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The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
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Observations

While not yet official, Mount Fuji gets its trademark snowcap after the longest delay in 130 years
Snow arrived at Mount Fuji more than a month after it normally would, after setting a record for the most-delayed snowfall in 130 years.
Mt Fuji, Japan
Anchorage Daily News

Death toll from Spanish floods tops 200 as shock turns to anger and frustration
The damage from the storm Tuesday and Wednesday recalled the aftermath of a tsunami, with survivors left to pick up the pieces as they mourn loved ones lost in Spain’s deadliest natural disaster in living memory. Many streets were still blocked by piled-up vehicles and debris, in some cases trapping residents in their homes. Some places still don’t have electricity, running water, or stable telephone connections.
Valencia, Valencia, Spain
Associated Press

Halloween storm turns Anchorage streets into 'liquid banana peel,' meteorologist says
A "wintry mix" of snow and rain through Friday morning produced slick conditions for trick-or-treaters in Alaska's largest city. It was a record setting snow fall for the day.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media
Chris Klint, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage

This unusual fox keeps being spotted in Yellowknife
Some have dubbed the creature Anubis, referring to the ancient Egyptian god usually depicted as a canine or a man with a canine head.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

Whitehorse digs out after another heavy dump of October snow
The Yukon capital was already buried under a thick blanket of autumn snow at the start of the week. Then residents woke to another big dump on Wednesday.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
CBC

Two Bears Are Shot In Building on HPR
A brown bear and one of her two cubs were shot and killed by a Sitka resident early Thursday after the animals entered into a storage building in the 4200 block of Halibut Point Road, in the vicinity of the Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal, and were trying to get into freezers.
Sitka, Alaska, United States

Finnish Lapland hit by 30-year autumn warm spell
Temperatures reached a high of 11.2 degrees Celsius in Kilpisjärvi on Friday, compared to a high of -1.7 degrees on the same day last year.
Kilpisjärvi, Lapland, Finland

High winds cause erosion and flooding in region
Nome Public Schools were closed on Monday. Bering Air did not fly on Monday and canceled or delayed flights on Tuesday morning. Alaska Airlines canceled its evening flights for Sunday and Monday but flew as scheduled the morning flights.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

A record breaking snow storm?
In this case, the weather models were showing a strong push of cold air coming out of the Yukon, a push of warm air coming up from the south and a low spinning up from the Gulf of Alaska.
Haines, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

Jellyfish Invasion Raises Dog Safety Concerns
The storm event on October 21st brought an invasion of jellyfish to flooded areas. Eating jellyfishis thought to have resulted in one dog fatality, raising concerns for pet owners across Kotzebue.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
Gay Sheffield, Jacqualine Schaeffer, Laurie Meythaler-Mullins

The Chukotka village of Rytkuchi was flooded by a surge wave due to a strong storm
Во вторник, 22 октября, в селе Рыткучи городского округа Певек из-за шторма начался подъём уровня воды. В результате подтопления двух многоквартирных домов пришлось расселить 45 человек. В целях безопасности в населённом пункте отключили электричество, сообщает ИА "Чукотка".
Рыткучи, Чаунский район, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia

Fall storm damages houses in Kotzebue and Northwest Alaska villages
A severe fall storm caused significant damage in Kotzebue, Alaska, with high winds and rising water levels leading to airport inaccessibility, disrupted flights, and emergency declarations.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Storm Submerges Kotzebue
A record storm caused extensive flooding in Kotzebue, Alaska, submerging the town and prompting community concern and relief efforts.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
Anna Liljedahl , Jacqualine Schaeffer, Richard L Thoman Jr, Gemini

Believe they could have saved more of the 190 reindeer that went through the ice with the right equipment
Nearly 190 reindeer perished after falling through thin ice in Finnmark, revealing a lack of proper rescue equipment and the need for better emergency preparedness in reindeer herding communities.
Kautokeino, Finnmark Fylke, Norway
NRK

Juneau water levels recede after moderate Mendenhall Lake and River glacial outburst
The National Weather Service has canceled a flood warning issued Saturday as waters continue to recede Monday morning.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media
Adelyn Baxter, KTOO - Juneau and Clarise Larson, KTOO - Juneau

‘A beautiful thing’: Klamath River salmon are spotted far upstream in Oregon after dam removal
Less than two months after the removal of dams restored a free-flowing Klamath River, salmon have made their way upstream to begin spawning and have been spotted in Oregon for the first time in more than a century.
Klamath, California, United States
Los Angeles Times

Fox Attacks House Cat
A fox attack on a house cat in Kotzebue, Alaska, raises concerns about unusual wildlife behavior, potentially linked to diseases like rabies or avian influenza, and highlights the importance of disease prevention and wildlife management.
Russell Cameron , Kimberlee Beckmen, Gemini

Where did the amphibians go?
A local Trinidad and Tobago resident reports an unusual absence of toads and frogs during the rainy season, following an intense drought, marking a first in 34 years.
Laventille, San Juan/Laventille, Trinidad and Tobago

That mysterious animal spotted in Anchorage? Likely not a wolf, Fish and Game says
Photos of the animal recently circulated widely online, prompting a flurry of debate about whether the animal was a wolf or just a dog.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

New Ketchikan landslide blocks road, cutting off motorists
The Revilla Road slide came Sunday evening after heavy rains and initially trapped six vehicles with eight people inside, local officials said. Cleanup continued Monday.
Ketchikan, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Fast-growing Hurricane Milton is officially a Category 5 storm as it nears Florida
Milton grew quickly into a Category 5 storm Monday morning and is forecast to make landfall in Florida midweek.
Tampa, Florida, United States

First known video footage of brown bat in the Beaufort Delta
Eric and Louise McLeod have been visiting their cabin south of Aklavik, N.W.T., for 25 years. On their most recent trip, they saw something they never had before.
Aklavik, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

Salmon lice and escapes
The article discusses the rapid increase in salmon lice due to warming seas and the failure of open net-pen aquaculture to control it, threatening wild salmon populations and prompting calls for zero-emission solutions.
Norway
NRK

What happened to those king salmon caught as bycatch?
The fallout from the closure of the central Gulf of Alaska pollock fishery, in response to the salmon bycatch, continues. Afterward, a number of readers responded with similar questions: What happened to those salmon? Were they sold? Donated? Thrown back into the water? The short answer, according to a federal management official: The salmon were “discarded.”
Kodiak, Alaska, United States
Alaska Beacon

Salmon production in the region has decreased by 11 times
The total catch volume of Pacific salmon in the district was 302.4 tons. This is almost 91% of the allocated volumes for three categories of fishing - industrial, amateur and traditional for community representatives. This is 11 times less than in 2022, a "non-pink salmon" year (even years are characterized by small approaches of this type of salmon).
Анадырь, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia

Concern grows among fishermen and scientists about low silver salmon returns in Cook Inlet
Fish and Game issued sport and commercial closures for coho fishing beginning in late summer across the entire Susitna River drainage, northern Cook Inlet and Anchorage. There were also restrictions placed on Kenai Peninsula rivers and streams including the Kenai, Kasilof and the lower Cook Inlet systems. Just last week, on the Kenai River, managers removed the option of sport fishing with bait and reduced the bag limit to one coho.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Decline in Saskatoon Berry Abundance, Southern Manitoba
A severe decline in saskatoon berry production near Glenboro, Manitoba, has led to unsustainable harvesting, with potential economic and ecological impacts, likely exacerbated by recent droughts and heatwaves.
Carberry, Manitoba, Canada

Extended monsoon causing flooding and landslides
Kirtipur, Central Region, Nepal

N.W.T. communities learning to adapt as heat waves become more common
From a pop-up waterpark to an emergency cooling centre at the local curling rink, communities in the Northwest Territories are responding to the record-breaking heat associated with climate change.
Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada

Dangerous bluetongue virus: Drops sheep program at agricultural fair
The article reports on the serious outbreak of bluetongue virus affecting sheep in Rogaland and Agder, Norway, leading to a 30% mortality rate and the cancellation of all sheep-related events in the regions.
Norway
NRK

Did a tornado touch down during the Jasper wildfire? Researchers want to know
Researchers investigate the possibility of a tornado during the Jasper wildfire, exploring a new class of fire-generated tornadoes and their implications for Canada's changing climate.
Jasper, Alberta, Canada

Landslides Along Nushagak River
The five documented landslides may be associated with high rainfall between July and September.
Koliganek, Alaska, United States
Constantine Johnson, Richard L Thoman Jr

Unseasonably warm autumn not delaying birds' departure
Temperature records continued to be broken this week in Utsjoki, Finland's northernmost municipality. Despite thie, the autumn migration of birds is proceeding at a fairly standard pace, according to Birdlife Finland.
Utsjoki, Lapland, Finland
News

Fort Simpson mayor says water levels might end ferry season early this year
As the Liard River water levels continue to drop, Fort Simpson Mayor Sean Whelly is urging people in the N.W.T. village to get prepared earlier than usual.
Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories, Canada

The glaciers in Finnmark are melting the fastest of Norway's glaciers
The glaciers in Finnmark, particularly the Øksfjordjøkelen, are melting rapidly, with significant shrinkage observed each year, raising concerns about climate change impacts.
Øksfjordjøkelen, Loppa, Finnmark
Kristina Brekke, Hanne Larsen, Bent Lindsetmo, Kai Erik Bull, Vanja Ulfsnes

New kind of plant on the beach
A new plant species is establishing itself in the area and impacting native beach greens.
Aleksandrovsk, Alaska, United States

Sabine’s Gull––A distinctive and unusual tern-like gull
An observer reports unusual sightings of Sabine's gulls, including juveniles, outside their typical migration period, suggesting a potential new breeding colony near Nome.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

More than ten warnings issued due to Icebergs
The Icelandic Coast Guard has issued many warnings regarding icebergs in the past two days.
Árneshreppur, Westfjords, Iceland
RÚV

Wildlife officers kill wolf near Yellowknife's Ranney Hill, days after hiker bitten
Wildlife officials in Yellowknife have confirmed that they killed a wolf in the Ranney Hill area, days after a person was bit by a wolf on the walking trail. They have not yet determined if it's the same animal.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Finland records 71st 'hot' day this year
Meteorologists recorded a high temperature of 25.2 degrees Celsius (77 F) in the eastern town of Lappeenranta, marking the city's 40th 'hot' day this year, according to Yle forecaster Anne Borgström.
Lappeenranta, South Karelia, Finland
News

Dead Sea Otters
No obvious cause of death for this adult and juvenile otter.
McDonald Spit, Alaska, United States
Kris Holderied, Stephen Payton, Barbara Mahoney, Mike Brubaker

In Yukon, salmon for dinner used to mean fresh-caught fish. Now, it's flown in
CBC Radio’s What on Earth travelled to Yukon this summer to explore how a warming climate has threatened chinook salmon, endangering not just the species but a cultural keystone for some Indigenous communities.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
CBC Radio

Unusual cysts in grayling
"Grayling guts with unknown pearl like cyst or tapeworm. Never seen this before in our grayling."
Arctic Village, Alaska, United States
Noah Tsigonis, Crystal Frank Welker, Jayde Ferguson, Sarah Yoder

Wondering where the fish have gone
With a bleak salmon return this year in Northwest Alaska, a lifelong fisherman reflects on a season marked by empty nets and big questions.

Orcas challenge the Bering Sea’s black cod industry
Orcas are starting to show new feeding behaviors around large trawler nets. They’re trying to steal fish caught in nets that are typically being hauled back. Scientists aren’t sure why orcas are doing this, but it’s dangerous for them because it increases their chances of getting caught in the net and dying.The problem is so bad that some fishermen have decided to skip fishing for black cod this year.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States

Strong winds break boats loose in Ísafjörður
Boats that were moored in Ísafjörður, broke away from their berths yesterday in gale force winds.There was a strong sea current in the Westfjords as the storm hit; roof panels were damaged and rescue teams were called out.
Ísafjörður, Westfjords, Iceland
RÚV

A summer without mosquitoes
An unusually mosquito-free summer in Anchorage, Alaska, despite wet conditions, has prompted discussions among local observers and experts, with no clear correlation found between weather patterns and mosquito activity. Although the numbers and timing are locally influenced, similar observations were shared from Fairbanks and Chistochina.
Daisy Huang, Wilson Justin, Christopher Crews, Derek Sikes, Wilson Justin, Jessie Moan, Richard L Thoman Jr, Gemini , Mike Brubaker

Blue-green algae bloom found in Yellowknife not toxic, government says
The N.W.T.'s Department of Environment and Climate Change and the Canadian Coast Guard tested samples from various locations in the area. The results showed no toxins present.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Landslide triggers 55-foot tsunami wave at Kenai Fjords National Park
Heavy rains and melting glaciers are making landslides in the area more common, says a geologist.
Pedersen Bay, Alaska

Exceptionally warm summer in Finnmark
Warm summer days lasted all August along the coast to the Barents Sea, from Hammerfest in the west to Kirkenes in the east. The latter is now experiencing the warm weather to last into September with several days reaching maximum temperatures up to 20 degrees Celsius (68 F).
Kirkenes, Finnmark Fylke, Norway
The Independent Barents Observer

Damage from permafrost melting in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation may exceed 10 trillion rubles
The article discusses the potential economic impact of permafrost melting in Russia's Arctic zone, estimating damages could exceed 10 trillion rubles by 2050 due to infrastructure collapse and other issues.
Norilsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia

'Haunting glimpse of Climate Change': Snow vanishes from Uttarakhand's Om Parvat for the first time in history
For the first time, snow has completely disappeared from Uttarakhand's Om Parvat, a significant change noted last week.
Om Parvat

Spike in salmon shark sightings near Kodiak stumps researchers
Researchers are puzzled by an increase in salmon shark sightings near Kodiak, with unclear links to king salmon declines and insufficient data on shark populations and movements.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States

New Hampshire resident dies after testing positive for mosquito-borne encephalitis virus
A New Hampshire resident's death from EEE prompts concerns over the virus's spread, leading to nighttime outdoor activity bans in Massachusetts towns.
Hampstead, New Hampshire, United States
AP News

Search Called Off, No Tourists Under Ice
The search for tourists believed trapped in a collapsed Icelandic ice cave has ended, revealing all were accounted for; experts criticize year-round tours as unsafe.
Höfn, Southern Region, Iceland
Iceland Review

1 person killed in Ketchikan landslide, multiple homes destroyed
A landslide in Ketchikan resulted in one fatality, multiple destroyed homes, and ongoing emergency responses, following heavy rainfall.
Ketchikan, Alaska, United States

50 Massachusetts beaches closed for unsafe bacteria as residents try to enjoy weekend before Labor Day
Over the past few months, the Mass Department of Public Health, working with the Department of Recreation and Conservation, has deemed dozens of water locations throughout the state closed due to high bacteria levels.
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
CBS Boston

Fish and Game searching for wolf that bit 2 people on Dalton Highway
Alaska Fish and Game officials are searching for a rare, potentially rabid wolf that unexpectedly attacked two people on the Dalton Highway.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Glacial flood on Skaftá River - Civil Defence "level of uncertainty"issued
The glacial flood, or jökulhlaup, is the first from the western cauldron in almost three years. This is considered to be a significantly lengthy break.
Vatnajökull Glacier
RÚV

Melting Starfish
Starfish wasting observed in Kassan for the first time in several years.
Kasaan, Alaska, United States
Krissy Dunker, Gemini , Donna Aderhold, Kris Holderied, Melissa Miner, Carol Fletcher, Sarah Yoder

Third consecutive Bering Sea storm touches down on Alaska's west coast
Meteorologists say the brunt of the storm is likely headed for the southern edge of the Seward Peninsula.
Nome, Alaska, United States

Red skies over Finland as Canadian wildfire smoke arrives
The smoke particles have already reached high into the atmosphere, so they won't cause health problems or unusual odours. The most colourful sunset is expected on Tuesday evening.
Finland
Yle

Coastal Yukon River faces flood advisory as lower Kuskokwim catalogs flood impacts
Communities along the lower Kuskokwim River and coastal areas in Western Alaska assess damage from recent storms, with flooding and erosion impacting homes and infrastructure, and a new storm potentially exacerbating conditions.
Western Alaska, United States
Sage Smiley, KYUK - Bethel and Evan Erickson, KYUK - Bethel

Erosion continues along Noatak River
High water throughout the summer continues to erode the river bank.
Noatak, Alaska, United States
Richard L Thoman Jr, Gemini , Jeffrey Luther, Crane Johnson

Interior sees record temperatures as former typhoon approaches Alaska
Some temperatures in the eastern Interior hit 90 degrees Sunday, as ex-Typhoon Ampil moves toward Western Alaska this week.
Eagle, Alaska, United States

Concern Over Plummeting Ptarmigan Population
This breeding season for ptarmigans has been the fourth worst on record in northern Iceland, due in part to a June snowstorm.
Northern Iceland
Iceland Review

Another whale swims close to Reynisfjara
RÚV received a video this week that shows a whale just off the beach at Reynisfjara; the second time in about a week. Guðjón Már Sigurðsson, marine biologist and cetacean expert at the Icelandic Marine Research Institute, says the whale swims shallow in a search for food.
Vik, South, Iceland

Tree Rotten or Infested?
A close look at this fallen spruce tree raises questions underlying causes and tree health.
College, Alaska, United States

Blue Jay sighted near Dawson City
Blue jays occur across southern Canada from Alberta east to Quebec and the Atlantic provinces.
Dawson City, YT

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