka
It is still not clear if the family was brought so close to people by hunger as most locals believe or, as one account suggests, out of fear of being followed by an aggressive large male.
Pevek, Chukotskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia
Siberia Times

Arctic ice extent is unlikely to hit a record-low minimum, but lingering ice is ‘thin and porous’
Large holes had developed by mid-August in the low-concentration ice in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, according to National Snow and Ice Data Center.

Low Water and Few Fish
Early snowmelt and low precipitation have led to low river water levels on the southern Seward Peninsula. Low water levels may be a contributing factor in observations of poor fishing, and poor fish health, along the western coast of Alaska.
Elim, Alaska, United States

Exposed Permafrost in Tundra
Permafrost is becoming exposed in Western Alaska, in areas where the landscape transitions to tundra.
Alakanuk, Alaska, United States

Caterpillar Causing Itchy Skin Likely a Rusty Tussock Caterpillar (Orgyia antiqua)
Rusty tussock caterpillars can cause skin irritation for people when handled individually, and are responsible to large defoliation events when populations are high.
Alakanuk, Alaska, United States

Low Water Makes Fishing Difficult
Early snowmelt and low rainfall contributed to low river levels near Nome, affecting the ability of residents to reach usual fishing spots.

Record-warm Arctic summer did not bring joy to wildlife
Climate change is triggering behavior change among animals across the Arctic. In Northern Siberia wild reindeer this summer started migrating almost a month earlier than normal.
Khatanga, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia
The Independent Barents Observer

Fort St. John tornado event confirmed
Environment Canada is confirming a weak tornado that hit Fort St. John last month. The tornado was generated by a severe thunderstorm Aug.
Fort St. John, British Columbia, Canada
Alaska Highway News

Surprise flood kills salmon in West Iceland
A jökulhlaup flood struck West Iceland’s Hvítá river in the early hours of Tuesday morning when water from a lagoon by the Langjökull glacier suddenly broke a new path and flowed in a different direction. Thick glacial mud now coats the river banks, and much of Borgarfjörður fjord.

Recorded Tornado in Fort St. John
Tornados are a rare occurrence in BC and this tornado is the first one to be recorded in Fort St. John and surrounding area.
Fort St. John, British Columbia, Canada

World waterspout record set over Great Lakes
At least 88 waterspouts or funnels were spotted across the Great Lakes this week, setting a new world record, according to the International Centre for Waterspout Research (ICWR).
Eastern Great Lakes
CTV News

Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) is branching and delayed flowering
I have never seen fireweed like this. It is not growing with the normal straight stalk. Is it fireweed? My yard is full of them.

Six whales die in largest stranding of its type in Ireland's history
The seven northern bottlenose dolphins were spotted stranded on a beach in Rossnowlagh, County Donegal, on the north west coast of Ireland, earlier today.
Ballintra, Ulster, Ireland
Mail Online

Heavy rains in Yukon and northern B.C. cause mudslides, highway closures
Heavy rains in Yukon and northern B.C. take a toll as overflowing creeks bring silt and debris down onto roads.
Haines Junction, Yukon, Canada

Heavy rains, floods in China strand dozens on rooftops, triggering landslides
Authorities deployed helicopters in western China on Tuesday to rescue people stranded by flooding as heavy rain swelled the Yangtze and other rivers to dangerous levels, state media reported.
Neijiang, Sichuan, China
Fox News

Dead Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) Floating by Moller Point
Between 2015 and 2020, two Unusual Mortality Events have been declared for wales along the western coast of British Colombia and the United States, indicating the possibility of a disturbance to the marine ecosystem.
King Cove Alaska

As temperatures soar, fires south of Cheney burn 200 acres, prompt evacuations
Personnel from Spokane County Fire District 3 and the state Department of Natural Resources were working to contain the fires on Monday, while a record-breaking heat wave threatened to maintain ample supplies of dry air and fuel.
Cheney, Washington, United States
Spokesman.com

Las Vegas heat wave has another week to go, at least
The extended heat wave will continue through the week, according to the National Weather Service.
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Las Vegas Review-Journal

Foreign Marine Debris Found in the Bering Sea
The Bering Sea has noted an abundance of foreign debris washing up on our shores. Communities like Unalakleet, Gambell, Savoonga and Nome have all reported and documented hoards of this debris.
Kawerak

Barrels with unknown substance were found on the lake shore in the Leningrad Region
Specialists of Rospotrebnadzor in the Leningrad Region are checking 12 barrels with unknown substance near Lake Voloyarvi.
Saint Petersburg, St.-Petersburg, Russia
Russian newspaper

Death Valley hits 130 degrees, thought to be highest temperature on Earth in nearly a century
Death Valley may have recorded Earth's highest temperature in 90 years. Data show it is also be among the top three highest temperatures ever measured in Death Valley.
Death Valley, California, United States
Los Angeles Times

Juneau Raptor Center dealing with rain of injured eagles
Eight raptor casualties in a matter of weeks is a worrisome spike.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Juneau Empire

Yakutia has a MASSIVE hole in the ground... and it’s growing
Today, the fault measures around a kilometer in length, 800 meters in width and 100 meters in depth, making it the largest permafrost thermokarst sinkhole in the world. Its shape is reminiscent of a gigantic mollusc with a tail.
Ese-Khayya, Sakha, Russia
Russian Beyond

Whale Carcass on McDonald Spit
Partially decomposed whale
McDonald Spit, Alaska, United States

Yukon Salmon Sub-Committee recommends halt on fishing for Chinook
The Yukon Salmon Sub-Committee is recommending the complete cessation of fishing for Chinook salmon this year on the Yukon River.
Yukon News

Miami-Dade fireboats hit the water to help with major fish kill in South Florida waters
Another day of dead marine life surfacing in Biscayne Bay as the swath of suffocated fish appears to be spreading.
Miami, Florida, United States
WPLG

As red algal blooms surface on Dal Lake, LAWDA to use aerators, motorboats
Locals Saturday expressed resentment over the presence of a red algal bloom on Dal surface that has completely changed the lake’s colour into yellowish.
Srinagar, Kashmir, India
Rising Kashmir

Abundant Aphids and Defoliator Attack
Forests around Gakona saw abundant aphids and defoliation from sawflies or caterpillars.

Three great white sharks venture 'very tight' to Nova Scotia shores
Three great white sharks broke the border rules big-time on Friday. The sharks were tracking very tight to shore near South Shore communities.
Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada
The Telegram

Storm causes flooding of cemetery
The cemetery in Eggedal has suffered major damage after floods and landslides. "Thank God that coffins and remains have not appeared," says the church guardian.
Eggedal kirke, Sigdal, Norway

Saving Our Seals - 28 sea mammals rescued after becoming trapped in plastic junk
This was a first expedition by volunteers and activists to rescue seals trapped in plastic rubbish on the island, a breeding ground in the Sea of Okhotsk, off Sakhalin.
Siberia Times

U.S. officials allow killing of sea lions eating at-risk salmon and steelhead in Columbia River watershed
The sea lions have posed a long-running conundrum for wildlife officials, pitting mammals protected under federal law against protected — and valuable — fish runs.
Portland, Oregon, United States

Biologists hope dead sea lion will provide insight into endangered Aleutian population
Officials have been receiving reports of Steller sea lions hauling out on beaches in poor condition, but have been unable to retrieve the animals for research — largely because they are in remote areas.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States

Salmon rivers closed in face of high temperatures, low water
Salmon rivers like the Exploits River were closed to anglers around the province by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans earlier this week because of low water levels.
Botwood, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
The Telegram

Sunken Earth
Permafrost thaw is causing tundra to sink and pool water.
Chevak, Alaska, United States

Chum runs on Kuskokwim River are late and low
Usually Aug. 7 is the midpoint of the coho run, but this year it was not until Aug. 8 that numbers at the Bethel test fishery increased, and then only modestly.

Pacific walrus haulout is earliest on record
The Arctic Sounder - Serving the Northwest Arctic and the North Slope
Point Lay, Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder

Rare white orca spotted off Kupreanof Island
This orca born in 2018 is called Tl’uk, a Coast Salish word for “moon.” Tl’uk is a greyish moon color, without the typical black and white pattern.
Petersburg, Alaska, United States

Martelle residents react to devastating severe thunderstorm
Jones County has one of the areas hit the hardest by Monday's severe storms.
Tama, Iowa, United States

They're everywhere - but do they pinch?
The changing summer weather has led to a scissor-like boom in Southern Norway. Biologist reassures those who feel threatened.
Vestby, Akershus, Norway
Lise Gro Andersen, Christian Nicolai Bjørke, Lars Håkon Pedersen

Russia begins mass vaccination against bubonic plague in danger areas near border with Mongolia
Urgent steps were taken after a wide spread of the pathogen via fleas was detected in two districts - Ovyursky and Mongun-Taiginsky So far 2,500 adults, and 623 children were vaccinated to prevent flea-spreading of the decease.
Republic of Tuva
Siberia Times

Seiners in Southeast Alaska rescue an unlikely hard-shelled visitor
A fishing crew near Prince of Wales Island recently made an unusual catch: a Pacific green sea turtle. This not only excited the crew, but has also caught the attention of marine biologists.
Ketchikan, Alaska, United States

The cause of the mass mortality of fish in a large river in the Tyumen region has been determined
Local residents made a mound that led to the shallowing of the reservoir.
Тюмень, Tjumen, Russia
Radio Sputnik

Not a good salmon season in the Far East and fishery closes in an area of ​​Kamchatka
Петропавловск-Камчатский, Kamchatka Krai, Russia
FIS World News

Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) has multiple stalks
This is the first time I recall seeing Fireweed that has a form like this.

Fairbanks North Star Borough sees rainiest 12-month period on record
That it’s been a rainy spring and summer is news to no one. But just how wet have the past 12 months been for Fairbanks? According to data compiled by
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Salmon Is Disappearing From Russia’s Amur River. It’s Taking Local Tradition With It
The Amur River, once full of salmon, has seen the fish all but vanish since 2017. The problem started because of over fishing. At first companies were harvesting in the first 100 kilometers of the river, and since they have expanded 700, 800 kilometers upstream.
Khabarovsk, Khabarovsk Krai, Russia
The Moscow Times

In Ufa, a heavy downpour fell down trees and left houses without light
Eyewitnesses posted photos and videos on social networks showing people walking knee-deep in water.
Уфа, Bashkortostan, Russia
Russian newspaper

Last fully intact ice shelf in Canadian Arctic collapses
It lost more than 40 per cent of its area in just two days at the end of July, researchers said on Thursday.
Milne Ice Shelf
Global News

Fuel spill on the Ambarna River in Norilsk
The spill of the fuel-water mixture occurred on the Ambarnaya River in Norilsk during the clean up from the consequences of the accident at the TPP-3.
Норильск, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia
RT

Blocked storm sewer eliminates effects of the oil spill
Experts found an airlock in the sewer, which was clogged with garbage and contaminated with oil products.
Сургут, Khanty-Mansiyskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia
RT

Resident harvests wayward moose wandering near Utqiagvik
Alaska Department of Fish and Game records show two other unusually wayward moose hunts: One in 2016 taken north of Teshekpuk Lake along the Arctic coast, and another in 2014 on the Kokolik River near Point Lay.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder

Large forest fire localized in Bilibin district
On Tuesday, August 4, paratroopers of Chukchi and Federal Aviation Protection stopped the spread of a large fire in the Bilibin district.
Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia
Анадырь - Онлайн

Severe drought causes emergency declarations
Because of the severe drought, the Kalmykia authorities have imposed an emergency declaration in seven districts. Since the beginning of summer there has been extreme heat and wind and little rain.
Kalmykia, Russia
Российская газета

Western Red Cedar die-off in Pacific Spirit Park
In the last few years, I have observed a significant die-off of Western red cedar in several high traffic and peripheral areas of Pacific Spirit Regional Park (PSRP). The majority of the cedar trees I saw were noticeably consumed by browning, small, and young, with most likely more shallow root systems. This is consistent with vegetative stress to which young trees have not developed resilience, but older trees may be less impacted
David Oswald, Cody Thomas, Lauren Wright

Black bear injures Juneau man after following him through open door
With few fish and limited berries, bear encounters are high in Alaska's capital city this year.

Oil spill in The Komi Republic
In the Usin district of the Komi Republic in Russia, there was an oil spill due to the damage to the pressure pipeline.
Komi, Russia
RT

Polar bear noticed near an urban-type settlement called Ugolnye Kopi
A polar bear was noticed 15 kilometers from an urban-type settlement in Anadyrsky District called Ugolnye Kopi on the morning of August 3. The predator was walking to the shore of the Anadyr estuary.
Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia
Anadyr Online

Muskox (Ovibos moschatus) in Napaimute
This is the second sighting of muskox in the Middle Kuskokwim, which is outside their known range.
Napaimute, Alaska, United States

Watson Lake resident captures 'first record' of ghost moth in Yukon
A longtime resident of Watson Lake, Yukon, has contributed to the world of science — simply by taking a picture.
Watson Lake, Yukon, Canada

Cloudberry bogs are collapsing - climate change is to blame
In Finnmark and parts of Troms, good and favorite berry bogs have cracked and disappeared. The reason is warmer and more humid climate. "Almost impossible to reverse," says a bog researcher.
Karasjok, Finnmark Fylke, Norway

White bear on the Junjik River
Unusual coloration in bears is often the result of a recessive gene combination. According to researchers at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, light colored bears have been found in Interior Alaska, although this is the first observation of one submitted to LEO.
Allakaket, Alaska, United States

Wildfire smoke from Siberia keeps drifting into Alaska — and may continue to do so for weeks
A haze visible through Southcentral Alaska on Wednesday was caused by smoke from fires burning in Siberia that began flowing into Alaska in early July.

In the Altai region, farmers lost 700 million rubles due to drought
The emergency was declared on July 10 due to drought and crop loss. According to the regional Ministry of Agriculture, crops in the region have completely burned on an area of more than 155,000 hectares. Direct damage to agricultural producers exceeded 700 million rubles, and the cost of the lost harvest is estimated at ten billion rubles.
Барнаул, Altai Krai, Russia
Российская газета

Climate change hits back, Svalbard coal mine flooded by melting glacier
After days with record heat at Svalbard, the penetration of water from the above melting glacier is now flooding Norway’s only operating coal mine that supplies the country’s only coal-power plant.
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
The Independent Barents Observer

In Kuban, a shepherd was killed by lightning while grazing cows
In the Assumption district of Kuban, a shepherd was killed by lightning while grazing cows. This was reported by the head of the department for go and emergency affairs of the local administration Svetlana Ivanchenko.
Кубань, Гулькевичский район, Krasnodar Krai, Russia
Российская газета

On Stavropol storm wind with a downpour damaged school and homes
On the night of July 29 in the Stavropol region, a sharp deterioration in the weather led to severe consequences. Stormy winds with a downpour damaged power lines and uprooted trees.
Stavropol Krai, Russia

Planet Alaska: The lool always knows
This summer, fireweed has been telling us to prepare for winter. It's been telling us the season is off kilter, too. Here in Juneau we've had fireweed plants that are blooming halfway up the stalk growing next to fireweed with barely any buds.
Juneau Empire

Summer resident killed by great white in Maine’s first fatal shark attack
Julie Dimperio Holowach, a recently retired fashion executive from New York City, was swimming near Bailey Island on Monday afternoon when she was attacked.
Portland, Maine, United States
Press Herald

Invasive grass carp caught in Chambly Basin
Scientists say the grass carp population in the Chambly Basin is probably small, but the presence of this species in any number is bad news.
Chambly, Quebec, Canada
Montreal Gazette

Even the low temperatures are breaking heat records in Portland
Temperatures are expected to remain above 80 degrees for the rest of the week.
Portland, Maine, United States
Press Herald

Sparrow's Egg Lady's Slipper Orchid (Cypripedium passerinum) Arrives in the Swamp
Orchids often reproduce by sending up additional shoots from the rhizome, but can produce seeds. When they do, the seeds are lightweight and are easily blown around by the wind. The dried swamp may have provided the right nutrients and optimal environment for germination.

Phytoplankton Surge in Arctic Waters
The image shows a bloom of phytoplankton in the Barents Sea, north of Scandinavia and Russia.The floating plant-like organisms are showing up in higher concentrations across the Arctic Ocean.
Barents Sea
NASA Earth Observatory

Yukon sees most mosquitoes in many years, control program says
It may not come as a surprise, but Yukon has seen an unusually high number of mosquitoes this year — and they aren't physically distancing.

Unusually cold July in Hedmark
The last two nights have been cold in the country. In Hedmark, the 56-year-old cold record for July has been beaten.
Dalholen, Folldal, Norway

Hottest Ever Day Recorded in Arctic Svalbard
It was hotter today on Svalbard than in the Norwegian capital, Oslo. So much so, that the previous temperature record from 1979 was smashed.
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Life in Norway

Puffin saved by lucky chance
A group on a glacier expedition on Langjökull yesterday stumbled across a puffin lying in the snow. According to group leader Martha Jónasdóttir, the bird was found right at the centre of the glacier—Iceland's second-largest.
Borgarnes, West, Iceland

Leduc County declares state of agricultural disaster amid wet conditions
Due to excessively wet weather, Leduc County has declared a municipal state of agricultural disaster.
Leduc County, Alberta, Canada

Bear chases child near Whitehorse before mom intercepts, say conservation officers
Yukon conservation officers are patrolling after a black bear chased a child near Whitehorse last weekend. The boy's mom managed to get between her child and the animal.

Spruce Trees Producing Huge Amounts of Cones
Unusually large cone crops may be the result of favorable variations in weather across several years.
Koyuk, Alaska, United States

Major Coastal Erosion near Kotzebue
The rate of coastal erosion seems to be speeding up near Cape Blossom.
Cape Blossom, Alaska, United States
Jimmy Evak, Jacquelyn Overbeck, Vladimir Romanovsky

Low Swedish wasp numbers defy expert expectations
It was supposed to be a vintage year for Sweden's wasp population, but instead of an increase in numbers the population has been unexpectedly low. Unseasonable ...
Sweden
Radio Sweden

In Photos: Disastrous Wildfires Sweep Siberia
Gallery | The forest fires have covered an area larger than Greece and are emitting black smog that harms nearby populations.
Yakutsk, Sakha, Russia
The Moscow Times

Boost in bear activity means extra safety measures
The Bristol Bay Times - Serving Dillingham, Naknek, King Salmon and Southwest villages
Dillingham, Alaska, United States
Bristol Bay Timed
Alaska Media, LLC., Steve Keller designer and application developer

7.8 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes King Cove
"I got under my kitchen table and it was very violent and loud and lasted quite a while. The tsunami sirens started right after it stopped."
King Cove, Alaska, United States

Tsunami warning canceled for swath of coastal Alaska after 7.8 earthquake prompts evacuations
People in Kodiak, Homer and Sand Point were among those who headed to higher ground after the quake prompted a tsunami warning from the Alaska Peninsula to the western Kenai Peninsula.
Chignik, Alaska, United States

Homer residents briefly evacuate after quake, tsunami warning
Coastal Alaskans were roused out of bed last night following a 7.8 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami warning. The warning was canceled within a matter of hours.
Homer, Alaska, United States
Homer News

Iqaluit sees record-breaking rainfalls this week
Iqaluit saw record rainfall yesterday, creating turbulent streams. Heavy precipitation may lead to fat berries and caribou, and lots of mosquitoes.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada

Rare white grizzly bear captured on camera in B.C. park
Named Nakoda by locals, the bear has been seen in Yoho and Banff national parks before, but not very often.

July on pace to set rainfall record in Yellowknife
With several days left in July, there's a chance that Yellowknife may be on track to break the monthly and summer records for precipitation.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
NNSL Media

Unusual Pink Caterpillar is a Sawfly Larvae
This pink larvae will grow into a sawfly, which are common across Alaska although not often noticed.
Grayling, Alaska, United States

All forest fires extinguished in Chukotka
All forest fires have been extinguished in Chukotka, where thousands of hectares of natural areas have been blazing before, according to the region's Department of Natural Resources and Ecology. RIA Novosti, 20.07.2020
Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia
РИА Новости

Orange weather warning: “Like a wall of rain”
The yellow weather alert released yesterday for north and west Iceland has been strengthened to an orange weather warning for the Westfjords region that will stay in effect until midnight. Wind and rain are causing severe disruption.
Ísafjörður, Westfjords, Iceland

Dead Seal On The Beach
King Cove Alaska

A bear walks the streets of Anadyr
On Thursday, July 16, a bear walking around the city was found in the district capital. This was reported at 2.00 a.m. by a resident of the village of Tavaivaam to the senior operational duty of the Crisis Management Center...
Anadyr, Chukotskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia
Анадырь - Онлайн

Russian Wildfire Smoke Choking Siberian Cities
Photos of Yugorsk and other cities showed residential buildings fuzzy under a blanket of white smog.
Yugorsk, Khanty-Mansiyskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia

Summer of the Fly
We are seeing these little flies every outdoors. I don’t recall them like this in the past.

Some salmon return, but ‘not nearly enough’
Chum salmon have started returning the Douglas Island Pink and Chum Inc. Hatchery on Channel Drive, but it’s still not enough to establish a broodstock. As the hatchery struggles to ensure future stocks, fishermen are taking what fish they can just for cost recovery.

Finland to bask in warm weekend weather
Conditions will heat up with every passing day and weekend highs will be in the 20s across the country.
Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Eastern Ontario in grip of worst Gypsy moth outbreak in 30 years
The worst Gypsy moth caterpillar outbreak in Eastern Ontario in 30 years is ripping through city backyard trees and rural forests at an alarming rate.Some pockets of forest north of Belleville, along Highway 7, look like stands of giant toothpicks after being picked clean of their foliage.
Belleville, Ontario, Canada
Belleville Intelligencer

A person was fatally poisoned by mussels in Dutch Harbor, and now Alaska warns of high toxin levels
A person has died from paralytic shellfish poisoning after eating blue mussels and snails in the Aleutian Island community of Unalaska, state health officials confirmed Wednesday.
KCUB Unalaska

Eastern Ontario in grip of worst Gypsy moth outbreak in 30 years
The worst Gypsy moth caterpillar outbreak in Eastern Ontario in 30 years is ripping through city backyard trees and rural forests at an alarming rate.Some pockets of forest north of Belleville, along Highway 7, look like stands of giant toothpicks after being picked clean of their foliage.
Eastern Canada
Belleville Intelligencer

Red Growth On Aspen Trees are Diplodia Galls (Diplodia tumefaciens)
Diplodia galls are caused by a fungus that causes the tree to overproduce in certain areas. This generally will not kill the tree, but does make the tree more prone to breakage in areas where galls are found.

Brown booby makes rare visit to Ireland
Birders are continuing to flock to Greystones in Co Wicklow after what is believed to be the first ever sighting of a brown booby in Ireland.
Greystones, Leinster, Ireland
RTE.ie

Fisherman snags barracuda off Vancouver Island in rare encounter
Ferocious fish, not native to Canada, was netted and released in Alberni Inlet
Alberni Inlet, Vancouver Island, Canada
Port Alberni Valley News

﻿ ﻿Reports of dead seabirds raise concerns of another die-off
﻿The last few weeks have seen another alarming uptick in the number of dead, emaciated seabirds found washed  up on the shores in the Bering Sea.

Early Ripe Blueberries
Moose Mountain, Fairbanks, AK

The volume of the fuel spilled in Taimyr has more than doubled
The volume of spilled aviation fuel near the village of Tukhard in the Krasnoyarsk region has more than doubled, to 44.5 tons, the press service reported.
Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia
Radio Sputnik

Nearly 300 Wildfires in Siberia Amid Record Warm Weather
Russia's Aerial Forest Protection Service is trying to suppress 136 fires over 43,000 hectares. Firefighters are using explosives to contain the fires and seeding clouds with silver iodide to encourage rain.
Sakha, Russia

Unusual Plant at Lake is Northern Groundcone (Boschniakia rossica)
I have not seen this before at Cheney Lake.

Tuktoyaktuk working with feds to address climate change and eroding shoreline
"If we can protect the shoreline for another 30 years, it will give us time to move inland because we all can't up and leave tomorrow," Mayor Elias said.
Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, Canada

Multi-headed Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium)
Browsing moose may have damaged the primary flowering shoot of the fireweed, causing it to form multiple blooming stalks.
Ester, Alaska, United States

Thousands of blue jellyfish clog cooling system in Israeli power plant
Thousands of jellyfish clogged up a cooling system and threatened to suspend production at a power plant in Israel. Video filmed at the Electric Company power plant on Thursday shows the light blue sea creatures being swept down a chute and into a bin. The power plant, based in the coastal city of Ashkelon, about 15 miles north of the Gaza strip, uses seawater to cool its
Ashqelon, Southern District, Israel
The Independent

Miners hunting for metals to battery cars threaten Sámi reindeer herder's homeland
Tuomas Siilasjoki and Minna Näkkäläjärvi say they were taken by surprise when a mobile drill rig one day appeared in the horizon. Nobody had asked them about exploring for minerals inside their siida, a reindeer foraging area, in northern Finland.

Woman killed after bear attack in Krasnoyarsk region
A resident of Krasnoyarsk region died as a result of a bear attack in Krasnoyarsk region. Rescuers recommend residents of the region to refrain from visiting the forests.The incident occurred in the Yenisei district. Not far from the village of Baikal, a woman with her husband and child was resting near the lake. A bear came out of the pond and attacked the victim. The predator managed to drive away, after which the husband took the victim to the hospital. The woman died on the way to the medical facility, KrasnoyarskMedia reports.
Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia
Известия

Haven't expected fewer plums in ten years
You have to be early if you want plums this year. The cause is cold in flowering. It almost snowed when it was flowering. The bees were barely out, and we can see the result here.
Nedstrand, Tysvær
Tale Hauso, Valentina Baisotti, Rosa Iren Villalobos, Mari Rollag Evensen

California condors return to Sequoia National Park for the 1st time in decades
They were sighted in an area that was historically part of the endangered bird’s range. At least six visited the park in late May.
KTLA

Seem hazy lately? Smoke from wildfires in Siberia might be what you’re noticing
Smoke from wildfires in Siberia drifted to Alaska last year as well, according to the National Weather Service, but Alaska already had hazy skies from local wildfires.

Wild Boars Appear in Moscow Parks, Officials Warn
If you meet one don't look it in the eye.
Moscow, Moscow, Russia

Cinnamon-coloured bear with distinctive neck spotted in Fort Good Hope
What has people talking is the length of the bear’s neck. Some locals wondered if it might be a hybrid polar bear and grizzly or black bear, but officials say it's likely a juvenile black bear.
Fort Good Hope, Northwest Territories, Canada

Green Sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) in Kachemak Bay
Until 2007, there have been only three verified reports of green sturgeon in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea, and two anecdotal reports from the Copper River and Unalaska areas.
Halibut Cove, Alaska, United States

Blueberries (Vaccinium uliginosum) at 60-mile Steese
These berries were on a south slope in a recently burned area. Seems early to me!
Pleasant Valley, Alaska, United States

Pelicans spotted as far north as Kugluktuk, Nunavut
The arrival of pelicans in Kugluktuk, Nunavut was a surprise, but it's a sign of healthy pelican colonies in general, and in particular of the colony near Fort Smith, N.W.T.
Kugluktuk, Nunavut, Canada

Measured new cold record in Inland Norway
On Saturday night a new cold record was measured for July at Sognefjellshytta. There is unusually high cold and wind in several places in Norway right now. And little indicates improvement over the next few days.
Sognefjellshytta, Lom kommune
Vibeke Cederkvist, Maria Gran, Even Lusæter

‘A grave concern’: European green crabs discovered on Haida Gwaii
There are many types of crabs that are green in colour, but only the European green crab has five spines on the outside of each eye. The aggressive invasive species was discovered in Skidegate Inlet; and now working group formed to decide next steps.
Skidegate 1, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria News

Odd Looking Bug is a Sawfly
This odd, bright green, bug is a species of sawfly belonging to the family Tenthredinidae.
Aniak, Alaska, United States

Botswana reports mysterious deaths of hundreds of elephants
Officials in the southern African nation have confirmed at least 275 deaths mainly near seasonal water pans. Both male and female elephants of all ages died, with clinical signs limited to neurologic symptoms.
Okavango Delta

Jellyfish the size of dinner plates on Northeast beaches
Some beaches in the northeastern United States are dealing with more than the threat of COVID-19 this holiday weekend. They have to contend with an unwelcome visitor: the Lion's Mane jellyfish.
Scituate, Massachusetts, United States
CNN

Muhos forest fire aftermath
The blaze destroyed large swathes of forest this week.
Muhos, Northern Ostrobothnia, Finland

Is this Steller Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus) Sick?
"It's been sitting up on the beach just putting his head up towards the sky and not making a sound."
King Cove

Mongolia Quarantines Russian Border Region Over Bubonic Plague Suspicion
Lab tests confirmed that two individuals had contracted the illness after eating marmot meat.
Khovd, Hovd, Mongolia

Snow on mountain passes: – Should consider winter tires
Low temperatures and precipitation in the form of snow have been reported on several transitions during the day.
Jondal, Vestland, Norway

Mosquito species that could spread malaria found in Finland
*Anopheles daciae*, commonly found in eastern Europe and the Balkan States and thought to be possible carriers of malaria, has been observed in several regions of Finland.
Finland

New song in Canada's white-throated sparrows
Most bird species are slow to change their songs, preferring to stick with tried-and-true tunes to defend territories and attract females — but this shift went viral across Canada.
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

Arctic fires worsen and threaten world famous park set up to recreate flora of woolly mammoth era
Worrying videos and pictures show how the pristine polar region of northern Yakutia is ablaze.
Cherskiy, Sakha, Russia

Southern resident whales returning later to Salish Sea in ‘drastic’ change
Southern resident killer whales made their first appearance in the Salish Sea on Canada Day after more than two months with only a brief sighting off the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Strait of Georgia
Times Colonist

Nearly 60,000 homes left without power following Päivö’s stormy winds
Trees across the region were torn down by the stormy gusts, falling on houses, cars and power lines.
Lieksa, North Karelia, Finland

Extremely Wet June
Fairbanks summers are trending toward more precipitation. June 2020 set two rainfall records for the Fairbanks area.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Plastic pollution in Thailand soars during Covid-19 pandemic
Thai canals are clogged with discarded packaging, landfills are overflowing with mountains of bags, and trash bins are stuffed full of crumpled food wrapping.
Thailand
South China Morning Post

Siberian Wildfires Swell Amid Historic Heatwave
Most of the blazes are in a region that saw possibly the hottest-ever temperature above the Arctic Circle this month.
Verkhoyansk, Sakha, Russia

"Nothing unnatural," about missing lake
Experts established that large snow masses dislodged the water from the lake, which contributed to the passage of melt water towards the Urushten River.
Сочи, Krasnodarskiy, Russia
Радио Sputnik

Dead Baby Sea Otter (Enhydra Lutris)
First time we have ever seen a dead pup.

Millions of moths descend on Quebec cities
A viral video shows the insects blanketing the vehicles in an auto dealership parking lot. The incidence of swarming of this species of moth, aspen tortrix, is increasing.
Roberval, Quebec, Canada

Wasp Gall on Rosebush
Small spiny growths on a rosebush resemble spiny galls created by cynipid wasps.
Denali National Park, Alaska, United States

Nordics detect elevated radiation levels around Baltic
Finland says the low concentrations of radioactive material found in air samples pose no danger.
Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland

Blueberries in June
Manley hotspring road

Beluga off San Diego is farthest south the species has been documented on West Coast
A beluga whale was spotted Friday off San Diego -- the farthest south the species has been documented on the West Coast, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed.
Point Loma, Coronado, California, United States
FOX 5 San Diego

Pollution of Chernavka River recorded in Khimki
According to preliminary data, the source of pollution is the storm sewer collector operated by the Khimvodostok Municipal Unitary Enterprise.
Химки, Moscow, Russia

Alaska SeaLife Center takes on 6 rescued harbor seal pups
The Seward facility began housing five seals found in the Cook Inlet area and another that was rescued in Juneau.
Seward, Alaska, United States

Emerald ash borer keeping some GRCA properties closed
That includes the trail at the south end of Wrigley Lake in North Dumfries
Byng Island Conservation Area, Ontario
KitchenerToday.com

Walrus tongue tests positive for trichinella in Rankin Inlet
A public health advisory sent out Friday says anyone who has eaten uncooked walrus recently, and has experienced stomach pain, muscle pain, diarrhea, swollen eyelids, sweating and weakness, may be infected with trichinella, 'a parasite that causes worm disease.'
Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, Canada

Finnish summer heat record broken again on Thursday
Finland is continuing to heat up this summer - and nearing the all-time heat record for June.
Finland

First a whale, now a bearded seal spotted in Laval
A video posted to social media shows the seal sunbathing on a floating dock in Laval, close to where the Mille Îles River joins the St. Lawrence River.
Terrebonne, Quebec, Canada

Giant 6ft lion's mane jellyfish spotted Colwyn Bay Beach in Wales
Dom Faux, 42, and daughter Eryn were enjoying a walk on Colwyn Bay Beach, north Wales when they came across a huge lion's mane jellyfish measuring six feet across.
Colwyn Bay, Wales, United Kingdom
Mail Online

Hospital workers in PPE suffering in the heat
Hospital staff in protective gear are suffering as central Sweden experiences a heatwave.
Södertälje, Stockholm, Sweden
Radio Sweden

Mysterious Holes in Leaves
Defoliation of willows, alders, and berry bushes may be related to different insect species depending on the plant.
Seldovia Village, Alaska, United States

Washed-up Stellar Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus) on Front Beach
Female Stellar sea lion found dead on the beach, partially scavenged by eagles. There was no sign of any bullet holes. In addition, there wasn't any other evidence of what happened to the sea lion.
Barbara Mahoney, Gay Sheffield, Julieanne Renee Berikoff, Melissa Good

Thousands of gallons of heating oil spill in Shungnak
The Arctic Sounder - Serving the Northwest Arctic and the North Slope
Shungnak, Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder

Saint Lucians Urged To Protect Themselves Against Saharan Dust
Saint Lucia’s Ministry of Health has advised citizens to take measures to protect themselves from the ill effects of Saharan dust.
Castries, Castries Quarter, Saint Lucia
St. Lucia Times News

'Godzilla dust cloud' from Sahara blankets Caribbean on its way to US
Air quality sinks to hazardous levels as biggest cloud seen in a generation swamps region after transatlantic journey
The Caribbean Sea
the Guardian

Temperature hits 100 F degrees in Arctic Russian town
Much of Siberia this year has had unseasonably high temperatures, leading to sizable wildfires.
Verkhoyansk, Sakha, Russia

Strange waves cause concern in Shishmaref
Denise Fernandez has lived on the island her entire life and says she's never seen waves like she did on Monday.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States
KTVA

Seaweed invasion hurting fishermen's livelihoods
Seaweed native to the northwest Pacific is invading the rich marine waters of the Strait of Gibraltar and the brown algae is clogging up fishermen's nets and endangering their way of life.
Strait of Gibraltar
Al Jazeera

More Sahara Dust in the air today
The Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service (TTMS) is advising that the heaviest concentrations of Saharan Dust should begin to impact the islands from today, Sunday 21st June 2020.
Trinidad and Tobago
CNC3 TV

Abnormal heat goes to the north of the Asian part of Russia
Abnormally warm weather will be established in the north of the Asian part of the country: in Yakutia, Chukotka and Krasnoyarsk region. In these regions, the temperature will reach 30 degrees Celsius.

Arctic Russian town records highest ever temperature at 38 C
The temperature in Verkhoyansk hit 38 degrees Celsius on Saturday, according to Pogoda i Klimat, a website that compiles Russian meteorological data.

Orangeville area trees swarming with invasive caterpillars
If you hear the pitter-patter of what sounds like light rainfall but can't feel a drop of water, you probably already know that you have a caterpillar problem.
58228527
Orangeville, Ontario, Canada
Orangeville.com

Permafrost melting is causing above and below ground tanks to shift
Thawing is impacting both above ground and underground fuel storage. They have started on a plan to empty the fuel tank and relocate it or fix the foundation.
Tetlin, Alaska, United States
Joy Britt, Vladimir Romanovsky, David Beveridge, Vladimir Romanovsky, Stanley Tayor

Migratory dolphins return to Nepali waters earlier than usual
The early arrival of the dolphins can be attributed to rainfall from cyclone Nisarga that caused rainfall over the Chure range.
Bhajani, Seti, Nepal
Kathmandu Post

Trumpeter swans are newcomers to the nesting scene in Potter Marsh
Between the Seward Highway and Hillside neighborhoods, a pair of swans are raising five just-hatched cygnets. This is the first pair of swans to nest at Potter Marsh in the memory of Anchorage Coastal Refuge managers and local birders.

Increasing catch of spruce bark beetles
"Throughout Viken in the lowlands there is an increasing evidence of spruce bark beetles and that is worrying. What is positive is that in Measure Package No 2 from the Government you receive financial compensation for wind fall logging and forest management" says Lars Kr. Haug, head of forestry at Viken Skog.
Viken county, Norway
Viken Skog

Enormous plume of dust predicted to reach U.S. all the way from the Sahara Desert
The dust should suppress Atlantic hurricane activity, at least temporarily.
Washington Post

"Uncontrolled outbreak" says city in northern Sweden and imposes lockdown
Regional authorities report about 55 new cases since yesterday, with major outbreaks reported from both local retirement homes and among workers at LKAB mining company.
Gällivare, Norrbotten, Sweden

Authorities urge caution as forest fires break out around Sweden
Several wildfires are raging around the country and the state weather forecaster, SMHI, has issued forest fire warnings for nearly all of Sweden.
Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
Radio Sweden

Record-breaking heatwave in Siberia
A prolonged heatwave in Siberia is “undoubtedly alarming”, climate scientists have said. The freak temperatures have been linked to wildfires, a huge oil spill and a plague of tree-eating moths.
Siberia, Russian Federation

N.W.T. government warns Nahanni Butte residents to stay aware amid very high water levels
Spring melt combined with heavy rain over the weekend has driven up water levels near Nahanni Butte, which sits on the banks of the Nahanni River. The community is accessible only by boat or plane in the summer.
Nahanni Butte, Northwest Territories, Canada

Oily substance found near Savoonga remains a mystery
About a month ago, residents of St. Lawrence Island found a patch of oily, white goo on the beach, along with some dead sea birds covered in the substance.
Savoonga, Alaska, United States

Dead Young Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus)
Young gray whale found dead on the beach.
Pilot Point, Alaska, United States
Maio Nishkian, Gay Sheffield, Barbara Mahoney

After infection of more than 2,000 workers, situation comes under control at Belokamenka construction site
Meanwhile, the spreading of the virus appears to have moved to other towns in the region. Among the new local hotspots for the virus is the city of Monchegorsk where 26 new cases were registered on the 16th June.
Murmansk, Murmansk, Russia

Yellow-tinted Water around Nome Identified As Spruce Pollen
The yellow tinting in ocean water has been identified by the Tanana Valley Clinic as spruce pollen, but it remains to be seen why the pollen counts are so high this year.

Unusual Spider is Actually a Mite
Closely resembling a spider, this long legged mite belongs to the family Erythraeoidae and can be found in many different environments across Alaska.
Newhalen, Alaska, United States

Dead Tomcod (Microgadus proximus) on Beach
Dead tomcod were found on the beach following warm temperatures in Norton Sound, repeating a 2019 mortality event in the same area.
Teller, Alaska, United States

Northern anchovy blooms bring more sea life to Burrard Inlet
Northern anchovy are becoming more comment perhaps due to warmer temperatures. A 10-centimetre-long fish represents an anchovy that's about a year old suggesting that the fish are spawned locally in the pelagic zone, or upper, warmer zone of the seawater.
Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada

Most electrified storm in years
A large chunk of Alberta, particularly in the south and central regions, were throttled by severe thunderstorm...
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
rdnewsnow.com

Calgary picks up the pieces after massive storm hits city with heavy hail damage, flooding
Calgarians are picking up the pieces after a massive storm brought tennis ball-sized hail and flooding to the city Saturday night. A number of community residential roads have also been impacted. Cars left abandoned on major roadways will be towed throughout the day.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Orca pod makes rare appearance in Vancouver’s False Creek
It's a rare sight in Vancouver's False Creek, but a pod of orcas was spotted swimming the city's most inner waterway on Wednesday.

Rare white grizzly bear spotted in Alberta’s Banff National Park
The grizzly, spotted in April, has people pulling off Trans-Canada highways to catch a glimpse of unusually coloured animal.
Banff, Alberta, Canada
The Globe and Mail

Manet invasion in the Oslo Fjord
Large menger glass jellyfish in the Oslo fjord cause problems for both beachgoers and shrimp fishermen. The whole trawl was full before it reached the bottom where the shrimp are.
Saltnes, Østfold, Norway

New possible bottlenose dolphin sighting turns heads in Finland
The eyewitness, who first heard the animal splashing by the southeastern coast, said she couldn't believe her eyes.
Lovisa, Uusimaa, Finland

Next ‘stop’ Kara Sea in the Arctic Ocean?
Toxic fuel from 21,000 ton leak reaches pristine lake, bypassing floating booms, as rivers of diesel pollution cover-up is exposed.
Norilsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia

Colorado weather: Foothills, Palmer Divide get June snow
High elevation areas in Colorado received June snowfall.
Denver, Colorado, United States
The Denver Post

In Chukotka, two runways flooded
In Chukotka, floods flooded the runways in the villages of Vaegi and Markovo, and in the latter 24 homes.
Марково, Анадырский район, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia

'Unprecedented' Siberian Oil Spill Reaches Arctic Glacial Lake
President Vladimir Putin declared a state of emergency last Wednesday, several days after 21,000 metric tons of diesel leaked from a collapsed fuel tank outside the city of Norilsk.The pollution now risks running north into the Arctic Ocean.
Norilsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia

Major flooding in Finnmark: Red danger warning in several municipalities
The great flood has come to Finnmark. Since Sunday evening, several homes have been evacuated and a primary school in Alta has been closed. On Monday morning, the E6 stretch of Lakselv-Karasjok was also closed.
Finnmark
Ida Louise Rostad Journalist Eirik Sørenmo Påsche Journalist Mariam Eltervåg Cissé Journalist Frida Ravna Rømo Journalist Erik Andreassen Journalist Linda Pedersen Journalist Torgeir Varsi Fotograf

Yes, several days of thunderstorms are unusual
After the thunderstorms that moved through Southcentral Sunday evening, Anchorage broke a new record…the most consecutive days with a thunderstorm: three.
ADN

Wild salmon in Irish rivers displaying symptoms of red skin disease
Salmon affected have a characteristic red-spotted rash on their underbelly and may appear lethargic or moribund. In the past few weeks, suspected cases have also been reported in Denmark, Norway and Scotland.
River Leannan, Co. Donegol, Ireland
The Irish Times

Second Landslide Destroys Road in Northern Norway
Eight houses were taken into the sea by the powerful landslide measuring 650 metres wide.
Alta, Finnmark Fylke, Norway
Life in Norway

Strong winds knock out power in south, heading for Lapland on Sunday
Train service between Hämeenlinna and Toijala was halted by a fallen tree, while some 13,000 households lost power.
Vaasa, Ostrobothnia, Finland

Picking Shellfish Yields Tingling Fingers
Is there something that would cause fingers to tingle or swell after touching the mussels and clams?

Multiple bear sightings in Saanich, near UVic
Residents near the University of Victoria are cautioned to be vigilant as authorities are responding to sightings of a bear in the area.
Oak Bay, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria Buzz

Pollen Tinting Water around Norton Sound Communities
Ocean water may be tinted yellow from pollen.
Vanessa Tahbone, Anahma Shannon, Toby Anungazuk Jr

Notice more wasps and yellow jackets this year? You’re not alone
A lot of people are complaining about the wasps this year. They are actually very beneficial insects in some ways. These are very beneficial insects. They gather other insects to feed their larvae and thus control aphid populations, take out delphinium defoliators and other leaf rollers.

Continued risk of floods and landslides
There is still a lot of snow melt remaining and continued risk of flooding and landslides in large parts of the country. Now experts are hoping for the least amount of rainfall to avoid the most dramatic situations.
Alta, Finnmark Fylke, Norway

Pollen Levels Elevated in Anchorage
Elevated pollen levels in Anchorage and across Alaska raise questions about changes in respiratory health and the importance of having good air quality during the coronavirus pandemic.

Black bears on the move: more heading south
“In the last 36 hours, we’ve received four bear sightings in Saanich,” said Sgt. Damian Kowalewich with Saanich Police. "A lot of our residents are obviously alarmed by this and it’s a higher number of sightings than usual.”
Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
CHEK

Uncommon Ruby Tiger Moth (Phragmatobia fuliginosa) Sighting
The Seward Peninsula is within the ruby tiger moth range, but sightings are rare.
Teller, Alaska, United States

Russia’s 2020 Wildfires Cover Greece-Sized Area
Wildfires in Russia have burned across a combined area the size of Greece so far in 2020, surpassing official estimates threefold. Experts warn that this year’s blazes could become the most destructive in history.
Krasnoyarsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia

Seal Pup Found in Iceland Swam Home to Greenland
A seal pup found in Iceland about five months ago has now returned to its home turf in Greenland. The ringed seal pup was found behaving strangely in Njarðvík harbor.
Greenland
Iceland Review

Yellow Jacket Wasp Nesting on the Beaches in Nome
"We have not seen this on a wide-spread occasion in a number of years. They are nesting in sea weed, and making it troublesome to go to the beach." Jacob Martin

Humpback whales numbers swell in the Strait of Juan de Fuca
The North Pacific Humpback whale population has increased, and sightings are becoming more common.
Clallam Bay, Washington, United States

Large landslides have passed in Alta
One person was evacuated and brought to safety after the landslide at Kråkneset in Alta municipality. A total of eight buildings were swept to the sea in the 650-metre landslide. Due to a high avalanche risk, police have still not entered the area.
Kråkenes, Alta, Norway
Sofie Dege Dimmen, Ida Loise Rostad, Idun Aalbu Rasmussen, Jo Hermstad Tronsen

Increased tick prevalence in Northeastern Saskatchewan
The increase over the past eight years, attributed to climate change, changing host migration patterns, and ticks' adaptability to drier and colder climates, posing significant public health risks.
Pasquia Hills, SK

State of emergency in Norilsk after 20,000 tons of diesel leaks into Arctic river system
The exact reason of the leak is yet to be established, but a statement from Norilsk Nickel company, which operates the site suggests it could have been caused - worryingly - by collapsing permafrost.

Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar) in Anchorage

Yellow Residue in the Ocean is Likely Pollen
Unusually high levels of seasonal pollen create a visible sheen on water.
Stebbins, Alaska, United States

Flood destroyed the bridge that connected Murmansk with the mainland
Last weekend, the only railway bridge connecting the Kola Arctic with the mainland collapsed. The waters of the Kola River moved the support, then two spans collapsed.
Мурманск, Murmansk, Russia

Ticks moving into Northern Saskatchewan
Ticks used to be uncommon in Northern Saskatchewan, but are becoming more abundant as the climate warms.
Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada

Invasive Himalayan Blackberry Out-competing Native Bushes
Himalayan blackberries (*Rubus armeniacus*) are out competing native shrub species and taking over open grasslands.
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Dolphins sighted in Kopli Bay in Estonia
Estonian ship pilot Indrek Sulla on Tuesday morning sighted two dolphins who had likely wandered into Kopli Bay from the Atlantic.
Tallinn, Harjumaa, Estonia
The Baltic Course

Fine Yellow Dust is Likely Pollen
Seeing pollen in rainwater is unusual.
St. Mary's, Alaska, United States

Rare bird in historic visit to Sweden
A rare bird that has only been sighted twice before in Europe turned up in western Sweden on Sunday, causing great excitement among ornithologists.
Göteborg, Västra Götalands län, Sweden

Low water supply in two Kenai Peninsula communities prompts disaster declaration
Little rainfall during this year’s warm, dry summer left Seldovia and Nanwalek scrambling to conserve water.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States

New rainfall record for August in Bergen
The summer rain broke a hundred-year-old record.
Bergen, Hordaland, Norway

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
Even Norheim Johansen, Valentina Baisotti, Silje Thalberg

Chignik Lagoon on the Alaska Peninsula runs out of stored water
As of Tuesday, the wells at Chignik Lagoon, population 150, are completely dry.
Chignik Lagoon, Alaska, United States

Blue-green algae advisory in effect for Prior Lake on Vancouver Island
A blue-green algae advisory is in effect for Prior Lake in Thetis Lake Regional Park after the toxic blooms were spotted in the water.
Prior Lake, British Columbia, Canada

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

Slender armorhead (Pentaceros wheeleri) caught in purse seine
Juveniles and sub adults live and migrate in open water at shallow to moderate depths. They move to the bottom as adults when they settle around sea mounts in the North Pacific.
Chignik Lake, Alaska, United States
Melissa Good, Tom Okey, Amy Holman, Andrés López, Edgar Smith

Latest Research From Chukchi Sea Finds More Warm Water, Harmful Algal Blooms
During their three weeks aboard the Healy, Bob Pickart and his team observed some Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). One was near Point Hope.
Near Point Hope, Alaska
KNOM Radio Mission

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

Nanwalek is rapidly running out of water
A Kenai Peninsula village is rapidly running out of water. Low snowpack and little rainfall has led Nanwalek to declare a water emergency.
Nanwalek, Alaska, United States

Lightning strikes Alaska Airlines jets in Southeast
Alaska Airlines said flights 64 and 65 had lightning strikes from storms that moved through the northern Panhandle and also knocked out power in Juneau.

Detectan presencia del 'Pez Diablo' en Sinaloa; una amenaza para la pesca y los ecosistemas
They detect the presence of the 'Devil Fish' in Sinaloa; a threat to fishing and ecosystems
Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico
News

Lake water to be pumped into B.C. river due to severe drought
A Vancouver Island watershed is experiencing such a severe drought the town of Lake Cowichan says it will start using pumps to keep the local river flowing.
Lake Cowichan, British Columbia, Canada

Invasive salmon return to Scottish rivers
Pink salmon are native to the Pacific Ocean. From stocking programs in Russia in the 1960s they have spread to Northern Europe, and in 2017 male and female pink salmon were spotted in the River Ness in the Highlands of Scotland. And now, two years later, camera images suggest that their spawn has returned.
River Ness, Scotland, United Kingdom

Water shortage looms in Chignik Lagoon
The water well is dry due to a lack of rain, and the village’s distribution system is damaged. As of Thursday, residents had only 5,000 gallons of drinkable water left.
Chignik Lagoon, Alaska, United States

Squamish volunteers opening up man-made dams stopping pink salmon
Don’t treat the river like a personal bathtub. It’s a message Squamish conservationists are putting forward after they found man-made dams blocking pink salmon from their spawning grounds.
Stawamus River, British Columbia. Canada
Squamish Chief

Blacksmith (Chromis punctipinnis) Newly Abundant in Central California
"In the midfield of my dive this school of blacksmith suddenly appeared. They were hiding from cormorants that dove into the water."
Edward F. Ricketts State Marine Conservation Area, California, United States

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

Marine Mammal Strandings at 2nd Cape
A variety of stranded marine mammals were observed in the Port Heiden area between August 17 and 26th.
Near Port Heiden
Kathy Burek Huntington, Hillary Burgess, Kris Holderied, Joel Garlich-Miller, Barbara Mahoney, Melissa Good, Gay Sheffield, Jonathan Snyder, Bruce Wright, Kathy Kuletz, Gabe Dunham, Dean Stockwell, Jaclyn Christensen

Lake Change in Sanak
Most of the dry lakes and streams were on the south side of the island. I am thinking this is one of many lakes that cattle use for drinking.
Sanak Island

Late Bloomers - Highbush Cranberry (Viburnum edule) Blooming Late August
During a summer of unusually warm temperatures, highbush cranberries (*Viburnum edule*) are blooming, using buds that would have normally bloomed next spring.
College, Alaska, United States

Port Heiden fights 10-acre blaze
The 450-acre Offal Beach Fire is burning for the fifth consecutive day about 11 miles northeast of Port Heiden.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States
KDLG

Volunteers remain hopeful, as Levelock Fire reaches 5 percent containment
The Bristol Bay Times - Serving Dillingham, Naknek, King Salmon and Southwest villages
Levelock, Alaska, United States
Bristol Bay Times

Heavy rains spur flooding, snarl transportion
Helsinki usually gets 70-80 millimetres of rain during August. Friday morning alone brought 56 mm of water to Kaisaniemi Park, where the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) has a weather station.

Sockeye salmon returns plunge in B.C., as climate change mainly to blame
Federal fisheries experts paint devastating picture of the challenges facing Pacific salmon and point to climate change as the main culprit.
Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Lightning kills 5, injures more than 100 in popular tourist area on Poland-Slovakia border
Five people, including two children, were killed in a thunderstorm in the Tatra Mountains on the Poland-Slovakia border on Thursday.
Wielki Giewont, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland

Wind storm beaches boats, causes power outage
A wind storm last weekend toppled a tree on Beach Road and broke lines on boats in Letnikof Cove, sending one boat owner into the frigid and wavy
Haines, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

Rapid release of water from glacier-dammed lake prompts Kenai flood advisory
The National Weather Service has issued a flood advisory for Kenai Lake and the Kenai River near Cooper Landing.
Cooper Landing, Alaska, United States

Mosquitoes in Flagstaff test positive for West Nile virus
Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) officials found mosquitoes that tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV) in an area south of Lake Mary Road in Flagstaff. This is the first positive WNV in mosquitoes in Coconino County this year.  No human cases have been reported in Coconino County since 2010 when two human cases were identified.
Flagstaff, Arizona, United States
Arizona Emergency Information Network

Pacific Pomfret (Brama japonica) Caught in Southeast Alaska
Although native to southern Alaskan waters, Pacific pomfret (*Brama japonica*) are not often caught by salmon fishers.
Cross Sound
Tom Okey, Richard L Thoman Jr, Justin Bate, Jason Gasper

Florida panthers and bobcats are stumbling or can’t walk and scientists suspect it could be poison
Researchers are asking the public for help in identifying a condition that has left endangered panthers in Florida with neurological damage.
Utopia, Florida, United States
Washington Post

Hawaiian Petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis) off Haida Gwaii
This is the first photographed in BC and only the 5th ever recorded in the province.
Northwest of Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, Canada
Rare Bird Alert

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

'Way too close’: Kayakers encounter calving glacier in Southcentral Alaska
“It was a beautiful event that we were lucky to have survived,” Andrew Hooper said.
Spencer Glacier

Dead Salmon Shark (Lamna ditropis) Near 2nd Cape
It is unusual to find a dead shark. And it occurred at a time when there were many other standings of marine mammals and birds.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States
Bruce Wright, Kathy Burek Huntington, Jaclyn Christensen, Melissa Good

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

Algae Observed in Satellite Image - Could This Be Related to Shearwater Die-offs?
This region in the Bering Sea began to change color in early July, during roughly the same period when dead shearwaters began being reported by LEO members in coastal communities. Ocean experts suspect it's a non-toxic coccolithophore bloom. Interestingly, these kinds of blooms have occurred before in conjunction with shearwater die-offs. But this may be circumstantial.
Bering Sea
Dean Stockwell, Kathy Kuletz, Richard L Thoman Jr, Amy Holman, Sarah Schoen, Mike Brubaker, Kris Holderied, Hillary Burgess

Record heat has Susitna Valley silver salmon in hot - and low - water
Two popular rivers are being closed to fishing because almost no cohos are making it upstream.
Willow, Alaska, United States

Drought Causes Water Emergency
"Nanwalek was in an emergency drought, we had to have water flown in for 60 households."
Nanwalek, Alaska, United States
Priscilla Evans, Michael Opheim , Brian Berube, John Warren, Richard L Thoman Jr

Wildfire Smoke Affecting Ability to Dry Fish
"The fish was easy to mold on the drying rack because the hot summer sun was not coming through the smoke."
Nuiqsut, Alaska, United States
Rosemary Ahtuangaruak, Raphaela Stimmelmayr, Alison York

Pack of brown bears reported in Magadan region
Bears in the Far East of Russia have become extremely aggressive searching for food. Experts say the number of bear attacks on humans this year is 'unprecedented.'
Takhtoyamsk, Magadan Oblast, Russia
Siberian Times

Laurel wilt in camphor (Cinnamomum camphora) tree?
"Camphor Trees typically seem healthy in this region and are invasive. Massive simultaneous failure of most branches seems unusual."
North Sarasota, Florida, United States
Jeffrey Eickwort, Jono Miller, Jessie Moan

Kuskokwim River erosion threatens diesel-filled fuel tanks in Napakiak
The school district plans to transport fuel from a group of 10 tanks into three new tanks expected to be placed in the Napakiak school parking lot further inland.
Napakiak, Alaska, United States

'It looks like Christmas': Northeastern B.C. gets August snow dump
Residents in northeastern B.C. got quite the surprise over the weekend in the form of a large snowfall. While it's not entirely uncommon for towns in higher elevations to receive snow in August, getting a big dump is very unusual, said CBC meteorologist Brett Soderholm.
Buffalo Inn, Pink Mountain, BC, Canada
CBC News

Wildfire along Parks Highway burns at least 50 structures
The highway remained closed north of Willow after the fire jumped the road Sunday, authorities said. The fire started Saturday afternoon when wind blew a tree onto a power line.
Willow, Alaska, United States

Wasilla store contends with ‘large-scale’ rodent problem
Fred Meyer is employing an aggressive pest-control plan after customers spotted mice in the store through Southcentral Alaska’s unusually warm summer.
Wasilla, Alaska, United States

Fish Found in Stream Where There Are Usually No Fish
Fish in a local pond may have been washed to their new location during a recent severe rain event.
Quinhagak, Alaska, United States

Guadalupe Murrelet (Synthliboramphus hypoleucus) off Tofino
Multiple passengers on board were able to view and photograph the bird. This is the 3rd record for the province of BC.
Southwest of Tofino, BC, Canada
Rare Bird Alert
Mike Toochin, Melissa Hafting and Ilya Povalyaev

Sargassum hits Belize hard
For the fifth consecutive year, influxes of sargassum seaweed have begun piling up on beachfronts in major tourist destinations in Belize.
Placencia, Stann Creek, Belize
Breaking Belize News

Dozens of dead seabirds found on Kivalina coast
About 20 to 30 medium-sized birds with black backs and white bellies were found spaced out along the entire beach of the island.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States

Haines water department works to keep water flowing from Lily Lake amid drought
The main water line comes from Lily Lake through 10,000 feet of line. According to Supervisor Dennis Durr, “We’re making 130 gallons a minute right now. Normally this time of year we should be making at least 250 gallons a minute. We’re not keeping up right now, but we are making water. That’s good. That’s keeping us in the ball game here.”
Haines, Alaska, United States

Anglers allowed to catch chinook salmon in southwestern Yukon
Recreational anglers on the Tatshenshini River are now allowed to catch one fish and have one in their possession. Last year, they were only allowed to catch and release the fish.
Mosquito Lake, Alaska, United States

Whitehorse fish ladder sees delayed start to Chinook run
The Whitehorse fish ladder is seeing a slower start to the season than usual, with fewer fish than average having passed through at this point compared to previous years.

Dead Sooty Shearwaters (Ardenna grisea)
This is the 6th observation on this topic received in LEO Network from Southwest Alaska since July 22, 2019.
Quinhagak, Alaska, United States
Jennifer Hooper, Hillary Burgess, Brian Lefferts, Alyssa Gustafson, Kathy Kuletz, Erica Lujan

Large icebergs are rare in Portage Lake nowadays. This week there are two new ‘shooters.'
“When I first started six years ago, icebergs like this were more common,” says a tour boat captain on the lake near Anchorage.
Whittier, Alaska, United States

River Otters (Lutra canadensis) on Bike Trail
River otters observed within Anchorage city limits.

2019 to be ‘worst-ever year’ for wildfires in Siberia and ‘only rain can now extinguish flames’
Some 5.4 million hectares of land are ablaze across Russia, mostly in Siberia and the country's far east. Water sprayed by planes to fight the fires is ‘now as expensive as Champagne’.

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

Why has Bethel been so wet? It’s been swimming in an atmospheric river
An “atmospheric river" is what it sounds like - a channel of very moist air coursing across the globe, up in the air. And it’s what’s been drenching parts of Alaska, including the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.

Jakolof Creek Fish Die-off
"Jakolof Creek is dry almost all the way up to the switchbacks and continues to recede. The early run of red salmon may have made it to the lake, but that is probably the only run that has."
Head of Jakolof Bay on Jakolof Creek
Brian Berube, Stephen Payton, Glenn Hollowell, Michael Opheim , Ryan Brubaker

Community Water Shortage
Chignik Lagoon has been unable to produce enough water from their wells and has been pulling water from a creek since the beginning of June and subsequently have not been able to refill their water storage tank. The issue has been compounded by several substantial leaks in the water system. They have experienced up to 2 feet of water loss from their tank in one day.
Chignik Lagoon, Alaska, United States
Melany Eakin, Don Green, Santina Gay, CaSandera Johnson, Heidi Kritz, Edward "Ted" Smith, Michelle Anderson , Brian Berube, Jodee Anderson, Richard L Thoman Jr

Drought increases in SE Alaska while July temps break records
Southeast Alaska has suffered from a drought and warmer-than-normal temperatures for about two years now. The month of July broke more records.
Petersburg, Alaska, United States

Short-tailed Shearwaters (Ardenna tenuirostris) Found on Chukchi Sea Beach
More than 50 birds and a seal were found along the shoreline.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States
Kathy Kuletz, Janet Mitchell, Gay Sheffield, Hillary Burgess

Fort Resolution residents spot American Black Vulture ‘way, way out of its range’
Residents posted photos of the bird on social media this week, remarking on the unusual sighting and sharing pictures of the animal perched and in flight. The bird, known for its dark plumage and black, featherless head, is typically a southern species, concentrated around Mexico, parts of Arizona, Eastern Texas and the East Coast. It’s rarely spotted in the Midwest or West Coast.
Fort Resolution, Northwest Territories, Canada
NNSL Media

Why Lightning Strikes in an Arctic Gone Bizarro
Some rather peculiar weather over the weekend struck 300 miles from the North Pole. Here’s why that may be the new normal.
North Pole
WIRED

Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) with White Nodes/Lumps
If the cysts contain milky, white fluid, they are likely *Henneguya*, a harmless and relatively common parasite. But if they contain a larvae, they are likely tape worms which can infect people.
Tolstoi Bay, Alaska, United States
Ted Meyers, Carol Fletcher, Emily Mosites, Ryan Brubaker, Andrew Atkinson

Unidentified Grasshopper, Possible Genus Melanoplus
Grasshoppers aren't common around Saint Mary's, but may become abundant during years with warm temperatures and ample vegetation for food.

Algal Bloom, Possibly Noctiluca, in Kizhuyak Bay
Ribbons of discolored water observed over Kizhuyak Bay that are likely related to a *Noctilica* bloom.
Chiniak, Alaska, United States
Brian Berube, Andie Wall , Kayla Schommer

Polar bear encounters in Kaktovik aren’t new. But they’re happening a bit earlier than last year.
Looking over a longer time span, bears in the southern Beaufort Sea are now using land to an extent they haven’t used it historically,” a researcher said.
Kaktovik, Alaska, United States

CRD warns visitors, dog owners of toxic algae in Beaver Lake
Visitors advised not to swim in lake and keep dogs on leash
Elk Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria News

Summer heat accelerates Alaska peony harvest
On another year, Christy might just now be finishing up the harvest. But today, the only flowers left from this season are stored in a walk-in cooler.
Wasilla, Alaska, United States

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

Sun disappears in bizarre repeat of last year’s blackout
This time weather experts think the blackout was caused by smoke from wildfires mixing with heavy rain clouds.

Weird weather brings flooding to Kotzebue
The flooding was caused by a weather system that moved up to the Bering Sea from the tropics, and raised water levels and dumped rain across much of western Alaska.
The Arctic Sounder

Mixed fortunes for berry pickers this year
The south and west of the country are on course for a good harvest, as the sun has been a near-constant companion all season. Berry pickers in East Iceland are less optimistic.
Egilsstaðir, East, Iceland

State reopens shellfish harvest
The state's Department of Environmental Services and Fish and Game announced effective Friday, Aug. 9 the ban on harvest of shellfish due to “red tide” is lifted for all species of shellfish except surf clams.The harvest closure went into effect May 9 for the Atlantic Ocean and Hampton/Seabrook Harbor in response to elevated levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning, or PSP, commonly known as red tide, detected in blue mussels collected from Hampton/Seabrook
Hampton, New Hampshire, United States
seacoastonline.com

Fizzy Bubbles in Lagoon No Cause for Concern
The Icelandic Met Office has determined that unusual air bubbles in the Kvíárlón lagoon to the southeast of the Öræfajökull volcano neither pose a health hazard to travellers nor indicate the onset of volcanic activity. Vísir reports that a local landowner contacted the meteorological office after seeing unusual air bubbles in the lagoon that “sounded […]

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.

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

Dry conditions persist, borough reissues mandatory water restriction
The borough re-issued mandatory water restrictions this week amid drought conditions and as Lily Lake water levels continue to drop. In August, the borough has banned watering lawns with sprinklers. Hand-drip irrigation of vegetable and flower gardens is allowed.
Haines, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

Moldy fish in an Alaskan river threaten a community’s food supply
In early October 2013, local fishers Eli Nukapigak and Edward Nukapigak Jr. alerted wildlife officials to the discovery of “sick fish” in their nets near Nuiqsut. The aanaakłiq had fuzzy grayish-white patches on their bodies, fins, and heads. Cottony masses almost covered the eyes of some fish. None of the fishers in the community recalled seeing this condition before.
Nuiqsut, Alaska, United States
Hakai Magazine

Deer covered in warts caught on camera
Fibromatosis is not a cause of deer mortality, according to officials, who added that the disease is not known to infect humans.
Pipestone, Minnesota, United States
Fox News

Officials: Cause of eastern Finland fish kill could take weeks to ascertain
The condition of the lake isn’t very good and it has the typical problems with high nutrient levels and depleted oxygen.
Rautalampi, Pohjois-Savo, Finland

Late Birch Leaf Edge Miner Damage
Browning on birch leaves before time for the fall season transition.
Lazy Mountain, Alaska, United States

Spruce Bark Beetle and Wood Boring Insects
"The spruce bark beetle epidemic currently ravaging Southcentral AK's spruce trees is well-known, but I haven't heard mention of other pests occurring in conjunction."
Lazy Mountain, Alaska, United States

Another major whale stranding event
For the second time in less than a month, a large pod of pilot whales has been discovered stranded on an Icelandic beach.Two-thirds of them were saved and driven back out to sea.
Garður, Southern Peninsula, Iceland

An atmospheric river is drenching parts of Alaska after a stretch of scorching weather
More than a month’s worth of rain has soaked parts of the state in just a few days, setting records.

Algae Bloom Fouls N.J.’s Largest Lake, Indicating Broader Crisis
Lake Hopatcong, normally buzzing with swimmers and water skiers, is filled with cyanobacteria in quantities never before recorded.
Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, United States
New York Times

Short-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna tenuirostris) on the Kuskokwim
Nine short-tailed shearwaters (*Ardenna tenuirostris*) were seen floating in the Kuskokwim river, directly in front of Bethel. The birds were acting disoriented and farther up the Kuskokwim than normal.
Cecilia Franko, Jennifer Hooper, Kathy Kuletz, Hillary Burgess

Nome Breaks Another Climate Record: Most Rain in 24 Hours
Heavy rain and coastal flood warnings threatened boats near Kotzebue, caused flooding at the old shipyard in St. Michael, and brought high water to the Eastern Norton Sound as well as several rivers near Nome.
KNOM Radio Mission

Dead Seal
Alaska has experienced a series of seal mortalities in June that were concentrated in the northern part of the state. This dead seal was found on the bluff near a public park in Anchorage.

First Confirmed Hoodwinker Sunfish Photographed in Monterey Bay!!
Major Mola Moment: First Confirmed Hoodwinker Sunfish Photographed in Monterey Bay!!
Pacific Grove, California, United States
Monterey Bay Aquarium

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

Dead Seabirds, Including Shearwaters (genus Ardenna), Found on Beach
"I discovered possibly 43 seabirds and may have missed more on August 3, 2019, just on the southwest side and did not go further on southeast side of our beach. Not sure, maybe they died of hunger."
Togiak, Alaska, United States
Gayla Hoseth, Kathy Kuletz, Diane Abraham, Hillary Burgess

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

Thousands of walruses show up early on Northwest Alaska coast as sea ice recedes
Sea ice in the Chukchi Sea disappeared far earlier than normal this spring as a result of exceptionally warm ocean temperatures.
Point Lay, Alaska, United States

Alaska glacier where boaters were found dead had recently become prone to calving, guide says
It's possible the trio’s canoe was upset by a calving, or shedding, piece of ice. Although all three were wearing life jackets, none was wearing a wetsuit to protect against the frigid water.
Tatitlek, Alaska, United States

How an accelerated warming cycle in Alaska's Bering Sea is creating ecological havoc
Every year since 2015, the Bering Sea has melted out earlier than in every year before 2015. If heat is killing animals, scientists have yet to pin down exactly how it is doing so.

Chum salmon (Oncohynchus keta) and Northern Pike (Esox lucius) with Red Spots under Scales and Abrasions on Their Bellies
Warm water temperatures may be causing stress and increase the risk of infections and other illness in fish.
Buckland, Alaska, United States

3 kayakers found dead in water of Alaska glacier
Authorities in Alaska are investigating the deaths of three kayakers whose bodies were found in the water of a glacier.
Valdez, Alaska, United States

Mass Die-off of Shearwaters (genus Ardenna)
"Within a week we saw thousands of shearwaters along the beaches, and witnessed hundreds dead. They would sit on the tideline unable to walk, foraging on dead fish that had washed ashore and trying to feed on the fish in the nets of the set net sites as well."
Egegik, Alaska, United States
CaSandera Johnson, Jessica Chernikoff, Kathy Kuletz, Erin Ranney, Jaclyn Christensen, Hillary Burgess, Melany Eakin

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

Wildfire smoke prompts health advisory in Fort Good Hope, Norman Wells
Smoke exposure can cause several symptoms, including sore eyes, tears, cough and runny nose. People who are active outdoors are the most at-risk, according to the health advisory issued Tuesday morning.
Norman Wells, Northwest Territories, Canada

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

Russian Lake Dries Up, Leaves Locals Baffled
Lazurnoye Lake’s disappearance has baffled local residents who normally flock to the lake for a summer swim.
Saint Petersburg, St.-Petersburg, Russia

Honeybees are dying; beekeepers suspect pesticides are to blame
Local beekeepers suspect pesticides used for controlling mosquitoes may be the cause.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Abnormal heat spurs reindeer to hit the beach
A swimming spot in northern Finland had unlikely visitors seeking solace from soaring temperatures.
Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland

Uncommon Squat Lobster (Munida quadrispina) Sighting
A squat lobster (*Munida quadrispina*) was pulled up in a shrimp pot placed in Prince William Sound, which is not a common event. Squat lobsters are commonly found in Southeast Alaska during ADF&G shrimp survey pots and in scallop dredge surveys near Yakutat, Kayak Island, Kachemak Bay, and Kodiak.
Surprise Cove, Alaska, United States

Grasshopper invasion of Las Vegas may last weeks
An unusually wet year is responsible for the biblical-seeming swarm of pallid-winged grasshoppers, according to entomologists.
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
New York Times

Fant mer enn 200 døde rein: – Skyldes klimaendringer
Aldri før har forskere funnet så mange rein som har sultet i hjel på Svalbard.
Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen

Dead Pre-spawned Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)
During the summer of 2019, warm water temperatures lowered the amount of dissolved oxygen in rivers and caused salmon across the state, including Mountain Village, to die before they were able to spawn.
Mountain Village, Alaska, United States

Scientists Need Help Studying Dead Salmon In Yukon Area
Dead chum salmon are lining the banks of one of the Yukon River’s largest tributaries. Koyukuk River residents and scientists alike suspect the deaths are
Huslia, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Thirsty elk seek water during heatwave, motorists warned
A total of 140 crashes and other accidents involving elk have been reported in the last week alone, police said, especially in the area around Pyhäjärvi lake near the town of Säkylä in the southwest of Finland.
Säkylä, Satakunta, Finland

Toxic Algae Advisory for Klamath River
Caution: Blue Green Algae has been detected in the Lower Klamath River and contact with water is not advised. Samples in the South Slough located in the Estuary of the River and near the confluence of Tulley Creek and the Klamath River recently detected low levels of toxic algae.
Klamath, California, United States
Yurok Tribe Environmental Department

Unusual Rusty Tussock Caterpillar (Orgyia antiqua)
"This is the first time I've seen this kind of caterpillar in this area."
Toksook Bay, Alaska, United States

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

Unspawned Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) and Other Dead Fish
"Over 40 dead dog salmon, one shee fish, one lush fish, and two delmaga all dead along the river going towards the creek opening."
Kaltag, Alaska, United States
Kyle Wright, Carolyn Craig, Jayde Ferguson

Heatwave Temperatures: 38 Degrees C (in the shade)
Highest measured temperatures ever (2018) were measured in Arcen, Holland. 38,2 degrees celsius.
Zwolle, Overijssel, Netherlands

First 2019 paralytic shellfish poisoning case reported in Alaska
The Department of Health and Social Services reports a person experienced PSP symptoms after eating a clam harvested near Perryville on the Alaska Peninsula.
Perryville, Alaska, United States

Bristol Bay sockeye harvest blowing away forecast once again
As of July 21, fishermen in Bristol Bay’s five districts had harvested just more than 42 million salmon.
Naknek, Alaska, United States
Elizabeth Earl, Alaska Journal of Commerce

All-time temperature records tumble again as heatwave sears Europe
Highs in Germany, Netherlands and Belgium exceeded for second time in 24 hours.
Paris, Île-de-France, France

Giant Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) Found Farther West Than Normal
Giant kelp (*Macrocystis pyrifera*) is normally found in Prince William Sound and Kodiak Archipelago. However, it has recently appeared at the north end of Zachary Bay near Sand Point.

Netherlands and Belgium record highest ever temperatures
All-time records in Germany and Luxembourg could also fall in latest continent-wide heatwave
Tilburg, North Brabant, Netherlands

Satellite photos show blue-green algae blooming in blistering heat
Researcher Sirpa Lehtinen from the Finnish Environment Institute (Syke) said that cyanobacteria exist in seawater all year round, but intense heat causes them to multiply quickly.
Turku, Southwest Finland, Finland

Records tumble as Europe swelters in heatwave
Temperatures pass 39C in Belgium and the Netherlands, as a Eurostar train breaks down in the heat.
Eindhoven, North Brabant, Netherlands

Biologists scoop up invasive goldfish at Cuddy Pond
Wildlife officials used rotenone, a fish-killing chemical, to eradicate goldfish illegally introduced to the pond at Cuddy Family Midtown Park.

Moderate drought hits the Kenai Peninsula
It’s official: the Kenai Peninsula is in a moderate drought. After months of warm weather and little rain, the United States Drought Monitor designated the region abnormally dry. The drought is creating a crisis for farmers who are having to water their crops more often while at the same time their wells are drying up. There are roughly 260 farms on the peninsula.
Homer, Alaska, United States

Salmon Die-off
Salmon are dying along the Andreafsky River and Lower Yukon River before spawning out. Water surface temperatures have been unusually warm, at one point reaching 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Jennifer Dobson, Jayde Ferguson, Eric Alstrom, Brian Lefferts

Dead Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)
Thousands of dead sockeye salmon (*Oncorhynchus nerka*) found dead along the beach during a period of warm weather. Additional salmon have been observed in the Togiak River, raising concerns about possible challenges to subsistence harvest.
Twin Hills, Alaska, United States

Krill (Thysanoessa spinifera) Found Washed Up on Beach
Krill (*Thysanoessa spinifera*) were found washed up along the beach in Dutch Harbor. Samples sent to University of Alaska Fairbanks are in the process of being tested for toxins.
Karen Pletnikoff, Asia Beder, Dean Stockwell, Melissa Good, Bruce Wright

Major Siberian cities choking from strong wildfires
Krasnoyarsk and Novosibirsk suffering smoke pollution and infernos rage in forests after hot, dry weather.
Krasnoyarsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia

Dead Birds, Including Short-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna tenuirostris), Washed Up on Beach
The timing coincides with other sea bird deaths reported in St. Paul Island, Pilot Point, and Ugashik.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States
Kathy Kuletz, Jaclyn Christensen, Hillary Burgess

Unidentified Orange Substance Found Washed Up on the Beach in Unalaska
An unidentified substance was found washed up on the Summers Bay beach. Samples were sent to University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) and are being tested.
Karen Pletnikoff, Dean Stockwell, Asia Beder, Melissa Good

Evacuation alert issued for Elsa and Keno City
Residents and visitors in Elsa and Keno City, Yukon, as well as areas of north Hansen Lake, have been put on an evacuation alert because of the Shanghai Creek wildfire currently burning out of control.
Keno City, Yukon, Canada

A sweaty Saturday: Hottest day of the year in Toronto, Ottawa
The sweltering weather continues Saturday with several parts of Canada under heat warnings and Toronto, Ottawa and Windsor experiencing the hottest day of the year.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Heavy smoke in parts of N.W.T., air quality statement in effect
Environment Canada has issued air quality statements for parts of the N.W.T.'s Mackenzie Delta region, including Fort McPherson and Tsiigehtchic.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Lake Is Full of Algae This Summer
"I am worried that unless we do something, the algae will kill the lake, or at least our enjoyment of it."
Shelley Griffith, Mike Brubaker, Dean Stockwell, Gillian Brubaker , Gino Graziano

Fifty Whales Found Dead on West Iceland Beach
Fifty pilot whales were found dead on the shore of Löngufjörur in a sparsely populated part of the Snæfellsnes peninsula on Thursday, RÚV reports.
Stykkishólmur, West, Iceland

Fasciated Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium)
Fireweed observed with flat, curled stem and many buds, indicating fasciation.
Kenai, Alaska, United States
Kelly Matthews, Gino Graziano, Jessie Moan, Nathan Lojewski

Hoverfly Larva (possibly Dasysyrphus)
Hoverfly larva (possibly *Dasysyrphus*) found out in the open. Usually, they are found in stagnant water, on a decomposing animal carcass, or in rot holes of trees.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States
Jessie Moan, Stephen Payton, Derek Sikes

Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) with Twisted Spine
Chum salmon (*Oncorhynchus keta*) caught with a spinal curvature, which may be related to many different factors including genetics, infectious disease, trauma, neoplasm, diet, or changes in the environment.
Mountain Village, Alaska, United States

Vegetables are mature earlier than farmers have ever seen; flowers are ready to go
“The growth-cycle this year is unprecedented,” with carrots, peas and broccoli heads “as big as a platter,” farmers market vendors say.
Palmer, Alaska, United States

West Vancouver closes popular beach due to bacteria levels
Another Metro Vancouver beach has been closed to swimmers following concerns about bacteria.
Ambleside Beach, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
CTV News

Sturgeon Caught in Yukon River
Two sturgeon were caught in the Yukon River, farther upriver than has been previously reported.
Mountain Village, Alaska, United States

Blue-green algae bloom in coastal pond
Cape May Point, New Jersey, United States

Fire crews pulled from wildfire near Yellowknife that's too dangerous to fight
The department of Environment and Natural Resources says fires were caused by lightning.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Bears try to move in, Angoon sets boundaries
Furry visitors have kept the residents of Angoon on their toes for the past few weeks. Several bears have made a habit of passing through town.
Angoon, Alaska, United States

Second Tick I Have Pulled off My Dog This Summer
"He could have picked it up in the backyard or on an earlier walk to the park."
Pamela Szatanek, Kimberlee Beckmen, Louisa Castrodale, Micah Hahn

Unusually Warm Temperatures
Temperatures in July reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit, above the normal high temperature of 72.3 degrees.
Ambler, Alaska, United States

'This is unprecedented': Alert, Nunavut is warmer than Victoria
Weather watchers are focused on the world's most northerly community, which is in the middle of a record-breaking heat wave.
Canadian Forces Base Alert, Nunavut
CBC News

Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) in Tsawwassen
The bird flew in on the mudflats at high tide and joined a small flock of Western Sandpipers. This is the second record for the province of BC.
Beach Grove lagoon at Boundary Bay Regional Park, BC, Canada
Rare Bird Alert
Ilya Povalyaev, Melissa Hafting, Mike Toochin, Sharon Toochin and Richard Swanston

Thunderstorm in Repeat Succession
Thunderstorms are unusual in Unalakleet; however, a thunderstorm cell persisted in the area for longer than usual. Hot, dry conditions across Alaska have increased the risk of wildland fire, including that started from lightening strike.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

Algal Bloom
Discolored marine waters near Haines may be reflective of the extremely high level of algae in southeast waters this month.
Kyle Rosendale, Luke Williams, Bruce Wright, Rose Masui, Chris Whitehead, Dean Stockwell

More dead marine mammals, birds found on region’s beaches
Alaska Sea Grant agent Gay Sheffield from Nome responded to report of a dead bowhead and a dead grey whale northeast of Shishmaref near Cape Espenburg.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States

Record Warm Water Likely Gave Kuskokwim Salmon Heart Attacks
As record high temperatures swept Alaska, many people said that the heat was killing them. For Kuskokwim salmon, it was actually true.
Akiak, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Rusty tussock moths invade Seward Peninsula
The rusty tussock moth has invaded the tundra in the Nome area, an infestation of the species not seen this far north before.

Dead Chum (Oncorhynchus keta) Salmon Floating in Yukon River
Dead chum salmon have been spotted floating down the Yukon river. Water temperatures are measuring at 70 degrees, the warmest in recollection.
Kotlik, Alaska, United States

Fish Die-Off Tubutulik River
We observed more than 50 otherwise healthy (not spawned out) dead fish including pink and chum salmon and white fish
Koyuk, Alaska, United States

Lots of Dead Female Pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) Salmon
Warm water near Golovin is hurting pink salmon. Many salmon caught had red speckled dots on flesh, raising concerns about food safety. Female pink salmon were seen dead in the bay.
Golovin, Alaska, United States

Dead Silver Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in Kouwegoki Slough and Along Powers Creek, Among Other Locations
In early July, dead fish were observed floating along Kouwegoki Slough and along Powers Creek, among other locations.
John Henry, Racheal Lee, Anahma Shannon, Gay Sheffield

Warmer waters believed to be main cause for dead pink salmon in Norton Sound
Norton Sound residents have reported salmon die-offs in unusually large numbers during the last week. According to the Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation (NSEDC), dead pre-spawned pink salmon were found in multiple river systems over the weekend.
Shaktoolik, Alaska, United States

Warm Ocean Temperatures
In July, Norton Sound water surface temperatures reached 68.2 DEG F on 7/10 and 69.3 DEG F on 7/11, which is about 17 degrees above average. The water was warm enough to comfortably swim in.
Nome Alaska
Jason Sebring, Richard L Thoman Jr, Gay Sheffield, Racheal Lee, Anahma Shannon

Common Loon (Gavia immer) Calling Circle
Large groups of loons are rarely observed in the summer on Homer's Beluga Lake. Over a dozen were observed calling back and forth on Beluga Lake.

Wildfires near Dawson City threaten North Klondike Highway
Fire crews are battling a pair of major wildfires on the North Klondike Highway near Dawson City that are creating smoky conditions for locals but have not yet led to highway closures, Yukon Protective Services said Wednesday afternoon.
Dawson City, Yukon, Canada

Dead Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta), King Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), and Whitefish Along Yukon Riverbank
Dead salmon and whitefish found along the banks of the Yukon River.
Alakanuk, Alaska, United States

Heat Wave Hits Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta
People living in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta felt something unusual this past holiday weekend: a heat wave. Temperatures crept close to 90 degrees in many parts of the region.
Chevak, Alaska, United States

Unidentified Spider - Brown Recluse, Wolf Spider, or Something Else?
Unidentified urban garden spider. Without a photo or a specimen, confirmation of the species is impossible.

Burying Beetle (Genus Nicrophorus) in Southwest Alaska
A burying beetle was seen for the first time by an observer in Tuntutuliak.
Tuntutuliak, Alaska, United States

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) in Yukon
Way out side of typical range.
Mayo, Yukon, Canada

Temperatures Rise Outside and Inside Buildings
Our operations and maintenance staff do their best to insure all mechanical systems are functioning properly. But several factors limited their ability to respond, including significant smoke from the Swan Lake wildfire.
Anchorage, Alaska
Shelley Griffith, Richard L Thoman Jr, Jared James, Travis Smith, Santina Gay

Invasive poison hemlock a growing concern on Vancouver Island
The Capital Regional District recently issued an alert sheet for Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum).
Capital Regional District, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Island

Air quality plummets as wildfire smoke hits Alaska's most populous cities
Smoke and soot from central Alaska wildfires have afflicted the subarctic city of Fairbanks with some of the world's worst air pollution in recent days, forcing many residents indoors and prompting one hospital to set up a "clean air shelter."
Reuters

What the haze? Here's the deal with all the smoke in Juneau right now
A hazy shade of summer.

NASA satellites find biggest seaweed bloom in the world
An unprecedented belt of brown algae stretches from West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico. The largest bloom of macroalgae in the world, has been dubbed the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt.
Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (GASB)
EurekAlert!

Anchorage fire officials respond to 25 fires in a day; implore public to heed burn ban
The city is so parched and hot that even a cigarette tossed into a pile of fluffy cottonwood fiber could ignite a fire.

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

General open fire ban in effect for much of Yukon
Due to 'extreme fire danger,' all open fires have been banned across much of Yukon, effective immediately.

Extremely Warm Temperatures
It was also during the week where a number of dead fish started to occur along the riverine segment.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States
Anahma Shannon, John Henry, Richard L Thoman Jr, Gay Sheffield, Austin Ahmasuk

Dragon Flies Reach the Colville Nigliq Channel
Nuiqsut, Alaska, United States

Sand Lance (Ammodytes hexapterus) Die-Off
Hundreds of dead sand lance (*Ammodytes hexapterus*) found along the shores of White Sands Beach.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States
Bruce Wright, Jayde Ferguson, Stephanie Mason, Ted Meyers

Dead Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) Floating Down River
"Our temperatures reached 83 degrees, and seem to be getting hotter! We think that maybe the warm water has something to do with the humpy die-off?"
Shaktoolik, Alaska, United States
Jayde Ferguson, Anahma Shannon, Toby Thaler, Jolene Auliye, Gay Sheffield

Add krill and mussels to the list of unusual marine deaths in Northwest Alaska
Village wildlife observers worry that the unusual warmth of oceans off Alaska is causing problems throughout the ecosystem.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States

Alaska salmon stream hits high temperature during heat wave
The science director for Cook Inletkeeper, a nonprofit organization that monitors the health of Cook Inlet, wrote a paper two years ago on what salmon streams might be like in the future with climate change.
Willow, Alaska, United States
The Seattle Times

Warmer Water Means More Parasites In Kuskokwim Salmon
Subsistence families along the Kuskokwim River are cutting open fish to find white balls or white streaks deforming the meat.

Eating shellfish you’ve harvested yourself is risky - and can be deadly
In Southeast Alaska this summer, researchers have seen extremely high levels of harmful toxins in mussels and clams plucked from beaches.

Infestation of Rusty Tussock Caterpillars (Orgyia antiqua) in Nome River Valley
Unusually high abundance of caterpillars in the Nome River Valley.

Alaska’s changing climate
Local residents debated whether a massive release of spruce pollen, which accumulated on every surface—including car bonnets, picnic tables and the nearby Kachemak Bay—amounted to a “golden sheen” or a “yellow scum”. The fine dust turned the surface of the sea the colour of butter and left a bright, lemony line on shore that marked the extent of high tide and gave off a sickly sweet smell. This huge release of pollen might be yet another symptom of a rapidly changing environment.
The Economist

Anchorage hits an official 90 degrees for the first time on record
There’s little relief from the daytime heat in the forecast for the rest of the holiday weekend.

Cone Clouds
Unusual cone clouds in the air likely produced precipitation that evaporated before reaching the ground, due to unusually warm conditions.
Toksook Bay, Alaska, United States

Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) Breeding in Osoyoos
This is the first breeding record for this species in all of Canada.
Osoyoos, British Columbia, Canada

East Anchorage wildfire expected to be out in 2-3 days, fire officials say
The fire had reached 90% containment by Thursday evening, according to the Alaska Division of Forestry.

Farmers concerned about heat, lack of rain
As lower Kenai Peninsula temperatures have soared recently, local farmers and gardeners have concerns about how June’s lack of rain and steady warm temperatures will affect their businesses in the weeks ahead.
Homer News

Researcher discovers mussels on California coast were cooked to death in heat wave
Massive amounts of the mussels clinging to the rocky shores and cliffs of the Bodega Marine Reserve were cooked in the June heat wave.
Bodega Bay, California, United States
SFGate

Scarlet Globemallow in suburban Calgary
Uncommon wildlfower species found in suburban Calgary.

Flooding in Kotlik
Kotlik, Alaska, United States
Richard L Thoman Jr, Elizabeth Buckingham, Crane Johnson, Harold Okitkun

Dead Ash Trees Across Western New York State
Churchville, New York, United States

A rat was found dead on St. Paul Island in the Bering Sea. Here’s why that’s a big deal.
The Bering Sea island is breeding habitat for millions of seabirds, including rare migratory species. A “strike team” had been searching for the rogue rat for 10 months.
Saint Paul, Alaska, United States

Where are the endangered whales? Southern residents haven't been spotted in B.C.'s Salish Sea
Southern resident killer whales which are often spotted in the Salish Sea near Vancouver throughout June haven't been seen this season, and scientists believe that could be because of the lack of chinook salmon.
Salish Sea, British Columbia, Canada
CBC News

Freak Summer Hail Storm Blankets Mexico's Guadalajara
"Hail more than a meter high, and then we wonder if climate change exists," said Enrique Alfaro Ramírez, the governor of Jalisco state. The Mexican army is helping to dig out the city.
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
NPR.org

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

Trees Devastated by Spruce Bark Beetles (Dendroctonus rufipennis)
"My family and I have been RV camping across Alaska for the last several years. This year, the mass amounts of dead spruce trees have been more apparent than any year prior."
Chase, Alaska, United States
Adrienne Fleek, Desirae Mack, Tricia Wurtz

Freak hailstorm buries part of western Mexico in ice
Officials in Mexico's second largest city say a storm that dumped more than a metre of hail on parts of the Guadalajara area damaged hundreds of homes.
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) and Other Fish Dying in Warm Water
Gay Sheffield, Chris Dankmeyer, Anahma Shannon, Rebecca Charles, Austin Ahmasuk, Racheal Lee, Jayde Ferguson

European heatwave death toll rises as temperatures ease from record highs
A four-day heatwave across western Europe that killed seven people began to ease slightly on Sunday, as temperature alerts were cut back and wildfires slowly brought under control.
Europe

Flood apocalypse in Eastern Siberia kills five and maroons 9,919 whose homes destroyed or damaged
State of emergency in Irkutsk region as President Vladimir Putin flies in amid carnage from heavy rain - with ‘worse to come’.
Tulun, Irkutsk, Russia

Bacteria caused bee disease reported in Norway
The bacterium can survive for several years in the beehives and the disease can cause severe loss of fry and bee colonies.
Engesland, Aust-Agder, Norway

More dead ice seals found near Deering
This comes just days after other reports of about 60 dead ice seals found from Kotlik to Kotzebue and Kivalina to Point Hope.
Deering, Alaska, United States
The Arctic Sounder

Smoke from Alaska wildfire threatens Anchorage's air quality
Smoke from wildfires in Alaska could cause very unhealthy air quality conditions and low visibility over the weekend in Anchorage, the state's largest city, officials said.
U.S.

Wildfires and power cuts plague Europe as heatwave breaks records
Hundreds of firefighters battled on Saturday to contain wildfires in southern France as a stifling heatwave brought record-breaking temperatures to parts of Europe, killing at least three people in Italy.
Madrid, Madrid, Spain
U.S.

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

Tick that makes people allergic to red meat spotted in Ontario
A veterinary clinic in southern Ontario is sounding the alarm after discovering a rare tick known to cause a meat allergy in humans.
London, Ontario, Canada
CTVNews

Unidentified Algal Bloom in Coastal Water
An unidentified algal bloom, resembling large clumps of grease or sawdust, stretched from Kingsmill Point all the way up to Pybus Bay. Didn't see any impact to fish or wildlife in the area.
Amy Holman, Kayla Schommer, Dean Stockwell, Jeanette Gann, Erica Lujan, Rose Masui, Chris Whitehead

Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport Gets Stranded By Floods
Heavy rains flooded the roads around Moscow's largest airport on Friday, with the floods reaching knee-high depths and blocking cars from bringing passengers to and from its terminals.
Moscow, Moscow, Russia

Cape Thompson: Gathering Murre (Uria aalge) Eggs
Murres along Cape Thompson are migrating earlier, allowing coastal community residents to collect eggs a few weeks earlier than normal.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States

Victoria sets rainfall record amid very dry June
The South Island is on track to set a single-day record for rainfall Thursday in the midst of a historically dry June.
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
CTV News, Vancouver Island

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

Flooding from Heavy Rain
Strong southerly winds brought moisture from the central Pacific in to the King Cove area. The FAA weather station at the King Cove airport recorded 4.93" of rain from the early morning of June 25 through the early morning of June 28, and half of that total (2.49") fell in 12 hours from late evening on the 26th to late morning on the 27th, and resulted in flooding.
King Cove, Alaska, United States

European Heat Wave Shatters June Records in 6 Nations and France Set a New All-Time Record
All-time record highs for June have already been topped, but all-time records for any month of the year could be threatened this weekend.
Paris, Île-de-France, France
The Weather Channel

Sea Star Wasting Disease
Sea star wasting disease (SSWD) observed near King Cove
King Cove, Alaska, United States
Melissa Good, Ginger Bear, Amy Holman, Bruce Wright, Melissa Miner, Karen Pletnikoff

2 more dead right whales discovered in Gulf of St. Lawrence
There was no evidence of recent fishing gear entanglement or recent vessel strike in their preliminary assessment. Further testing is ongoing to identify other potential causes of death.

Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) on BC's Central Coast
Goose Island, British Columbia, Canada
Twitter

Dead Krill and Sea Birds, Stranded Ice Seals
A range of wildlife-related events have been occurring this month in Shishmaref and other parts of Norton Sound.
Anahma Shannon, Dean Stockwell, Kathy Burek Huntington, Louisa Castrodale, Kathy Kuletz, Andrew Kakoona, Ted Meyers, Sharon Nayokpuk, Gay Sheffield, Bob Gerlach, Richard L Thoman Jr, Joel Garlich-Miller, Mike Brubaker, Amy Holman, Racheal Lee, Barbara Mahoney, Kimberlee Beckmen, Chris Dankmeyer

Residents near Shovel Creek fire asked to prepare for possible evacuation
As of Monday morning, the fire 3 miles north of Murphy Dome was estimated at 650 acres. About 146 personnel working to contain the fire, which was started by lightning on Friday.
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Scientists search for cause of ice seal deaths
Around 60 ice seals have been reported dead across northern and western Alaska this month.
The cause of the strandings and deaths is not known.

Puffins Numbers High in Westman Islands
A total of 78% of puffin nests on the islands were occupied in a recent survey. Puffins have been hard hit in recent years due to a diminished food supply. It remains to be seen how successful the breeding season will be.
Vestmannaeyjar, South, Iceland

Insects feast on willows after unusually warm, dry spring
The willow blotch leaf miner appears to be having a banner year in Whitehorse, likely because of hot, dry conditions in the city this spring.

Warm, windy weather stokes Kenai Peninsula wildfire, leading to traffic delays and campground closures
The latest update put the Swan Lake fire’s size at 23,530 acres.
Soldotna, Alaska, United States

The Salish Sea’s orcas are late for their annual summer visit, the latest sign something is wrong
Researchers say their absence is a stark reminder that the orcas are slowly starving to death because there is not enough Chinook salmon to sustain them.
Salish Sea
The Star

Rare eruption of Russia's Raikoke Volcano Erupts
Unlike some of its perpetually active neighbors on the Kamchatka Peninsula, Raikoke Volcano on the Kurile Islands rarely erupts. The small, oval-shaped island most recently exploded in 1924 and in 1778.
WDRB

Late Arrival of Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae)
Late arrival of humpback whales may be related to a change in abundance of prey species.

Northern B.C. lake closed to fishing due to infestation of invasive goldfish
Goldfish compete with native fish for food, potentially threatening an ecosystem.
Lost Lake, British Columbia, Canada

Invasive elodea prompts closure of Susitna Valley lakes
Elodea was discovered in Alexander Lake in 2014 by researchers checking minnow traps. At the time, it covered 20 percent of the lake but now has spread to 90 percent.
Alaska Journal of Commerce

3 more gray whale carcasses found in Alaska amid spike in deaths along West Coast
An alarming number of gray whales have been found dead this year from Mexico to Alaska, triggering a federal investigation into what’s causing the die-off.
Sitka, Alaska, United States

Utqiagvik Smashes June Record High
When temperatures soar this high above the Arctic Circle, it’s an attention-grabber.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
The Weather Channel

Stranded walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)
"Its face was down in the mud and it was laboring to breathe. Its body condition was wasted and we could see its ribs."
Solomon, Alaska, United States
Jonathan Snyder, Dean Stockwell, Barbara Mahoney, Anahma Shannon, Mellisa Heflin, Gay Sheffield, Kathy Kuletz, Racheal Lee, Louisa Castrodale, Joel Garlich-Miller, Michelle Snowball, Raphaela Stimmelmayr, Chris Dankmeyer

Blue Mussel (Mytilus edulis) Die-Off
"When we looked over the side of the boat, we saw clumps of mussels floating up the whole Tuksuk channel. No one has ever heard of something like this before."
Port Clarence, Alaska, United States
Brad Harris, Anahma Shannon, Gay Sheffield, Allison Topkok, Louisa Castrodale, Amy Holman, Jonathan Snyder, Joel Garlich-Miller, Racheal Lee, Erica Lujan, Barbara Mahoney, Emily Mosites, Bob Gerlach, Dean Stockwell

Smoke from Kenai Peninsula wildfire likely to blow into Anchorage through this weekend
“Smoke concentrations will be such that they could impact public health at times, according to an advisory issued by the state Division of Air Quality.
Kalifornsky, Alaska, United States

Exhausted and Starving Polar Bear Wanders Into Siberian City
It is the first polar bear seen in the city in more than 40 years, according to local environmentalists.

Thousands of residents evacuated in northern Alberta county due to fire threat
While central Alberta is under a rainfall warning, thousands of people in Mackenzie County in northern Alberta are being evacuated from their homes in the face of aggressive and growing wildfires.

13-year-old girl bit by sea lion in ‘very rare’ attack at Pismo Beach
A girl from Paso Robles, California, was bit by a sea lion in Pismo Beach on Friday near the pier. The animal that attacked likely had domoic acid poisoning, and will be treated at the Marine Mammal Center.
Pismo Beach, California, United States
The San Luis Obispo Tribune

India's sixth largest city 'runs out of water'
Chennai's severe water shortage has forced restaurants to shut and the city to scramble for solutions.
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Goldfish are thriving in a Midtown Anchorage pond. Alaska wildlife biologists want them gone.
The fish, likely former aquarium pets, have attracted the attention of invasive-species managers.

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

Dead Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)
This walrus was found by a local fisherman and reported by LEO Network to the US Fish and Wildlife Walrus Hotline. The carcass is thought to be too old for necropsy or sample collection.
St. Michael, Alaska, United States
Louisa Castrodale, Mellisa Heflin, Anahma Shannon, Joel Garlich-Miller, Jonathan Snyder, Barbara Mahoney, Racheal Lee, Gay Sheffield, Michelle Snowball

Booming anchovy population helps salmon, orcas
Swarms of anchovy can be seen swimming through the South Sound.
KIRO

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.

Bear attacks man in Naknek
The Bristol Bay Times - Serving Dillingham, Naknek, King Salmon and Southwest villages
Naknek, Alaska, United States
Alaska Media, LLC., Steve Keller designer and application developer

Alarming wildfires rage near giant ‘Mouth of Hell’ gash in the tundra, a wonder of Siberia
The fires are now raging some 10 to 15 kilometers from the megaslump crater - a large hole in the frozen Arctic soil which highlights the dramatic speed of thawing permafrost.
Батагай, Верхоянский район, Республика Саха, Russia

Tumor found in King Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
Tumor found in King Salmon (*Oncorhynchus tshawytscha*)
Pilot Station, Alaska, United States

Blue-green algae increasing in Finnish lakes
Potentially harmful blue-green algae has increased in lakes over the past week.
Vainikkala, South Karelia, Finland

Kenai Peninsula wildfire doubles in size but spreads away from populated areas
It’s not dangerous at this point to drive on the Sterling Highway, though smoke may reduce visibility.
Kenai, Alaska, United States

'Potentially lethal' toxins found in Juneau shellfish
A group that monitors shellfish toxin levels is warning Juneau residents not to consume shellfish from locations in the Auke Bay area.

Melting Arctic sea ice forces sled dogs to slosh through water
A dog-sled team ran into standing water after the onset of warm conditions across the northern territory caused rapid ice melt.
Qaanaaq, Qaasuitsup Kommunia, Greenland

Uncommon Minnow may be a Slimy Sculpin (Cottus cognatus)
An unusual minnow with eyes on the top of its head may be a slimy sculpin (*Cottus cognatus*)
Chuathbaluk, Alaska, United States

Two Unidentified Flying Insects and Two Unidentified Spiders
Two flying insects and two spiders observed in Grayling are not unexpected in the area, but had not been recognized before.

2 more gray whales found dead near Kodiak Island
NOAA has declared an “unusual mortality event” for gray whales on the North American west coast and launched an investigation.

Sea Lice Plagues Return and Threat to Wild Salmon Increases
Major sea lice epidemics have erupted on Atlantic salmon fish farms on Vancouver Island’s west coast over the last three months, according to industry, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and independent reports.
Clayquot Sound, British Columbia, Canada
The Tyee

It’s spring, but B.C. is sounding the alarm on drought
Drought levels have been raised already for parts of the province and Dave Campbell, with the B.C. River Forecast Centre, says the current forecast points to drought conditions provincewide in the coming weeks.
British Columbia, Canada
Port Alberni Valley News

Anchorage has seen more thunderstorms than usual this year, and the season has only just begun
Records show there were 18 years without any days of thunderstorms in Anchorage. The average is about 1.4 days of thunderstorms a year. This year there have already been four, and more over the Chugach.

18 Dead Seals near Kotlik
18 dead seals were found along the coast, and are like part of a larger mortality event that includes 60 seals total. The average number of dead ice seals normally found in a year is 18.

Waterspout touches down in Finnish Archipelago
A close cousin to the tornado - the waterspout - touched down in south-western Finland on Friday.
Pargas, Southwest Finland, Finland

Thunderstorms knock out power to thousands
After several warm days, lightning bolts struck Finland about 16,000 times on Saturday. By evening, nearly 20,000 customers were without electricity. More trees may be felled as electrical storms move toward the Russian border.
Tampere, Pirkanmaa, Finland

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.

Finland basks in early summer heat, thunderstorms on the way
The northwest coastal city of Oulu was one of several that had over 30-degree Celsius temperatures on Friday.

Dead Smelt (Osmerus mordax) and Tomcod (Microgadus proximus) Scattered for Miles along Beach
Widespread mortality events that include more than one fish species are indicators that something is wrong in the environment.
Teller, Alaska, United States
Kendra Lee, Anahma Shannon, Carol Oliver, Gay Sheffield, Louisa Castrodale, Racheal Lee, Jayde Ferguson, Ted Meyers

Dead Moose (Alces alces) Found in Water
Single dead moose found in water, with injury on one side of its abdomen

Little Ice for Bearded Seal (Erignathus barbatus) Hunting
Because of the increased travel distance, only families with larger boats were able to participate in the hunt and bring back enough to make the trip cost effective. With a heavier load in the boat, one family ran out of gas trying to get home and had to be rescued.
Janet Mitchell, Anna Godduhn, Richard L Thoman Jr

In a rainforest, Southeast Alaska towns face extreme drought
One of the worst droughts in the nation is in Southeast Alaska. That’s according to federal meteorologists. Ground zero is Wrangell, a city that’s struggled for years to keep up with summer water demand. Wrangell’s water supply comes from two reservoirs. Levels are healthy right now, even overflowing. But the flume that feeds water into them is already dry, thanks to warm dry weather and 50% less snow pack then last year.
Wrangell, Alaska, United States

First red squirrel documented in Nome
When young Jack James looked out the window of his home at Anvil Mountain on June 7, he saw a red squirrel.

Alaska community seeks funds to move homes away from river
AKIAK, Alaska (AP) — An Alaska community with a rapidly eroding riverbank is seeking funding to relocate homes, officials said. Money is available, but Akiak officials will have to go...
Akiak, Alaska, United States
AP NEWS

Another dead grey whale found off B.C. coast
A dead grey whale was found floating in Boundary Bay, near the United States border, this week. It's the sixth grey whale to have been found dead in B.C. waters this year.
Boundary Bay, Canada

High-flying ladybug swarm shows up on National Weather Service radar
The ladybug bloom appears to be about 80 miles by 80 miles, but the ladybugs aren’t in a concentrated mass that size; they’re spread throughout the sky.
San Bernadino Mountains, California, United States
latimes.com

Lake Erie water level at its all-time high
Lake Erie, the fourth-largest of the five Great Lakes, has broken the water level record set in 1986.
Lake Erie

Low Tide and No Sea Stars
We did not see a single sea star in the Kachemak-side tide pools, and boulders we visit each year all looked a little vacant, with a lot of empty, critter-free space.
Seldovia Village, Alaska, United States
Michael Opheim , Kris Holderied, Mike Brubaker

Unusual bald eagles' (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flying behavior?
Two bald eagles observed flying together during breeding season, when eagles may remain closer to the nest.

Beached Grey Whale (Eschrichtius robustus) near Turnagain Arm
Grey whale (*Eschrichtius robustus*) found beached near the Placer River along Turnagain Arm is one of five grey whales reported dead along the Alaska coast during 2019.
Placer Creek

Horror 50C heatwave hits 200 million
Temperatures passed 50 degrees Celsius in northern India as an unrelenting heatwave triggered warnings of water shortages and heatstroke.
Chūru, Rajasthan, India
NewsComAu

Large group of black plant bug nymphs (Irbisia sericans)
A large group of black plant bug nymphs were observed in early June.
Metlakatla, Alaska, United States

Thousands in northwest Alberta put on evacuation alert as wildfires grow
An additional 12,000 people in northwest Alberta have been placed on evacuation alert as an out-of-control wildfire in the area grows.
Arcadia, Alberta, Canada

Pod of Pilot Whales Unexpectedly Spotted in Westfjords
A marine biologist at the Marine and Freshwater Research institute who specializes in whales says that it’s rare for pilot whales to venture so far north, but said that it’s possible that the pilot whales' appearance in Iceland’s waters can be credited to warming ocean temperatures.
Isafjordur, Westfjords, Iceland

Tons Of Dead Fish Washing Ashore On Florida Beaches
Southwest Florida is reeling from a toxic algae bloom called red tide. Hundreds of tons of dead fish are washing up on beaches.
Bradenton, Florida, United States

Severe Bank Erosion from Permafrost Thaw
Thawing and eroding is destroying river bank, impacting access, threatening infrastructure, and causing safety concerns.
Selawik, Alaska, United States

Boston breaks temperature record
The temperature at Logan International Airport rose to 97 degrees shortly after 1 p.m. Wednesday, topping a record set in 1953.
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
BostonGlobe.com

Fewer Summer Insects
I started looking for insects months ago only to find them significantly absent from this area.
Marietta, Georgia, United States

Nunavut hunter killed by polar bear and cub
A man from Nunavut has been killed in a polar bear attack, according to local RCMP. A polar bear mother and cub were destroyed at the scene. This is the second fatal polar bear attack in Nunavut this summer
Naujaat, Nunavut

Late Blooming Rose (Rosa acicularis) Documented in Newspaper
Front page of the Daily News-Miner documents a late blooming rose during a colder than average August.

Survivor recalls deadly encounter with polar bears
A Nunavut hunter who survived a polar bear attack that killed one of his friends last week says the encounter started when a mother bear and her cub approached their camp.
Nunavut, Canada

Bears are coming into Whitehorse looking for berries
The problem is that there just aren't many wild berries this year in southern Yukon. Bears are typically feasting on soap berries and cranberries this time of year, as they try to fatten up before winter.

Maine heat flirts with the record books, disrupting some school schedules
Temperatures in southern Maine topped 90 degrees Tuesday and are expected to do the same Wednesday, prompting school officials to dismiss students early and cancel sports practices, and sending people flocking to beaches.

Hawaii’s rain from Hurricane Lane, topping 50 inches, is among most extreme in U.S. records
The total amount of rain, measured in feet, soared to historic levels: Over four feet or 52.02 inches were measured on Mountain View, about 15 miles southwest of Hilo.
Hilo, Hawaii, United States

Giant 50,000 pound whale washes up on beach shore
Scientists are working to find the cause of death of a massive 50,000 pound whale that washed up on shore.
Duxbury, Massachusetts, United States
ABC13 Houston

Red sunset in store as North American wildfire smoke spreads across Finland
Seija Paasonen has been tracking the patterns of the North American forest fires for several weeks now. She says that the smoke has traveled as far as Europe owing to wind patterns in the upper atmosphere.
Kainuu, Finland

Tornado strikes Icelandic farm
A large 4x4 with trailer was found overturned in a ditch, fencing had been flattened, and roof panels from seven buildings were found 100 metres away from their roofs when the family returned to Norðurhjáleiga farm.
Kirkjubaejarklaustur, South, Iceland

Record Numbers Of Beaked Whale Deaths Cause Alarm
The IWDG says a minimum of 16 beaked whale deaths were recorded along the North West coast of Ireland from Galway to Donegal between 3 and 22 August, 2018.
Galway, Ireland
Afloat.ie

More than 1,000 dead fish at Malibu Lagoon may be tied to record-warm ocean temperatures
California State Parks scientists are running tests this week to determine what caused about 1,500 fish to die in Malibu Lagoon last week, but officials suspect higher-than-normal water temperatures may have played a role.
Malibu, California
latimes.com

2nd right whale death of year reported off of Massachusetts
A member of a species of critically endangered whale that is struggling with poor reproduction has been found dead off of Massachusetts.
Marthas Vineyard, Massachusetts, United States
Associated Press

Rare Walrus Sighting in East Iceland
A lone hiker in East Iceland found a wandering walrus, and managed to snap some fantastic photos.
Isafjordur, Westfjords, Iceland

'No grass': Europe's livestock sector stricken by drought
Mediterranean countries long ago adapted their farming practices to little rain, but this year it is the north of Europe confronting a widespread drought that could see farmers having to send much of their herds to slaughter due to a lack of feed.
Northern Europe
YAHOO!

Spruce Rust (Chrysomyxa ledicola) Appearing on Spruce Trees (Picea mariana)
The spruce along the highway between mile 157 and 162 show signs of stress, the tips of the branches are orangish and the deep green of the trees are fading.
Slana, Alaska, United States

Full report: Damage exceeds $100 million as Madison area braces for more rain, flooding in wake of this week's massive deluge
Record-setting rainfall caused massive flooding in Dane County that killed a man, washed out roads and bridges and heavily damaged property.
Madison, Wisconsin, United States
Wisconsin State Journal

Investigators, experts ask questions after ship grounded in Arctic
Investigators are on their way to Kugaaruk, Nunavut, after a passenger boat ran aground in the area.
Kugaaruk, Nunavut, Canada

Tests find dead seals had avian flu and distemper viruses
Many of the dead seals that washed ashore in northern New England in the past few weeks tested positive for either avian influenza or phocine distemper virus, but it is still too soon to say if those viruses are the primary causes of the unusual die-off.
Lewiston Sun Journal

Reindeer herders say that if they don't get emergency funding, the animals may starve to death
“This is about the survival of the reindeer, and of Sami culture, which depends on them,” said Niila Inga, chair of the Swedish Sami Association.
Dikanäs, Västerbottens län, Sweden
Newsweek

High River Water Overflow
Heavy spring precipitation leads to strong river flow, sweeping away cabin and fish rack.

Bracing for Lane: County, state prepare as significant rain, flooding and high winds are expected from hurricane - Hawaii Tribune-Herald
President Trump approved Gov. David Ige’s request for a disaster declaration Wednesday as powerful Hurricane Lane spiraled closer to Hawaii.
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Hawaii Tribune-Herald

Nine Whales Stranded in Eastfjords
Nine whales have been stranded so far this year in East Iceland. Bottlenose whales and Curvier’s beaked whales are members of the family Ziphiidae and it’s often been said that they are more sensitive to noise pollution in the ocean.
Reykjavík, Reykjavík, Iceland

New England Seals Test Positive for Avian Flu and Distemper
Preliminary results suggest that avian flu and/or phocine distemper virus may be contributing to the elevated seal strandings in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts since June 1, 2018.
Lewiston, Maine, United States
NOAA

Drought has volunteers walking Cowichan Lake area’s dry rivers and creek-beds looking for stranded fish fry
Plans are underway for raising the weir: a reflection of widespread concern, says Ken Traynor
Cowichan Lake Area, British Columbia, Canada
Lake Cowichan Gazette

Hot, arid summer guts a third of Sweden's cereal harvest
An unusually dry, hot summer means Sweden will see smaller yields of crops like wheat, barley and oats.
Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden
Eye on the Arctic

McCarthy Road reopened after being rocked by mudslide
Rain caused mudslides are affecting roads in the southeastern Interior. The Alaska Department of Transportation reports that the McCarthy Road was shut down by a slide last night. Listen now
McCarthy, Alaska, United States

White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) in Port Renfrew
A White-winged Dove was photographed at the Port Renfrew Marina at 11:57 am on August 22-2018 but was misidentified as a Band-tailed Pigeon...
Port Renfrew, British Columbia, Canada

Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) near Malcolm Island
Gord Curry and Ted Down found an adult Brown Booby sitting on a log in Queen Charlotte Strait, NW of Pultney Point Lighthouse on Malcolm Island, while they were fishing.
Queen Charlotte Strait
BC Rare Bird Alert

‘Atmospheric river’ from the tropics pours rain on Southcentral Alaska
Days of rain have triggered flooding in Cordova and slowed drivers on the Taylor Highway and McCarthy Road.
Cordova, Alaska, United States

Arctic’s strongest sea ice breaks up for first time on record
The oldest and thickest sea ice in the Arctic has started to break up, opening waters north of Greenland that are normally frozen. This phenomenon – which has never been recorded before – has occurred twice this year due to warm winds and a climate-change driven heatwave in the northern hemisphere.
Northern Greenland

Damage widespread, 1 dead after record rainfall causes flash flooding in Dane County
An epic rainfall swept one man to his death, washed out bridges, swamped homes, cars and businesses, and marooned dozens of shoppers overnight at a Middleton discount store Monday.
Madison, Wisconsin, United States
madison.com
BILL NOVAK, ROB SCHULTZ and CHRIS HUBBUCH Wisconsin State Journal

Northernmost American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) Observation on iNaturalist
The American Bullfrog is native to the Eastern United States and southern maritime provinces of Canada. It has famously spread west and now north in recent decades.
Inland Lake Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada
iNaturalist.org

6.4 earthquake was the strongest ever recorded in region
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake rattled a remote region of Alaska's North Slope southeast of Prudhoe Bay Sunday morning. The state seismologist called it the biggest quake ever recorded in the region.
Kaktovik, Alaska, United States

New Mexico plateau named for birds seeing them die off
A 10-year study on the Pajarito Plateau shows a 73 percent decrease in abundance and a 45 percent decrease in variety of species.
Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States
Santa Fe New Mexican

Rare snowfall reported in Uruguay
Brazilian and North American meteorologists both agreed it was snow that was seen falling in parts of Uruguay on Sunday, August 19, 2018. Since Uruguay is located within the temperate zone of the tropic of Capricorn, the country has warm summers and ...
Uruguay
The Watchers - Daily news service | Watchers.NEWS

Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus) Sighting in Utqiaġvik
Unusual Stellar sea lion (*Eumetopias jubatus*) sighting in Utqiaġvik.

Rare Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) Sighting
Wood frog sighted on trail.
Ester, Alaska, United States

A summer without insect stings
Fewer wasp and mosquito interactions in Anchorage in 2018 than typical.

NOAA survey shows shocking lack of thermal barrier between northern and southern Bering Sea
The “thermal curtain” is another expression for “cold pool” that acts as a barrier to keep some species—pollock and Pacific cod, for example — from migrating across the eastern Bering Sea shelf and northward toward the Bering Strait. For the first time in 37 years of surveying the Bering Sea, we could not find the cold water barrier.
Diomede, Alaska, United States

Unidentified Beetle Pupa Found Near River Bank
Unidentified beetle pupa found near camp on a river bank.

Race against time: Engineers use Apex River to refill Iqaluit's water supply
Stantec engineering designed the plans for pumping water from the Apex River to Lake Geraldine, the city's reservoir, which has lower water levels than in years past.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada

Hundreds Killed as Kerala, India, Hit by Worst Floods Since 1920s
Torrential rains left at least 324 people dead, and hundreds of thousands more have been made homeless.
Kerala, India
New York Times

Thick smoke in the Alberni Valley, lasting days
Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada

B.C. declares state of emergency as hundreds of wildfires burn across province
The British Columbia government has declared a state of emergency to support the provincewide response to the ongoing wildfire situation.
British Columbia, Canada

Over 30 dead harbor seals wash ashore in southern Maine in 2 days
Marine mammal experts are testing tissue samples for a potential common cause of the surge in carcasses found on the state's beaches this year.
Saco, Maine, United States

High Concentrations of PCB in blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) sample
High concentrations of Polychlorinated Biphenyls found in blue mussels.
Dutch Harbor, Alaska, United States

Alaska seabird die-off continues for another summer
Carcasses examined so far have shown no indication of disease, and tests are pending for harmful algal toxins. Seabirds have been found emaciated and starved, and changed ocean conditions may have affected prey.
Gambell, Alaska, United States

Hot weather continues to cause problems for railways
Buckled train tracks, fires and thunderstorms are causing major problems for the country's railways, Thursday.
Gotlands län, Sweden

Unusual Grasshopper Sighting
Grasshopper seen in area with typically few sightings

Typically-tropical great egret nests in Finland for first time
Sightings of great egrets have been reported for decades, but sightings this summer confirm the first time the species has nested in Finland.
Porvoo, Uusimaa, Finland

Ship Creek Almost Dry
We have visited this creek every summer for 10 years, since 2008, including every August, and we have never seen the water this low.
Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada
Phoebe Okey-Dobie, Theo Okolowicz, Tom Okey

Cruise ship exhaust prompts complaints to state authorities
Exhaust emissions from a Norwegian Cruise Line vessel docking in Juneau prompted at least 10 complaints to an Alaska regulatory agency.

State reroutes Dalton Highway to protect motorists from migrating ‘blob’
Transportation engineers moved the road to avoid a giant mass of frozen debris sliding downhill.
Livengood, Alaska, United States

The seaweed deluge hitting Caribbean shores
Sargassum, a type of seaweed, is creating problems as it washes up across the Caribbean.
Caribbean Shores

Few complaints as heat decimates Finland’s mosquitoes
There are unusually low numbers of mosquitoes throughout Finland this sweltering summer – and likely fewer than usual next year as well.
Rovaniemi, Lappi, Finland

Fraser River is now so warm it may kill migrating sockeye salmon
Sockeye salmon are migrating up B.C.'s Fraser River right now, but the water is so warm the fish may die before they have the chance to spawn.
Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada

San Diego's Scripps Pier records highest ocean temperature in its 102-year history
The high temperatures might be left over from the warm-water "blob" off California in 2014.
La Jolla, California, United States
latimes.com

Poison Lake fire closes section of Yukon's Robert Campbell Highway
The government banned campfires Friday at the Watson Lake, Simpson Lake, Frances Lake and Big Creek territorial campgrounds in southeast Yukon. Fire danger ratings remain extreme or high for most of the territory.
Watson Lake, Yukon, Canada

Portugal breaks temperature records as Europe swelters under heatwave
Eight places in Portugal broke local temperature records Friday as a wave of heat from North Africa swept across the Iberian peninsula — and officials predicted the scorching temperatures could get even worse over the weekend.
Abrantes, Santarém, Portugal

Flooding fears spark evacuations in US city
Authorities warn 17ft of water could hit Lynchburg in Virginia in minutes if a dam overspills.
Lynchburg, Tennessee, United States

Bottlenose Whales Spotted in Northern and Eastern Fjords
An unusually high number of northern bottlenose whales (Hyperoodon ampullatus) have been sighted in fjords in North and East Iceland.
Þórshöfn, Northeast, Iceland

Blue-green algae confirmed as cause of dogs' sudden deaths
Necropsy results show blue-green algae caused the deaths of three dogs playing near the St. John River more than a week ago.
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada

Sweden’s Tallest Peak Shrinks in Record Heat
Soaring temperatures are melting snow and ice from Kebnekaise’s southern peak, making the northern part of the mountain Sweden’s highest point.
Kebnekaise, Kiruna, Sweden

Toxic algae bloom closes beach at state park in Northern NY
The beach at a state park in upstate New York has been closed because of a toxic algae bloom.
Moreau Lake, New York, United States
WCAX

Algae bloom closes part of Lake Micmac to people, dogs
Algae blooms may produce toxins that can cause mild to severe health problems, says Cameron Deacoff, an environmental performance officer with the municipality.
Lake Micmac, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

90 percent of Lake Okeechobee smothered in blue-green algae bloom
EUMETSAT satellite shows blue-green algae bloom covering Lake Okeechobee.
Lake Okeechobee, Florida, United States
TCPalm

Devastating drought, heat wave hammer farmers across northern Europe
Farmers in around a dozen countries across northern Europe — from Ireland to the Baltics — are grappling with a once-in-a-generation drought.
Nykøbing Sjælland, Zealand, Denmark
NBC News

Record-breaking heat leaves 29 dead in South Korea
As many as 29 people have died due to heatstroke in South Korea, according to the South Korean Ministry of Health, Welfare and Disease Control.
Seoul, South Korea
WFMZ
JUNGEUN KIM, JENNIFER KIM AND EUAN MCKIRDY, CNN

Record Arctic heat drives reindeer into cool tunnels
The region is so hot that it has experienced 12 "tropical" nights with evening temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius so far this year, according to the Norwegian Meteorological Institute.
Finnmark, Norway
The Local

Possible algae bloom turns seawater red off Juneau
The overriding theory is that it's a bloom of algae brought on by rising water temperatures.

Blue-green algae bloom in Desbarats Lake
Not all blooms are harmful but some types can make humans and animals sick when breathed-in, swallowed or touched
Desbarats Lake, Ontario, Canada
SooToday.com

Spring rains helped but parts of the Panhandle remain in drought
Southeast Alaska has dropped into drought conditions off and on for the past two or more years. Spring rains and snow melt helped refill lakes and reservoirs but a dry, hot July pushed the southern Panhandle into a deeper deficit.
Ketchikan, Alaska, United States
KTUU

Algae in LaBelle: A second round of algal blooms on the way?
As the Southwest Florida community works to clean toxic algae from waterways, some are seeing signs that a second round could be headed their direction. “Unfortunately it looks likes like a repeat of what we saw last time,” said Mark Richey of North Fort Myers. Just seven weeks ago, the WINK News Drone showed a …
LaBelle, Florida, United States
WINK NEWS

3 men sentenced for wading in river with feeding bears at Katmai
One of the men was caught on a livestream camera wading into Brooks Falls and taking a selfie in front of the bears.

Blue-green algae bloom in Heritage Lake
Alberta Health Services has issued a health advisory for Heritage Lake, near Morinville, until further notice. Blue-green algae blooms have been Alberta Health Services has issued a health advisory for Heritage Lake, near Morinville, until further notice.
Heritage Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada
St. Albert Gazette

Snow and hail blanket southern Alberta highway — in July
Highway 22 in southern Alberta was blanketed in what looked like snow but was probably hail, making roads slick and slow.
Sparwood, British Columbia, Canada

Hatzic Lake closed following reports of dead fish, discoloured water
Swimmers have reported feeling nausea, itchy skin and irritated eyes after vising the popular lake.
Hatzic Lake, British Columbia, Canada
CTV News Vancouver

Spruce Rust (Chrysomyxa ledicola) Found on Kuskokwim River Bank
Spruce rust (*Chrysomyxa ledicola*) fungal spores found along the banks on the Kuskokwim River
Red Devil, Alaska, United States

Algae blooms closes Moreau Lake swimming beach
MOREAU - The Moreau Lake State Park swimming beach has been closed due to an algal bloom causing potential health hazards, a spokesman for the state Officer Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation said Wednesday.
The beach was closed Tuesday afternoon as a precaution, said Dan Keefe, a spokesman for State Parks in Albany.
Moreau Lake, New York, United States
Times Union

Blue-green algae blooms sighted in Lac La Nonne, Peanut Lake
Alberta Health Services (AHS) issued two advisories last week regarding blue-green algae blooms in Peanut Lake and Lac La Nonne. Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, is a naturally-occurring photosynthetic organism that often becomes visible when weather conditions are calm. Appearing as scum, fuzz, grass clippings or globs on the surface of water, blue-green algae
Lac La Nonne, Alberta, Canada
Barrhead Leader

Massive Arrival of Sargasso Weed
Mexico, Jul 30 (Prensa Latina) The massive arrival of sargasso on the coasts of Quintana Roo, one of Mexico's main tourist centers, is causing concern among tourists, researchers, authorities, businessmen and residents.
Quintana Roo, Mexico
Prensa Latina

Swedish town on the frontline of the Arctic wildfires
A sleepy Lapland fire station is calling in help from all corners to fight the unprecedented wildfires sweeping the region.
Jokkmokk, Norrbottens län, Sweden
The Guardian

New Brunswickers reminded about potential health risk of blue-green algae
The warning from New Brunswick's chief medical officer of health comes less than a week after three dogs died as a result of what is suspected to be a blue-green algae bloom.
Saint John River, New Brunswick, Canada

Florida Algae Blooms Send People to Hospital, Kill Marine Wildlife
Nearly 4,000 dead fish were counted on Sanibel area beaches and parks.
Saint Lucie River, Florida, United States
The Weather Channel

Whale-dolphin hybrid species discovered off coast of Hawaii
A rare whale-dolphin hybrid species has been discovered off the coast of Hawaii, scientists say. The animal is the first-ever documented offspring of a rough-toothed dolphin and the rare melon-headed whale, a team from the Cascadia Research Collective concluded in a report released this week.
Kaua'i, Hawaii, United States
The Independent

Wildfire 'tornado' destroyed 500 structures, killed 2
A local firefighter who was killed fighting a fast-moving wildfire was identified Friday as crews continued to battle the blaze in Redding, California.
Redding, California, United States
USA TODAY

Scientists puzzled by right whale's appearance off Iceland
But an Icelandic whale-watching crew spotted the right whale named Mogul three times this week, leaving a research scientist wondering why the animal ventured so far.
Reykjavík, Reykjavík, Iceland
Eye on the Arctic

Nearly 300 Sea Turtles Dead as Red Tide Plagues Southwest Florida
Hundreds of sea turtles have washed up dead along the southwest Florida coast as an ongoing red tide event persists in the waters. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has logged 287 sea turtle deaths since the virulent algal bloom started in October, the Associated Press reported.
Southwest Florida coast, United States
EcoWatch

Vegetable prices spiking because of heatwave
Vegetable prices are rising rapidly in Japan after a deadly heatwave saw highs of more than 40C. Record-breaking temperatures triggered a spike in the cost of some foods with increases of up to 65 per cent.  An agriculture ministry official in Tokyo warned about "pretty severe price moves" for vegetables if predictions of more weeks of hot weather held up, resulting in less rain than usual.
Japan, 東京都東京都
The Independent

Red-brown algae blooms spotted in Puget Sound
If you see something that looks like tomato soup in Puget Sound, here's why.
Puget Sound, Washington, United States
KING

After deadly wildfires, floods hit Greek capital
Firefi­ghters say around 160 reside­nts have been briefl­y trappe­d in their homes due to the floodi­ng
Ekali, Αττικη, Greece
The Express Tribune

Algae blooms disrupt Cape Coral canals with foul odor, green spray-paint look
Algae blooms have infiltrated much of the Cape Coral canal system, creating a foul odor and a green, spray-paint tint to some of the water.
Cape Coral, Florida, United States
The News-Press

Wildfire smoke from as far as Ontario and Siberia affecting air quality
Seniors, children and people with chronic health issues are advised to stay indoors and use air conditioning where possible.
CKNW

Wildfires Kill Dozens Near Athens
They've forced evacuations of popular beach towns just outside the city.
Rafina, Αττικη, Greece
Condé Nast Traveler

Wildfires in Idaho: Highway 55 fire grows to 3,500 acres; 423 battling fire near Riggins
Numerous large wildfires are burning around Idaho. The Rattlesnake Creek Fire south of Riggins and the Milemarker 73-Idaho 55 Fire north of Horseshoe Bend are causing significant hazards for residents, travelers and firefighters.
Riggins, Idaho, United States
Idaho Statesman

Wave after wave of garbage hits the Dominican Republic
The images are shocking, but perhaps not for people who live in the Dominican Republic.'It happens pretty much all the time,' says Cyrill Gutsch
Santo Domingo de Guzmán, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
National Post

With 28 fires out of control, Ontario gets help from U.S., Mexico, other provinces
Crews fighting forest fires in northern Ontario are receiving help from other provinces, the U.S. and Mexico as they try to contain several blazes after days of hot and humid weather.
Hartley Bay, Ontario, Canada

Ontario's dry weather has mice looking for a way into houses
The drought gripping the Ottawa area isn't just burning grass and stunting corn crops. Mice are increasingly finding their way into homes and apartment buildings in search of water.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Decomposed whale washes up on Old Orchard Beach, draws crowd
The smelly carcass, identified as that of an adult male minke whale, is the second large marine animal to turn up on shore in southern Maine in the past week.
Old Orchard Beach, Maine, United States

Wildfires rage in Lapland, more threaten Finland from the east
Grass and forest fires are proving difficult to contain in Finnish Lapland, and now several fires on the Russian side of the border are moving into Finland.
Kittilä, Lappi, Finland

Sun blanked out in Arctic Siberia
Locals in north of Yakutia said daylight was completely gone for several hours. After the sun returned, locals found thick layer of dust covering everything outside.
North Yakutia, Russia

Melting of glacier causes flash floods in Pakistan's north
Pakistani officials say the melting of a glacier has unleashed landslides and floods in the country’s northern district of Ghizer, inundating dozens of homes and displacing hundreds of people. Mohammad Khalid, a local police official, said Friday that authorities are sending relief supplies to the flood-hit villages.
Peshawar, N.W.F.P., Pakistan
AP News

Heavy rain causes flash flooding, more rainfall expected
Rainfalls of unprecedented intensity caused flash floods in several parts of the country and serious flooding in Bayan-Ulgii, Selenge and Tuv aimag.
Selenge, Mongolia
MONTSAME News Agency

Milky Blue Water Near Prince of Wales Island
Warmer waters likely enabled a phytoplankton bloom to occur much later in the year than normal off the coast of Alaska and British Columbia.
Craig, Alaska, United States

Polar Bears Appear Where They Never Were Before
Polar bears have been rummaging through science camps at the top of Greenland's ice sheet far inland, where they were never expected, and Polar bears are coming into communities more often these days, says Kristin Laidre, a marine biologist at the University of Washington’s Polar Science Center, and an authority on polar bear populations in Greenland. “It’s happening all over the Arctic, and it’s something that’s only going to be an increasing problem as we continue to lose sea ice,” she says.
Summit Camp, Greenland
National Geographic

Salmon numbers continue to drop in Newfoundland rivers
DFO science recommends closing salmon rivers to retention angling for remainder of season.
Newfoundland, Canada

Glacier melt creates artificial lake in Gilgit
A small glacier melt has swollen Barsuwat Nullah in the Ishkoman valley of Ghizer district, Gilgit-Baltistan, creating an artificial lake and blocking the flow of the Immit River. Water has submerged more than 30 houses, cultivated land, a link road and cattle farms.
DAWN.COM

A Dry Norway Needs Iceland’s Hay
Extensive droughts in Norway have led the country to turn to Iceland for much-needed hay​.
Norway

Authorities, residents brace for record flooding
Weather authorities and residents are getting used to responding to glacial floods in the Mendenhall Valley.

Slow Red Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) Run
Slow sockeye salmon (*Oncorhynchus nerka*) runs in the Aleutians potentially linked to warming ocean temperatures.

Flying Ants Invade Moscow
While the airborne ants may be a nuisance, Moscow City Hall’s environmental protection department said they are not dangerous.
Moscow, Moscow, Russia

In the Columbia–Snake River Basin, Salmon Are Losing Their Way
As the fish disappear, native peoples are looking for solutions lest they lose a way of life too.
Columbia and Snake Rivers, United States
NRDC

Wildfires rage in Arctic Circle as Sweden calls for help
Sweden worst hit as hot, dry summer sparks unusual number of fires, with at least 11 in the far north.
Älvdalen, Dalarnas län, Sweden

'Red tide' algal blooms appearing around B.C. coastal waters
A species commonly referred to as “red tide” has been spotted around B.C. coastal waters over the past month.
Coastal Waters, British Columbia, Canada

Heatwave Threatens Nordic Crops as Lapland Gets New Heat Record
As the chart below shows, there’s no let up until early August when the temperatures could start to fall back toward more normal summer levels. Even in Finnish Lapland, the home of Santa, a new heat record of 33.4 degrees Celsius (92 Fahrenheit) was reached on Wednesday.
Rovaniemi, Lappi, Finland
Bloomberg

Asthma deaths rise 25% amid growing air pollution crisis
Doctors urge ministers to act as 1,320 killed by asthma in England and Wales last year
England and Wales, United Kingdom

New tick discovered in New York and Vermont
The tick is not native to the U.S., but was found in several locations in Westchester County.
Westchester County, New York, United States
WTEN

More than 90 deaths now linked to heat wave in Quebec
New report suggests 53 deaths in Montreal alone are linked to elevated temperatures in early July.
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
thestar.com

Record-breaking heat hits Norway, Finland and Sweden / Arctic Circle closes on 32C
An intense heat dome has swelled over Scandinavia, spurring some of the region's hottest weather ever recorded.
Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden
National Post

Walleye Pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) in salmon nets
Billie Shraffenberger is a longtime resident of Port Heiden. This is the first time she has caught a fish like the one she found in her subsistence salmon net this summer.

Hundreds of Arctic glaciers shrinking, disappearing into 'city of icebergs'
The statistics in her recently published paper say it all: hundreds of glaciers in Canada's High Arctic are shrinking and many are likely to disappear completely.
Slidre Fjord, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut

5,000 percent increase in native trees on rat-free Palmyra Atoll
New research published in PLOS ONE this week demonstrates dramatic positive benefits for native trees following rat removal at Palmyra Atoll, a magnificent National Wildlife Refuge and natural research laboratory located about 1000 miles south of Hawaii. For five native tree species, including Pisonia grandis, fewer than 150 seedlings were counted in the presence of rats, and more than 7700 seedlings were counted five years after rats were removed.
Palmyra Atoll
EurekAlert!

Warning issued after toxic death cap mushrooms found in Greater Victoria
The highly toxic death cap mushroom, responsible for the death of a Victoria toddler in 2016, has already been found growing in Greater Victoria, much earlier than expected.
Cedar Hill Golf Course, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Times Colonist

Lots of bees!
More bees seen enjoying sweet clover thus year than in recent years.

Dog owners issued warning as deer ticks move into Calgary backyards
Deer ticks have made the jump from the mountains to city backyards, putting your dog at risk of contracting Lyme disease in the summer heat.

Dead Sea Mammal and Sea Birds on the Beach
Residents of Chevak and Hooper Bay found two species of sea bird either dead or approachable near the mouth of the Kiuqliiviq and Aprun rivers near fish camps. Residents of Hooper Bay also found a dead sea mammal on the beach.
Hooper Bay, Alaska, United States

Fireweed Clearwing Moth (Albuna pyramidalis) Sighting
Fireweed Clearwing Moth (*Albuna pyramidalis*) found in south Anchorage.

Mountain pine beetle takes over Jasper National Park forests
The iconic pine trees blanketing Jasper National Park may never be the same as a mountain pine beetle epidemic has infected nearly half of the park's pine forest.
Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada
Edmonton Journal

First Observation of Northern Groundcone (Boschniakia rossica)
The northern gorundcone (*Boschniakia rossica*)s not commonly found in this area.
Crooked Creek, Alaska, United States

Almost every part of Canada’s largest national park is deteriorating
The report on Wood Buffalo National Park says industry, dams, climate change and natural cycles are sucking the lifeblood from the vast delta of northeastern Alberta's Peace and Athabasca rivers
Wood Buffalo National Park
National Post

‘No fish and no hope’: Poor sockeye salmon run takes a toll on Chignik
As of Friday afternoon, the sockeye escapement in the Chignik salmon fishery was less than half of what it usually is this time of the year.
Chignik, Alaska, United States

Nearly entire Gulf of Finland overrun with blue-green algae
With current tropical conditions set to continue for another week, the situation is not likely to improve before the end of July or early August.

New Maps Appear To Show Crimea Is Drying Up
According to Ukraine, vegetation in Crimea is drying up at record levels.
Kiev, Kyiv City, Ukraine
RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty

Concern over raging wildfires as smoke from Siberia crosses Alaska and Canada, reaching New England
Latest reports show 27 fires across Krasnoyarsk region covering 8,682 hectares in. Areas potentially threatening settlements. The forest fire situation is most difficult in Siberia and the Far East, in the Sakha region.
Красноярск, Красноярский край, Russia

Wisconsin reports first death from Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is an uncommon but potentially deadly tick-borne disease that's on the rise in the United States.
Wisconsin, United States

Phytoplankton Bloom near Prince of Wales Island
Ocean water has a green tint near Craig and Klawock, Alaska.
Craig, Alaska, United States

After a long wait, Ugashik fishermen’s patience pays off
After a very slow beginning to their season, fishermen in Ugashik Bay saw millions of sockeye salmon return in a little over a week in mid-July.
Pilot Point, Alaska, United States

Watch a glacier half the size of Manhattan break off Greenland
All was quiet on June 22 as Canadian scientists David and Denise Holland settled in for the night off Greenland’s Helheim Glacier. But within minutes, five to eight billion tons of ice had broken off into the water.
Southeast Greenland

Inuvik boil water advisory partially due to water plant repairs
A Department of Health news release states the boil water advisory is in relation to high turbidity levels in the river, or muddy water. The turbidity is caused by high water levels.
Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada

Death toll in Japan floods nears 200 as intense heat brings threat of disease
Intense heat and water shortages raised fears of disease outbreaks in flood-hit western Japan on Thursday as the death toll from the worst weather disaster in 36 years neared 200. More than 200,000 households had no water a week after torrential rains caused floods and set off landslides across western Japan, bringing death and destruction to decades-old communities built on mountain slopes and flood plains. The death toll rose to 195, with several dozen people still missing, the government said on Thursday.
Saka, Hiroshima, Japan

Greenland community on high alert as massive iceberg looms
Innaarsuit, an island community in northwestern Greenland, is on standby for evacuation because a giant iceberg is looming over it.
Innaarsuit, Greenland

Drying Fish And Having Trouble With Flies? A Local Biologist Wants To Help.
As fishing restrictions push salmon harvests on the Kuskokwim River later into the wet part of summer, families are seeking new ways to dry their fish and keep bugs away.

Man almost drowns trying to save his car in Siberia flood
Heavy rains engulf TransBaikal region with a dozen railway bridges destroyed and 15 more damaged.
Чита, Забайкальский край, Russia

Porpoise sighted in Pastolik River
Porpoise spotted heading up the Pastolik River

Lake Metacomet algae bloom prompts concern
BELCHERTOWN — A potentially harmful algal bloom in Lake Metacomet has officials recommending residents stay out of the water until the growth clears. “Basically, I’m advising people to avoid or minimize contact with the water,” said Erica Cross,...
Lake Metacomet, Massachusetts, United States
Daily Hampshire Gazette

What’s causing all these dead fish in the Keys?
The Florida Keys is experiencing higher than usual fish kills this summer, but wildlife officials don't think it's part of a red tide or other type of algae bloom affecting other parts of South Florida.
Florida Keys, United States
miamiherald

X-Cell Tumor Around the Gills of a Black Rockfish (Sebastes melonops)
Black Rockfish (*Sebastes melonops*) caught with X-Cell tumor.

Elevated PSP Levels in Unalaska and Sand Point
Regional monitoring program notifies shellfish harvesters of an upward trend in concentrations of PSP.

Orcas of the Pacific Northwest Are Starving and Disappearing
The population of endangered killer whales has hit a 30-year-low, numbering only 75 this year.
Seattle, Washington, United States

For Alaska sockeye salmon, record highs in Bristol Bay, record lows nearly everywhere else
Fishery scientists suspect the downturns are due to the warmest sea-surface temperatures ever recorded running from 2014-2016.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States

Gov. Rick Scott issues state of emergency for Martin, St. Lucie counties over toxic algae
Gov. Rick Scott's state of emergency could help local officials battle the toxic algae.
Saint Lucie County, Florida, United States
TCPalm

Are great white sharks sinking their teeth into Bering Sea seals?
There’s only one historical record of a great white shark in the Bering Sea: fishermen caught one nearly 40 years ago. But scientists have reason to believe that in recent years there might be more of the predators around.

Black meat from a Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)
Unusual dark coloration in Sockeye salmon (*Oncorhynchus nerka*) meat
Falls Creek, Alaska, United States

Sperm whale found dead off beach near Blenheim during weekend
Rangers discovered the whale on Saturday, the cause of death is unknown.
Blenheim, Marlborough Region, New Zealand
NZ Herald

Weird Looking Bug
These are predaceous diving beetle larvae, in the family Dytiscidae.
Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada

Largest Landslide in Icelandic History
The landslide is thought to be the largest that has ever occurred in Iceland. Experts say that the uncommonly wet summer weather is to blame for the event.
Borgarbyggð, Vesturland, Iceland

Torrential rains kill at least 81 in western Japan
The death toll from torrential rain and landslides in western Japan rose to 81 people on Sunday, with dozens still missing after more than 2,000, temporarily stranded in the city of Kurashiki, were rescued.
Japan, 岡山県倉敷市
U.S.

14 minke whale deaths in Maritimes this year
The Marine Animal Response Society is keeping a close eye on the minke whale population in the Maritimes after at least 14 of them have been observed dead at sea or washed ashore since February.
New Brunswick, Canada

Exploding Salish Sea seal population sparks call for a cull
Tens of thousands of seals in the Salish Sea are devouring millions of adult and juvenile salmon, sparking renewed debate about a cull.
Vancouver Sun

Spruce beetles take flight in search of new host trees
Over the last two years, an outbreak has affected more than 500,000 acres of forest.
Sterling, Alaska, United States

Brown ocean water at White Rock beach caused by ‘algae bloom’
City released a notice Thursday, saying the water is safe
White Rock, British Columbia, Canada
Peace Arch News

Mayflies, algae both part of the game for Lake Erie walleye anglers
Anglers has expressed concerns that this early-arriving green slime signals the end of what was viewed as the summer of plenty for walleye fishermen.
Toledo, Ohio, United States
The Blade

Lake Okeechobee discharges stopping for 9 days; scope of algae bloom ‘enormous’
Officials hope a 9-day break from Lake Okeechobee releases into the St. Lucie Estuary will allow a saltwater recharge to help keep algae at bay.
Okeechobee, Florida, United States
Palm Beach Post

1 dead, dozens injured from hail storm
The southwest region of France was hit on Wednesday by violent hailstorms, damaging roofs, cars and killing one person.
Bordeaux, France
ABC News

Three dead gray whales wash up on Kodiak Island beaches in one week
Three dead gray whales washed up on two different Kodiak Island beaches recently. The strandings happened within the span of a week.
Womens Bay, Alaska, United States

Iraq bans farming summer crops
Iraq has banned its farmers from planting summer crops this year as the country grapples with a crippling water shortage that shows few signs of abating.
Citing high temperatures and insufficient rai...
المشخاب, An-Najaf, Iraq
The Standard

Curve-billed Thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre) in Canal Flats
At 3pm on July 5-2018, Gord Littlejohns found and photographed a Curve-billed Thrasher in a dead tree along the shoreline near the boat lau...
Invermere, British Columbia, Canada
BC Rare Bird Alert

Chignik fishermen stuck ashore as sockeye run fails
There is really only one thing to talk about in Chignik Bay these days: Where are the sockeye?
Alaska Public Media / KMXT - Kodiak

Red meat allergy transmitted by ticks on the rise; species found in Alabama, Southeast
The Lone Star Tick reprograms the human immune system to reject beef, pork, chicken and other red meats. It can also cause dairy allergies.
Alabama, United States
AL.com

Hot, dry weather may be the last straw for dairy farmers
The dry weather during May and June is putting an increasing strain on Sweden's farmers. There is a risk that several farms will have to close down.
Jönköpings län, Sweden

Ecosystems across Australia are collapsing under climate change
Australia has seen an unprecedented number of widespread, catastrophic transformations in response to extreme weather events.
Australia
The Conversation

Arrival of Sargassum on Florida's Central East Coast Beaches
We observed large patches of marine macro-algae (*Sargassum* sp.) floating just offshore, drifting north, and getting stranded on the beach.
Hutchinson Island, Florida, United States

Very sick dog after eating from the beach
On this occasion he did not just vomit once, but over and over, combined with severe diarrhea and fatigue.
McDonald Spit, Alaska, United States
Kris Holderied, Michael Opheim , Gillian Brubaker , Rose Masui, Raphaela Stimmelmayr, Brian Berube, Mike Brubaker

Just before Independence Day holiday, Anchorage beats heat record
Anchorage hit 80 degrees Tuesday night, beating a record set in 1979, according to the National Weather Service.

Reykjavík Has Least Sunny June in Thirty Years
A mere 71 hours of sunshine were recorded in the capital last month.
Reykjavík, Iceland

Polar bears late June visits to St. Anthony unusual
Department of Fisheries and Land Resources theorizes why bears still around so late into the season
Saint Anthony, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Whale strandings off Washington-Oregon coast highest in nearly 2 decades
Sixteen gray and humpback whales have been reported stranded off Washington and Oregon since April 3, the largest number in nearly two decades.
Oregon & Washington Coast, United States
The Seattle Times

South Florida beaches see a surge in seaweed
Sargassum, a type of marine algae, is washing up en masse on Caribbean beaches, closing them down to the public. The same sargassum is here in Miami, lining Miami beaches.
Dania Beach, Hollywood, Florida, United States
Miami Herald

Climate change not one heat wave: scientist
A Canadian climate scientist says Canada and the world are seeing a pattern of more extreme weather events
Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Lake Cowichan Gazette

More than 50 dead walleye found onshore at N.W.T. park | CBC News
A resident said his kids don't want to go swimming at that location because there are so many dead fish in the water.
Behchokò, Northwest Territories, Canada

Drought May Be Cause Of Colorado Aspen Tree Die-Off
A mysterious malady has killed off nearly one-fifth of Colorado's aspens. But forest ecologists have struggled to explain the widespread die-off, known as Sudden Aspen Decline.
Aspen, Colorado, United States
CBS 4 Denver

Mini Algae Blooms Arrive Earlier, Larger Than Normal
Mini algae blooms are a regular occurrence in the western basin of Lake Erie. They pop up early in the season and usually dissipate before...
Lake Erie, United States
Cleveland Scene

Heat wave turns deadly and is expected to last through the Fourth of July
Nearly 80 million people in the United States remained under a heat advisory or warning Tuesday, with scorching temperatures and humidity expected through the Fourth of July.
Montréal, Quebec, Canada

Beached Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus)
Gray whale (*Eschrichtius robustus*) found dead on the beach near Kivalina.

Burying Beetle (genus Nicrophorus)
Burying Beetle (genus *Nicrophorus*) Found on McDonald Spit in Seldovia.
McDonald Spit, Alaska, United States

Why It's 90 Degrees in the Arctic Circle
The town of Lakselv, Norway, located near the Banak Peninsula and more than 300 miles north of the Arctic Circle in far northern Europe, recorded a temperature of 91 degrees on Wednesday and a high of at least 90 degrees twice this week. That's roughly 30 degrees above average for this region of the world.
Lakselv Sentrum, Finnmark, Norway

Two deaths, no births for Southern Resident orcas over the past year
The biggest challenges for whales is the buildup of toxic chemicals in their bodies and the shrinking runs of Chinook salmon, their primary prey.
Seattle, Washington, United States
KING

Allayuk uguguaq, "Strange Caterpillar," identified as Bedstraw Hawkmoth (Hyles gallii)
Unusually colored caterpillar in area identified as Bedstraw Hawkmoth (*Hyles gallii*)
Oscarville, Alaska, United States

Cougar Sighted on Upper Kenai River
A rare sighting near the confluence of the Russian River.
Cooper Landing, Alaska, United States

Rainy summer leads to flooded basements
The city has seen 114 millimetres of precipitation so far this June, more than the average for the entire summer.

Hottest Night in Recorded History Just Logged in Oman
Quriyat, Oman just blasted past a 24-hour minimum-temperature record, beating the previous "highest low," which was also set in Oman.
Quryat, Oman
Live Science

Tick reports increasing in Niagara
Despite facing drastic increase in the number of ticks being reported in Niagara, the region’s acting medical officer of health says the chance of getting Lyme disease remain relatively low.
Wainfleet Bog, Ontario, Canada
StCatharinesStandard.ca

Family that fell through ice with 3-month-old baby rescued by passersby near Igloolik
It was a terrifyingly close call for a family with a three-month-old baby last weekend, when their sled plunged through the ice.
Igloolik, Nunavut, Canada

Soaring seabird numbers boost island wildlife reserve
Handa Island Wildlife Reserve

Brown Seaweed Appears in Massive Amounts on Florida, Caribbean Beaches
The foul-smelling seaweed is back yet again.
Miami Beach, Florida, United States

«We have a difficult ice situation around the oil platform»
At this time of year, there has never before been such a complicated ice condition around Russia’s offshore Arctic oil platform «Prirazlomnaya».

Summer snow falls in parts of Newfoundland
Never seen it this late in June
Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Sargassum (Phaeophyceae) Weed in Dominican Republic
Evidence from Dominican Republic of the larger regional weed event.
Boca de Yuma, La Altagracia, Dominican Republic

Anthrax kills eight cows on South Dakota farm
For the first time this year, anthrax has been reported in cattle in South Dakota.  State Veterinarian Dr. Dustin Oedekoven has confirmed that 8 cows died from a herd of 87 unvaccinated cattle in Clark County. The Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory at SDSU confirmed the disease from samples submitted over the weekend. Anthrax …
Clark County, South Dakota, United States
Outbreak News Today

Summer snow falls in parts of Newfoundland: 'Never seen it this late in June'
Two centimetres had fallen in parts of Newfoundland
Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Lake Cowichan Gazette

Algal bloom spreads to more of Utah Lake
More of Utah Lake is infested with cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, which can contain toxins harmful to people and animals.
Spanish Fork, Utah, United States
KSL.com

Epic storm lashes Barnaul
A powerful and sudden storm left the city almost totally without electricity and with water supply shortages.
Барнаул, Алтайский край, Russia

Holy Sargassum! Seaweed Invasion
A species of seaweed has been washing up on beaches across the Caribbean and South Florida.
South Miami, Florida, United States
University of Miami News and Events

Sargassum (Phaeophyceae) and dead fish at Punta Cana
Punta Cana, La Altagracia, Dominican Republic

Sargassum seaweed forces closure of St. James’s Club in Antigua
St. James Club, Saint John, Antigua and Barbuda
St. Lucia News Online

Respiratory germ found in moose, caribou
A respiratory pathogen once thought to only affect sheep and goats has been found in Alaska caribou and moose. The bacterium, called mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, or "Movi," has also been implicated in the death of an emaciated caribou from the Fortymile herd last month.
Alaska, United States

Public asked to report dead birds
In May and June, dead birds, mostly murres, have been washing up on beaches on St. Lawrence Island, Shishmaref and east Norton Sound.

Man killed, member of search party injured in Eagle River bear attacks
Michael Soltis’ death is the second fatal bear attack in the Anchorage municipality in two summers.
Eagle River, Alaska, United States
Michelle Theriault Boots, ADN - Matt Tunseth, Alaska Star

Seabirds Washing Up Dead; Scientists Investigating
For the second year in a row, dead seabirds are washing up on beaches throughout the region by the hundreds. The birds appear to be starving, but scientists say the story is more complicated.
Gambell, Alaska, United States

Temperature records broken across B.C., again
The first heat wave of the season went out with a bang across the province
Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada

Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) Foraging in Re-occupied Soft Bottom Habitats
Rare observation of sea otter in Haro Strait, perhaps first since 2014.
Haro Strait, British Columbia, Canada

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Targeting Forage Fish in Open Water
Island View Beach, British Columbia, Canada

Sooty Shearwater (Ardenna grisea) Found Slightly North of Range
Sooty Shearwater (*Ardenna grisea*) found in the bay near Platinum, slightly north of usual species range.
Platinum, Alaska, United States
Harold Okitkun, Kathy Kuletz, Minnie Roberts

Heading to the beach? Get ready for thick, slimy seaweed
Heavy mats of seaweed are washing up on South Florida beaches, creating thick barriers to the ocean.
Delray Beach, Florida, United States
Sun-Sentinel.com

Small red salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) return and fish size
Sockeye are smaller in size and fewer in number this year than in recent years.
Ouzinkie, Alaska, United States

Sweden faces midsummer strawberry shortage due to unfavourable weather
Would Midsommar even be Midsommar without Swedish strawberries? Well millions may be about to find out.
Skåne län, Sweden

Mysterious marine mammal injuries hint that some sharks are shifting their range northward into the Arctic - Arctic Today
Sleeper sharks are already known to range as far north as the Chukchi Sea, but reports of possible shark attacks on seal and sea lions have increased — and now come from further into the Arctic.
Bering and Chukchi Seas
Arctic Today

All king salmon fishing on the Kenai River closed starting Wednesday
Weak returns forced the latest restriction. Good news: Sockeye fishing at the Russian River is forecast to be good.
Kenai, Alaska, United States

Midsummer strawberry shortage
Sweden's unusually warm and sunny May, which pushed the early varieties, which are normally timed to peak at Midsommar, to flower and fruit two weeks early.
Skåne, Skåne län, Sweden

Tent caterpillar in Yellowknife

Fatal feline feces: Scientists discover cause for recent monk seal deaths
State officials are now blaming toxoplasmosis, a parasite carried in cat feces, for the deaths of three critically endangered Hawaiian monk seals on Oahu.
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Hawaii News Now

Mass death of herring on Sakhalin island: what is the cause?
Thousands of herring washed up around Piltun Bay in northeastern Sakhalin..
Okha, Sakhalin, Russia

The 'blob' impacts salmon numbers, stopping fishing on Copper River
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game issued an emergency order Wednesday closing the personal-use and sport fishing for Copper River sockeye around Chitina until further notice. It goes into effect on Monday, June 18th.
Chitina, Alaska, United States
KTUU

Northernmost Bobcat (Lynx rufus) Observation
This most Northerly Bobcat *(Lynx rufus)* observation in the iNaturalist database marks the leading edge of the northward expansion of this species.
iNaturalist.org

Deadly Tensions Rise as India’s Water Supply Runs Dangerously Low
Some 600 million Indians, about half the population, face high to extreme water scarcity conditions, with about 200,000 dying every year from inadequate access to safe water, says a government report.
Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India

Respiratory Pathogen "Movi" Documented in Additional Species in Alaska is Also Implicated in Alaska Caribou Death
Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae ("Movi") is a respiratory bacterium that can cause disease in susceptible hosts. Previously thought to be host-restricted to sheep and goat species, scientists have identified Movi for the first time in healthy moose and caribou in Alaska; a bison in Montana; mule deer in New Mexico, and diseased white-tailed deer from the upper Midwest.
Alaska, United States
ADF&G Press Release

Fire Near Unalakleet
Wildfire smoke visible in Unalakleet.

Brent Goose Nests in Iceland for First Time
A nest belonging to a brent (Brant) goose was found last week around Bessastaðanes peninsula, where the presidential residence is located.
Reykjavik, Capital Region, Iceland

Why a rare appearance of capelin in P.E.I. is good news
Capelin have made an appearance on a beach in western P.E.I. — a rare occurrence and also a sign that capelin populations are strong.
White's Cove, Prince Edward Island, Canada

Arctic river turns red again
Red water - nickel processing plant says cause is decades of contamination in Soviet times which company is working to overcome.
Норильск, Красноярский край, Russia

As the Arctic warms, a changing landscape on the Chukchi Sea
"These ridges that we’re standing on, there would have been more of them, and they would have been bigger," ice researcher Andy Mahoney said. "The features that we now see, they’re something of a shadow from the past." Listen now
Barrow, Alaska, United States
Ravenna Koenig, Alaska's Energy Desk - Fairbanks

Drought in a rainforest? Yes
There are no tumbleweeds blowing through the streets of Southeast Alaska towns, but, the region has received quite a bit less precipitation than usual over the past nine months.
KRBD

Southeast Alaska dries up in rare problem: a drought
If it sounds unusual to have a drought in a rainforest, it is. Low snow and little rain combined to deliver an almost unprecedented drought to southern

Dismal Copper River salmon run prompts ‘unprecedented’ shutdown of dipnetting at Chitina
Biologists blame the Blob of warm water in the Gulf of Alaska for poor sockeye returns that also led to the second lowest commercial harvest in 50 years.
Chitina, Alaska, United States

Noctiluca Bloom
Second Noctiluca bloom we have had in the last 4 weeks
Kasaan, Alaska, United States

Not a dream: Eureka Lodge awakes to ‘very unusual’ late-spring dump of snow
The lodge at above 3,000 feet altitude on the Glenn Highway measured 6 to 8 inches of snow as of Monday morning -- and it was still falling.
Glennallen, Alaska, United States

Its June, but one Alaska community just got half a foot of snow
Summer slowly arrived in Alaska this month, but if you live in Glennallen, you may be having very different emotions regarding June weather.
Glennallen, Alaska, United States
KTUU

Mysterious masses of seaweed assault Caribbean islands
Scientists scramble to explain unusual bloom of Sargassum
Caribbean Islands
Science | AAAS

Some Parts of B.C. Just Got Hit With 20-40cm of Snow
Snow arrived in certain parts of British Columbia over the last 24 hours, providing citizens with up to a whopping 20 cm.
Silver Star Mountain Resort, British Columbia, Canada
604 Now

Voracious spruce bark beetles are back in force in Southcentral Alaska
Dead, red trees signal an increasingly dire outbreak driven by warm summers and plentiful spruce, especially in the Susitna Valley.
Trapper Creek, Alaska, United States

Heavy showers relieve heat-stricken masses across Punjab
LAHORE - Masses suffering from scorching heat for the last few days were relieved when the rain hit different areas of Punjab including Lahore, Saturday morning. After the Ramazan-observing faithf
Gojra, Punjab, Pakistan
Daily Pakistan Global

Southwest Alaska village ‘on edge’ after fox and dog test positive for rabies
Adding to the concerns are stories of increasingly aggressive foxes in Marshall and other villages. It appears to be a strong year for the fox population, a state biologist said. Marshall is shooting stray dogs to protect village residents.
Marshall, Alaska, United States

Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) Sighted in the Haro Strait
Island View Beach Regional Park
Phoebe Okey-Dobie, Theo Okolowicz, Tom Okey

Pollen Levels Well Above Average in Akureyri
According to the Icelandic Institute of Natural History, pollen levels are considerably above the average for this time of year, causing considerable irritation for those with pollen allergies.
Akureyri, Norðurland eystra, Iceland

'Set net' of Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Island View Beach, Saanich, British Columbia, Canada

Unauthorized driving, wetter-than-normal spring behind Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway closures | CBC News
This spring’s closures on the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway are a result of unusually wet weather and drivers failing to respect road closures, according to engineers with the Northwest Territories Infrastructure Department.
Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada

Rare killer whale sighting in Victoria's Inner Harbour
One whale-watched said it appeared to be a mother orca with a large dorsal fin and three to four young orcas.
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
CTVNews

Morris Cove Creek and Ocean Disconnection
An obstruction has disconnected Morris Cove from ocean waters, preventing salmon from moving upstream.
Dutch Harbor, Alaska, United States

Huge chunks of ice afloat in northern B.C. lake, as glacier retreats
Atlin-based helicopter pilot Jamie Tait says a kilometre-long piece of ice recently broke off the Llewellyn Glacier, at the south end of Atlin Lake.
Atlin, British Columbia, Canada

Contiguous U.S. had its warmest May on record
Each state was warmer than average, record precipitation in the East
United States of America
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Wasatch Mountains are Snow Free in June
Wasatch Mountains near Payson, Utah are snow-free about a month earlier than normal.
Payson, Utah, United States

2000-acre tundra fire burns near Point Hope
A tundra fire that has grown to 2,000 acres as of Monday afternoon is burning near Point Hope, officials say.
Point Hope, Alaska, United States
KTVA

Weak king salmon return prompts Kenai Peninsula fishing closures
A poor return of king salmon on the Anchor River will shut down all sport fishing on the Anchor and Ninilchik rivers and Deep Creek drainages beginning Saturday morning, the Alaska Department of Fish & Game announced Thursday.
Ninilchik, Alaska, United States

Dozens of wildland fires reported across Alaska’s Arctic
As of Tuesday, two new fires had started in the Galena Zone, bringing the total number of fires in the area to 35. To date this year, wildland fires have burned more than 44,000 acres in the region.
Point Hope, Alaska, United States

Dead Hare Infested with Ticks
A dead hare was observed in Interior Alaska that was infested with a native species of tick. Wildlife officials are asking residents to keep an eye out for ticks on pets and for signs of tick infestation in large mammals, such as hair loss in moose.
Fort Yukon, Alaska, United States
Melinda L Peter, Kimberlee Beckmen, Louisa Castrodale

Where salmon recreational fishing will be closed to boost orcas
Federal officials have shut down salmon and recreational fishing for the summer in key feeding grounds for killer whales. The closures, which took effect Friday, apply to parts of the southern . . .
Gulf Islands, British Columbia, Canada
Times Colonist

Blackline Prickleback (Acantholumpenus mackayi) Caught While Fishing For Herring
Blackline Prickleback (*Acantholumpenus mackayi*) caught along the Bering Sea Coast
Chevak, Alaska, United States

Record temperatures mean heated competition in Stockholm Marathon
Some 20,000 runners will hit the streets this Saturday for the Stockholm Marathon that promises some unseasonably warm temperatures.
Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden

Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinica): Newfoundland Rare Bird of 2018
The rarest bird sighted in 2018 was the purple gallinule on the Waterford River in St. John’s. There have been more than a dozen recorded sightings in the past, typically on a ship or in a random back garden only to be seen briefly and never again. This bird was different. It was present for about six weeks from mid-May and into June.
As 2018 comes to a close it is time to look back at the birding year in Newfoundland. According to my calculations 272 species of birds were observed on the island of Newfoundland in 2018. This grand total is on par with recent years.
Waterford River, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada

No Sea Stars on Bishop's Beach
Sea Star Wasting Disease has caused sea stars to die off since 2013. As of 2018, there are still no sea stars on Bishops Beach in Homer.

Coyotes infected with mange are being confused for ‘zombie’ dogs
Coyotes infected with sarcoptic mange have been mistaken for "zombie" dogs near Chicago IL police say. Coyotes also prevalent in Southern Illinois.
Hanover Park, Illinois, United States
Belleville News Democrat

Abundant Year for Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)!
The creeks were so full - I bet the oxygen levels weren't so good for them though.

Mysterious, Brain-Like Blob Found in Lagoon
Scientists are unsure if warming temperatures are causing the bizarre invertebrates to spread.
Lost Lagoon, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

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.

Spruce beetle devastation returns to Southcentral Alaska — and moves north
Beetles that killed millions of acres of trees in the 1990s were a first sign of climate change. In a new flare-up, they continue marching north as Alaska warms.
Cantwell, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

In maps: Houston and Texas flooding
Maps and graphics show the extent of the devastating flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey in Houston and Texas.
Houston, Texas, United States

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

Researcher Strikes Alarm: May Mean Death to the Reindeer
A small caterpillar has already infected large areas of Norway's largest county. Scientists fear this may be the beginning of something far worse.
Alta, Finnmark Fylke, Norway
NRK Sápmi

Residents warned to ‘get out or die’ as Harvey unleashes new waves of punishing rains and flooding
The devastating storm once known as Hurricane Harvey, already the biggest rainstorm in the history of the continental United States, delivered another punishing wave of rain Wednesday to Texas and Louisiana.
Houston, Texas, United States
The Washington Post

St. Paul Ramps Up Reindeer Program to Improve Food Security
For the last century, reindeer have roamed St. Paul Island without much oversight. But now, the tribal government is stepping up its management style to boost subsistence options and the local economy.
Saint Paul, Alaska, United States
KTOO Public Media

Harvey's Impacts Outside of Houston: Flood Emergency Ongoing in Port Arthur, Texas
Harvey has been devastating beyond Houston. Here's the latest.
Port Arthur, Texas, United States

Canadian Town, Isolated After Losing Rail Link, ‘Feels Held Hostage’
The last train to Churchill sits beside the town’s antique station, settling into place week after week.
It arrived on May 23, the morning when floods washed out the track connecting this frontier town in northern Manitoba on the edge of Hudson Bay — and it hasn’t moved since.
Once a symbol of expansion and hope, the passenger train has become a painful emblem of lost jobs, empty hotel rooms and mounting hunger for the town’s residents, and a bellwether of climate change for scientists.
Notoriously high to begin with, the price of groceries in Churchill has skyrocketed as supplies now arrive by plane. Even with emergency government subsidies in place, a four-liter jug of milk that once cost 6.19 Canadian dollars, or nearly $5, now rings in at 10.89. Two small bags of produce, containing just fruit, snap peas and beans, cost 82.99.
New York TImes

Giant Wrymouth (Cryptacanthodes giganteusin)
Jakolof Bay, Alaska, United States
Kris Holderied, Stephen Payton, Mandy Lindeberg

Levee breached in Texas amid 'epic and catastrophic' Hurricane Harvey flooding
The storm is not expected to relent until Wednesday afternoon.
Columbia Lakes, Texas, United States
ABC News

Worries mount over what busy mining road in Nunavut could mean for caribou migration
The Kivalliq Inuit Association says a road connecting the Whale Tail pit project to the Meadowbank mine, near Baker Lake, will bisect a caribou migratory route and will have more frequent traffic than any other mine in Nunavut.
Baker Lake, Nunavut, Canada

Sea Mammal Identified as Beluga Whale (Delphinapterus leucas)
Unidentified sea mammal bones later identified as beluga whale.
Gambell, Alaska, United States

Lummi Nation fishermen catch an estimated 20,000 Atlantic salmon following fish farm collapse
It's unclear how many Atlantic salmon escaped from the pen. The Lummi Nation says tribal fishermen have removed 20,000 from the Puget Sound. Washington state officials says Cooke Aquaculture has recovered 120,000 fish from the pen and that more are still inside.
Cypress Island, Washington, United States

Floods In South Asia Have Killed More Than 1,000 People This Summer
For the past several weeks, monsoon-triggered floods have devastated regions in Nepal, Bangladesh and India. This week, a new series of storms has brought everyday life in Mumbai to a near halt.
South Asia

Life returning to normal in Kamloops as wildfire evacuees head home
Looking around the deserted plaza in front of the Sandman Centre arena in Kamloops on Monday, it’s hard to believe that last month it was crammed with thousands of people who were looking for help after being forced from their homes by wildfires.
Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

How Climate Change Likely Heightened Harvey’s Fury
Several factors have conspired to make Hurricane Harvey so destructive in Texas, and warming temperatures are likely part of the problem.
Houston, Texas, United States
National Geographic

Here’s what that farmed fish escape in Washington could mean for Alaska
Some are concerned about the farmed Atlantic salmon coming to Alaska and bringing unwelcome competition for native species.
Anacortes, Washington, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

How Climate Change Is Shaping the Floods of Harvey - The Atlantic
“Local rainfall amounts of 50 inches would exceed any previous Texas rainfall record. The breadth and intensity of this rainfall are beyond anything experienced before,” said a statement from the National Weather Service. “Catastrophic flooding is now underway and expected to continue for several days.”
Texas Coast, Gulf of Mexico, United States
The Atlantic

Wildfires are a climate change wake-up call
Wildfires are sweeping B.C.

Animated Film about Chronic Wasting Disease (Norwegian)
Tromsø, Troms, Norway
Villrein.no - alt om villrein

Hurricane Harvey was fueled by record heat in the Gulf of Mexico
Study calculates energy Harvey took from the ocean, shows human role.
Gulf of Mexico
Ars Technica

'Historic Devastation' ahead from Hurricane Harvey
The remnants of Harvey re-intensified into a hurricane on Thursday, and it may become a major hurricane by Friday.
Corpus Christi, Texas, United States
The Weather Network

Support

Observation Template