Above normal temperatures in the month of November followed by a series of storms makes varying ice conditions.
Kotzebue experienced one blizzard after another in March, and now with so much piled up and drifted snow, the community is struggling to dig out.
"The sea level rise and wind is making this happen because it is really vulnerable. We are always really amazed every time we go out there with the change, and pieces of earth the size of a house falling over."
The rate of coastal erosion seems to be speeding up near Cape Blossom.
Willows budding about a month early 30 miles above the Arctic Circle.
"Yesterday we came over to do an assessment of the high-water flood storm," said Northwest Arctic Borough Deputy Director of Public Services Dickie Moto, who grew up in Deering. "They lost a lot of ground on the front and on the back side of town because of the high water and rough seas.
Coastal erosion occurring near Cape Blossom, outside of Kotzebue, Alaska.
Coastal erosion near Cape Blossom
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