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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

Lack of snow, warmer weather creating shorter snowmobile season in New Hampshire
It has been a rough winter season for many outdoor activities in New Hampshire, but a below-average snowpack is hitting the snowmobile industry especially hard.
North Conway, New Hampshire, United States
WMUR

Survived traveling 200 meters in an ice slush flood
"Just when I get into the machine, I just manage to sit in the seat and then the body of the excavator fills with slush and presses me against the window and then presses the whole machine off the road into the valley."
Bakfjorden, Måsøy, Troms and Finnmark County, Norway
RÚV

Sinking in
The community of Aklavik, N.W.T., persevered when devastating floods led the government to attempt to relocate it. Now it faces another existential crisis as climate change thaws the permafrost, forever changing the community’s landscape and wildlife.
Aklavik, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

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

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

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

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

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

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

Train derailed by avalanche debris
Alaska Railroad freight train derailed early Tuesday after plowing into avalanche debris south of Girdwood. The debris spread roughly 300 feet across the tracks.
Girdwood, Alaska, United States

Record-breaking numbers of whales were spotted off Victoria’s coast in 2022
In 2022, a record number of Bigg’s killer whales (orcas) and humpback whales were spotted in the waters surrounding Victoria as well as south along Washington’s border.
Salish Sea
Victoria Buzz

Huge amounts of snow in the mountains - It just keeps running down
Last winter there was record low snow. But now there are reports of snow records and amazing skiing conditions on the mountain.
Hemsedal, Buskerud, Norway
VG - Verdens Gang

Slow start to the N.W.T. winter road season, as delays abound
The opening of the famed Dettah ice road, a six-kilometre route that cuts across Yellowknife Bay, is typically opened on Dec, 24, according to a 20-year average. Yet a week-and-a-half later, there's still no word on when it will be operational.
Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

Strong winds from weekend continue into Monday morning
Roads remain dangerous, and power outages persist into Sunday evening in parts of Anchorage and the Matanuska and Susitna valleys.
Palmer, Alaska, United States

Snow buildup on Anchorage roads leaves drivers with fewer lanes and longer commutes
Road crews say they’re still working to fully carve out the streets and haul snow away, after the city was hit with a trio of major storms this month. Some of Anchorage’s roads are maintained by the state of Alaska, and others by the city.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Anchorage and Mat-Su schools closed after 3rd major snowstorm hits the region
Anchorage and Mat-Su Borough schools and state offices are closed Thursday as a third major winter storm this month coated the area with snow overnight Wednesday. “In the past 11 days, we’ve had 41.1 inches of snow which is a lot for Anchorage,” Baines said.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Chris Klint, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage

In Photos: Moscow Sets 60-Year Precipitation Record
See photo gallery.
Moscow, Moscow, Russia
The Moscow Times

Winter storm causes travel chaos in southern Finland
Strong winds and heavy snowfall have led to flights being delayed, trains being cancelled, and motorists told to avoid unnecessary journeys.
Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland
News

Anchorage digs out of more than a foot of wet, heavy snow
All schools in Anchorage and the Mat-Su Borough are closed Wednesday due to slick roads across the region, as snowfall continues. “This is the heaviest snowfall the Anchorage area has seen in over 20 years,” said state Department of Transportation spokesman Justin Shelby. “Our crews are keeping up as best they can.”
Chris Klint, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage

No sea ice in Grantley Harbor
December should have sea ice development in Norton Sound. But no sign of ice yet this year. Several storms have moved northward across the western Bering Sea and brought strong winds and bouts of above freezing weather to the Teller area and all of the Bering Strait region.
Teller, Alaska, United States
Richard L Thoman Jr, Kendra Lee, Anahma Shannon, Austin Ahmasuk, Kitrea P Takata-Glushkoff, Hajo Eicken

Yellowknife struggling to clear above average snowfall
YELLOWKNIFE - Residents and city staff in the Northwest Territories capital are struggling to keep up with an onslaught of snow.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
thestar.com

Two die shoveling snow; those with cardiac risks advised to 'just let your driveway fill up with snow'
An "extreme" lake-effect storm that dumped 77 inches in Orchard Park has left the Buffalo metro area, but forecasters from the National Weather Service warn that blowing snow on Sunday could make travel difficult.The storm turned deadly for a couple of men who died of heart attacks while clearing snow. "It can be very, very dangerous for some individuals, people who have high blood pressure, people who have any type of cardiac history, to go out and shovel the snow, especially right now, because the snow is so heavy," said Burstein.
Orchard Park, New York, United States
Buffalo News

Landslide Disrupts Traffic in North East
Authorities state that although landslides are not common in this area, avalanches are. An approximately 50 to 70m stretch of road is affected, covered in about one metre of mud and debris.
Grenivík, Northeast, Iceland
Iceland Review

People followed instructions during the storm
Weather warnings for northern gales and heavy rainfall that swept through the country yesterday expired last night. The weather was accompanied by heavy precipitation, snow or sleet, and widespread winter conditions on the roads.
Vík í Mýrdal, South, Iceland
RÚV

After September storm, Newtok residents are desperate to relocate
Melting permafrost and severe erosion have plagued the community for decades. The most recent storm brought waves so fierce, the water claimed roughly half of the 80 or so remaining feet of land that stands between the back end of the school and the edge of the Ningliq river.
Newtok, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Winds down but high water just starting as ‘exceptionally strong storm’ batters Northwest Alaska
Forecasters say they are expecting significant coastal erosion from Utqiagvik to Unalakleet from the second severe-weather event to hit the region in three weeks.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Slide buries highway, strands residents
Two heavy rainstorms caused flooding and landslides in the upper valley last week, damaging infrastructure and leaving two residents temporarily trapped in their vehicle.
Haines, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

City set to begin cleanup after landslide
The City and Borough of Juneau on Tuesday began the multi-day process of cleaning up after a Monday night landslide in the area of Gastineau Avenue.The landslide damaged three homes and displaced residents, but there were no injuries reported.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Juneau Empire

Yukon's North Klondike Highway opens to single lane traffic after crews clear landslide debris
Yukon's North Klondike Highway is open to single lane of traffic after multiple landslides closed the road in two sections for days.
CBC

Chevak rallies to repair storm-damaged subsistence gear
During a community meeting, Chevak residents said better emergency planning should be a long-term priority. For now, though, assessing damage is the focus.
Chevak, Alaska, United States
Emily Schwing, special to Alaska Public Media

Unregulated ships cruise over speed agreements
“Our shipping monitors clocked another cruise ship going at excessive speed near Pond Inlet,” posted Baffinland Iron Mines on their Twitter account Sept. 22. While the maximum speed was agreed at nine knots in some passages used by the cruise ships, one ship in particular, The Hanseatic from Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, was clocked at almost 16 knots, nearly twice the velocity. It’s the second time this month the cruise line has been clocked in excess of the speed limit agreement.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada
NUNAVUT NEWS
Felix Charron-Leclerc - Local Journalism Initiative reporter

‘Some of them just disappeared’: Essential pieces of life in Nome were lost in the storm
Nome's landscape is physically altered, with raw material scattered wildly, the coastline reconfigured, and camps that anchored generations of subsistence either flattened or gone.
Nome, Alaska, United States
KTOO

‘Stebbins is resilient,’ Eastern Norton Sound communities recovering from storm damage
Several communities in the Norton Sound are struggling with contaminated drinking water days after the significant September storm hit the region.
Stebbins, Alaska, United States
KNOM Radio Mission

‘Half of Golovin underwater,’ residents shovel sand out of homes
GOLOVIN RESIDENTS ARE IN CLEANUP MODE as their community works to restore power, phone service and clear debris. After the flood waters receded from the weekend’s severe fall storm, some locals are left with feet of sand in their homes. “At my place we’ve got three feet of sand we’re still shoveling out with the crew here, trying to get the sand out of the living area so we can get the sheetrock to go ahead and dry off,” Alaska Senator Donny Olson of Golovin said.
Golovin, Alaska, United States
KNOM Radio Mission

Storm images from Kotzebue
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
Jacqualine Schaeffer, Jimmy Evak, James Benzschawel, Chris Dankmeyer

Storm impacts from Kotzebue airport
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
James Benzschawel, Chris Dankmeyer, Susan Tessier, Jacqualine Schaeffer

Powerful storm slams Western Alaska
A historically powerful storm slammed into Western Alaska Friday night and into Saturday, bringing major flooding and high winds to a huge swath of coastal communities. By Saturday evening, the state said it had received no reports of injuries or deaths related to the storm. But damage had torn across hundreds of miles of Alaska’s coastline impacting communities all along the way. Alaskans described water flooding homes and roads. Wind tore off roofs. Houses floated off their foundations. Boats sank.
Nome, Alaska, United States

Death toll breaches 1,030 mark as floods wreak havoc
Over the past 24 hours, nearly 0.95 million houses and 0.72 million livestock were flooded while 0.27 million houses were destroyed and 3,116 kilometres of highways and 149 bridges were washed away.
Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan
The Express Tribune

Landslides close dock, cause cruise stop cancellations in Skagway
At least 36 ships will skip scheduled stops in Skagway this summer because the cruise dock closed after a landslide sent debris toppling from the mountain above.
Skagway, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Mat-Su flooding closes roads, threatens homes after deluge soaks Talkeetna Mountains
August 9, 2022 Borough officials said multiple roads were closed Tuesday and more were being monitored after several days of rain.
Houston, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Massive hailstone found near Markerville, Alta., breaks Canadian record, research group says
According to RCMP, 34 vehicles were damaged Monday — down from an earlier estimate of 70 — while numerous people suffered minor injuries. Three collisions were caused by the storm, police said.
Innisfail, Alberta, Canada

Intense Flooding Hits Russia's Black Sea Resort Sochi
Local power supplies were cut off, apartment buildings were flooded, cars were seen being washed away and a river overflowed, leading to one civilian death and several injuries.
Sochi, Krasnodarskiy, Russia
The Moscow Times

Extremely windy on the lagoon
Many boats had to be secured & moved this morning. Hoping winds & rain slow down, but in the forecast.
Golovin, Alaska, United States
James Benzschawel, Carol Oliver, Anahma Shannon, Richard L Thoman Jr, Racheal Lee, Edward "Ted" Smith, Gay Sheffield

Reported Landslide Port Saint Nicholas Road, Prince of Wales Island
Landslide at 3 mile PSN happened outside the typical time of year for slides.
Craig, Alaska, United States
Jacyn Schmidt, Edward "Ted" Smith, Richard L Thoman Jr

Wildfire breaches north Klondike Hwy in Yukon, burns up power poles
The North Klondike Highway remains closed from Stewart Crossing to Pelly Crossing after fire breached the highway, the Yukon government has confirmed.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Small landslide closes cruise ship dock in Skagway
A small landslide has closed the White Pass Railroad Dock to vehicular and pedestrian traffic in Skagway. “No one was injured during the occurrence,” Marketing Manager Jacqueline Taylor-Rose wrote. “The cruise ships scheduled for the pier have made alternative plans for the day.
Skagway, Alaska, United States

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

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

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

River erosion threatens road
Noatak has lost 19' of river bank since May 19th. Now the road to the community gravel source is failing.
Noatak, Alaska, United States
Joy Britt, Jason Norris, Crane Johnson, Jeffrey Luther, Max Neale, Chris Dankmeyer, Edward "Ted" Smith, Anna Liljedahl , Paul Walton

'A beautiful, sunny day': Last of the ice washes down the N.W.T.'s Hay River
Town officials said water levels rose to new highs on Thursday and a second surge of water in the afternoon flooded through the north end of Miron Drive, the downtown area, and Cranberry Crescent, causing property damage throughout the town. By Friday morning, the last of the ice was off the river.
Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada

One lane of traffic open near Cooper Landing after Sterling Highway landslide
The creek slide is the latest environmental incident to strike the Kenai Peninsula this week: a massive landslide in Seward on May 7 continues to block Lowell Point Road, a wildfire broke out near Sportsman’s Landing on May 8 and a separate wildfire broke out on May 10 near Wildman’s.
Cooper Landing, Alaska, United States
Peninsula Clarion

Tension high as water rises in Fort Liard, holds steady in Fort Simpson
Water levels are quickly rising in Fort Liard, N.W.T., as of Tuesday afternoon. Some people are currently stranded at the general store and that others are being taken to safety. Meanwhile, Fort Simpson is seeing fluctuating water levels as the ice ebbs and flows, but still below the threshold for concern.
Fort Liard, Northwest Territories, Canada

Hay River expects highway to Vale Island to be underwater soon, remaining residents advised to leave
Lower Village and Wolf Drive Area are being told to head for higher ground as flood waters approach. Hay River's SAO says water is the highest he's ever seen.
Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada

Lowell Point Road closed due to landslide - Shelter open at Seward High School
The landslide, estimated to be 300 feet wide, has completely cut off the community of Lowell Point. Lowell Point Road is the only land access between Lowell Point and the City of Seward. As a result the City of Seward cannot access critical wastewater facilities.
Seward, Alaska, United States
Seward Journal

Landslide closes Robert Service Way and Millennium Trail in Whitehorse
Robert Service Way and the Millennium Trail and the Airport Trail near downtown Whitehorse are temporarily closed due to an apparent landslide on the escarpment around 3:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Ash from Sheveluch Volcano moves off Alaskan coast, but remains a hazard for aircraft
Ash from Russian volcano has moved over open waters of the eastern Pacific, but Volcanic Ash Advisories remain in effect as aircraft need to continue to stay away from the ash.
Sheveluch Volcano

Record dry late winters have resulted in low water levels in Eastern Norway
Lakes and rivers in Eastern Norway now have some of the lowest water levels they can have for the time of year. At the same time, there is unusually little snow in the mountains, and thus there is little refill ahead.
Mjøsa waterbody, Innlandet, Norway
NRK

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