The Northern Climate Observer

The Northern
Climate Observer

Waiting for Winter It was the color that got everyone's attention. A broad ribbon, wrapping around the Pole from Canada to Russia. It was December 9th, and Rick Thoman was delivering his autumn climate briefing to the One Health Group. "The fire engine red band you are seeing represents temperatures that are 90 to 100% higher than normal." The "red zone" included most of Northern Canada, Finland, Western Russia and Greenland. A polar heat wave. "It was the third hottest autumn since 1950 and the dryest since 2016". The ocean temperatures were also unusually warm, helping to feed ex-tropical storms last month and hampering ice formation. The sea ice on November 30 was the second lowest since 1976.

The climate data provides background for many of the headlines across the North, as warm temperatures lingered. Stories of a delayed freeze-up in the Yukon and Northwest Territories, and delayed snow in Greenland. Poor ice interrupted food deliveries in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia. In Troms og Finnmark in Norway, over one hundred reindeer fell through the river ice. In Kotzebue there was a tragic death after a party traveling by four-wheeler and snow machine went through the sea ice.

While cold temperatures are now appearing in Alaska and the Yukon much of Canada, Northern Europe, and Russia continues to be warmer than usual. Many communities are still waiting for winter to arrive. Our prayers for a wintry turn and snowy Christmas for everyone. Mike Brubaker, Editor

	Ice crossings on Peel and Mackenzie Rivers affected by above-average fall temperatures Tsiigehtchic, Northwest Territories, Canada Mike Lapointe / CBC News / November 28, 2025 Above-average fall temperatures in the Northwest Territories have delayed ice crossings on the Peel and Mackenzie Rivers, with officials warning this may become more common. The Peel River crossing opened later than average for light vehicles, while the Mackenzie River crossing at Tsiigehtchic remains closed. Read article on CBC News
	Ice glaze: Severe weather shuts down Bodø Airport Bodø, Nordland, Norway Katrine Olsen Sørgård; Marie Staberg; Thomas Fredrik Kristensen / NRK / November 26, 2025 Freezing rain and slick runways halted flights at Bodø Airport, stranding 150–200 passengers overnight and disrupting air and ferry traffic across Nordland. Operations resumed around midday but with intermittent closures expected as conditions remain icy. Read article on NRK
	West Dawson residents hunkering and hoping for Yukon River to freeze Dawson City, Yukon, Canada George Maratos / CBC News / November 25, 2025 With the ferry pulled for the season, West Dawson residents are waiting weeks for the Yukon River to freeze so they can cross, as unusually warm weather keeps water open. The delay disrupts access, raises safety concerns, and highlights increasingly unpredictable freeze-up. Read article on CBC News
	Where is the snow? Unusually mild November in Nuuk Nuuk, Sermersooq, Greenland Hanna Hviid / Sermitsiaq / November 21, 2025 Nuuk has had such a mild November that early snow melted, with an average temperature of +1.9°C so far versus the normal -3.3°C, according to DMI. Colder weather with snow and frost is expected next week. Read article on Sermitsiaq
	Food deliveries to Khatanga delayed due to abnormal weather Khatanga, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia Polina Bardik / Taimyr Telegraph / November 20, 2025 Prolonged late freeze-up has disrupted delivery of essential foods to settlements near Khatanga. Authorities used a hovercraft to deliver supplies to Novaya and Zhdanikha, while shops are extending credit and resident debts are rising. Read article on Taimyr Telegraph
	Wind tore down power poles – 80 customers without electricity Repvåg, Nordkapp, Norway Sara Olaussen Stensvold / iFinnmark / November 9, 2025 Severe winds in Nordkapp knocked down high‑voltage poles, leaving about 80 customers in Repvåg without power. Crews are splitting the line and using generators to restore electricity, with Repvågstranda expected back on the grid shortly. Read article on iFinnmark
	100 reindeer went through the ice – at least 20 died Kautokeino, Troms og Finnmark, Norway NRK / NRK / November 9, 2025 Around one hundred reindeer broke through thin ice at Mierojávri, north of Kautokeino; at least 20 drowned. Rescuers had to abort because the ice was too thin to walk on and too thick to use their boat. Read article on NRK
	Unusually warm autumn in Southern Norway Lysebotn, Rogaland, Norway Håkon Jonassen Norheim; Berit Helle Jonsbråten; Lise Marit Kalstad / NRK / November 6, 2025 Lysebotn in Rogaland reached 17.2°C on November 6, as Southern Norway experiences an unusually warm autumn with temperatures far above normal; meteorologists cite a southerly air flow from a nearby low-pressure system, noting climate change may play a role but isn’t the sole cause. Read article on NRK
	One man is dead, another missing after falling through thin ice near Kotzebue Kotzebue, Alaska, United States KOTZ / November 3, 2025 Two men fell through thin ice near Kotzebue, resulting in one death and one missing person, prompting warnings from local authorities about unsafe ice conditions. Read article on KOTZ

The Northern Climate Observer is published by the Center for Climate and Health. We track news coverage from across the circumpolar north and provide readers with a curated roundup of climate change related events. Thank you for reading our newsletter and for paying attention to our changing world.

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Northern Climate Observer

The Northern Climate Observer is published by the Center for Climate and Health. We track news from across the circumpolar north and provide readers with a curated roundup of climate-change related events.

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Northern Climate Observer

The Northern
Climate Observer