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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

Finland's bilberry harvests mediocre at best, nature institute forecasts
Frost exposure and poor pollination are behind expectations for a less than ideal season, according to research institute Luke. Bilberry patches at particular risk are in the regions of South Karelia, Kainuu, Keminmaa, Ylitornio, as well as certain areas of Central and South Ostrobothnia.
Lappeenranta, South Karelia, Finland
News

Catalonia Hits Record High Temperatures Amidst Heat Wave
Historical heat records shattered as temperatures soar above 45°C, prompting government precautions.
Darnius, Catalonia, Spain
Zenger News

Signs of a wet summer are numerous around Cheney Lake
The rain in July has been persistent and in some cases intense. At Cheney Lake there is plenty of evidence about the wet summer.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Mountain biker dies after helping save dehydrated hikers in Jacumba
A mountain biker died Saturday after trying to help dehydrated hikers in an eastern San Diego valley, officials said.
Jacumba, California, United States
NBC 7 San Diego

Cold, wet weather delays lucrative peony harvest in Southcentral Alaska
Alaska is one of the only places in the world where peony flowers grow in the summer months. But the unusually cold, wet weather this year is delaying the blooms by weeks.
Willow, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media
Tim Rockey, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage

Heavy rain inundates Vermont, causing flash floods and requiring rescues
About a dozen people were rescued from a campground in Andover as up to 5 inches of rain fell overnight in some parts of the state.
Londonderry, Vermont, United States
VTDigger

Montpelier sees worst flood in nearly 100 years
Montpelier, Vermont experiences its worst flood in nearly 100 years, with the Winooski River reaching its highest level since 1927, causing extensive damage to the city and forcing residents to evacuate.
Montpelier, Vermont, United States
Rutland Herald

Heat wave forecast for many N.W.T. communities
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has issued heat warnings for Yellowknife and many communities in the South Slave, Sahtu and Beaufort Delta regions — where day time temperatures near 30 C and overnight lows near 20 C are expected in the coming days. People are urged to seek out air conditioned spaces to seek relief.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

Orlando man and stepson die in Big Bend National Park
A 14-year-old boy was found dead along the trail; a 31-year-old male was also found dead at the site of a motor vehicle crash near the trailhead. Last Friday also happened to be the hottest day so far this year in that part of the park. Nearby Rio Grande Village recorded a sweltering 119 degrees — the highest in the park.
Texas, United States
The Big Bend Sentinel

Danger of lightning and thunder in South Norway Monday
Heavy rain, lightning and thunder are causing trouble in several places in southern Norway on Monday. But for farmer Sveinar Vadla, these are long-awaited drops.
Årdal I Ryfylke, Rogaland, Norway
NRK

Hatcher Pass Road opens for summer, but with winter lingering
The Hatcher Pass Road in Alaska has opened for the summer season, but deep snow remains at higher elevations, with crews spending the last week digging out the road over the pass before opening it.
Palmer, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Anchorage has seen the windiest June so far in more than 50 years. Is more wind in our future?
The first half of June was Anchorage’s windiest in more than 50 years, the result of an unusually stormy spring in Alaska.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Finland sweats as temperatures approach summer highs
Finland is experiencing warm and sunny weather with temperatures ranging between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius, and an advisory for strong ultraviolet radiation has been issued for the south and southwest.
Turku, Southwest Finland, Finland
News

Rocky Mountain spotted fever outbreak in Campinas, São Paulo State
The Ministry of Health confirms the occurrence of three deaths from Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) in Campinas/São Paulo, referring to an outbreak in the municipality.
Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
Outbreak News Today

‘Unseasonably strong’ storm bringing heavy winds, rain to parts of Southcentral Alaska
An unusually strong storm for this time of year was bringing rain and heavy winds to parts of Southcentral Alaska on Sunday.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Widespread Bird Deaths in West and South Iceland
Such deaths are unusual at this time of year in Iceland and their cause is unknown. The widespread deaths of Kittiwakes cannot be attributed to bird flu, according to Brigitte Brugger of the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST). Samples from the birds analysed by MAST ruled out the illness. While bird flu is unlikely to be the cause, extreme weather may be a possible explanation.
Faxaflói Bay, Iceland
Iceland Review

Sun While It Lasted: May Among “Gloomiest” Months on Record
May 2023 in Reykjavik, Iceland has been a month of gloom and rain, with a chance of breaking a 70-year-old "sunless" record and becoming the "least sunniest" fifth month of the year since measurements began, as well as potentially breaking the record for the rainiest May on record.
Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland
Iceland Review

Drought in the Saanich Peninsula
“We spent the weekend outdoors camping on the peninsula and notices shoreline grasses has dried and shriveled.”
North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada

Fire danger rising in southern N.W.T., with no relief in sight
The risk of wildfires remains high in the southern part of the N.W.T., and the forecast is calling for more hot, windy weather in the days ahead. That makes for "a dangerous, truly extraordinary combination for this time of year."
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

Historic May storm brings snow and record cold temperatures to the Great Lakes
In the Midwest, the unofficial start to summer with barbecues seems a little far-fetched as people are still shoveling and having to clear snow off their grills before they even think about using them.
Great Lakes, Illinois, United States
CNN

'We will have to adapt': Record high temperatures in Nunavik pose threat to Inuit way of life
Kuujjuaq, Quebec experienced record-breaking temperatures this week. Locals say hunting practices and the ability to travel on the land are being significantly reduced by the thaw.
Nunavut, Canada
CBC

Anchorage sets new record for amount of snow on the ground in April
Snow dumped on Southcentral Alaska this weekend, with more than 8 inches falling in the Anchorage area and about 5 inches in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. A Climatologist says this weekend has led to a record amount of snowpack this late in the season.
Alaska Public Media
Wesley Early, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage

Names released after avalanche on Reinøya in Karlsøy municipality
An avalanche Tromsø hit a residential house and a barn, killing over 100 goats on the farm.
Tromsø, Troms, Norway
NRK

Kotzebue still shoveling out from March storms
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.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

Troopers: Pilot Station man dies in storm, brother treated for hypothermia
Two brothers, one dead and one experiencing hypothermia, were found about two miles from Pilot Station after their snowmachine became stuck in heavy snow during a storm.
Pilot Station, Alaska, United States
Alaska Media, LLC., Steve Keller designer and application developer

Snow record in Tromsø
It has never snowed more in Tromsø in March than this year. There has been 158 cm of snow on the record so far this month and the previous record is 150 cm from 2000.
Tromsø, Troms, Norway
inyheter.no - Nyheter og aktuelt - Innenriks og Utenriks.

Major March Storm
"I was born and raised in Kotzebue and have been through many storms. This was one of the worst."
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
Lars Flora, Jimmy Evak, Richard L Thoman Jr

At least 26 dead after tornado-spawning storms roll through Southeast. One town is 'gone,' mayor says
At least 26 people were killed and dozens injured after powerful storms and at least one tornado pummeled the Southeast on Friday night, ripping roofs off homes, nearly leveling some neighborhoods and knocking out power for thousands, officials said.
Rolling Fork, Mississippi, United States

California faces more flooding after yet another powerful Pacific storm
A late-season Pacific storm that brought damaging winds and more rain and snow to saturated California was blamed for at least two deaths.
Boulder Creek, California, United States
Associated Press

Persistent drought
"In our country Afghanistan I have observed that the level of water is decreasing day by day."
Kabul, Kabul, Afghanistan

Why are scientists concerned about rain on snow in the California mountains?
The combination has resulted in some of the US' most destructive and costly floods, including the 1996 Midwest floods and the 2017 flood that damaged California’s Oroville Dam
Truckee, California, United States
Firstpost

Snow, wind and rain disrupt life as usual in Nome
Puddles on ice, slippery sidewalks and heavy wet snow berms are remnants of a three-day weather event that pummeled Nome and the region. According to UAF Climate Specialist Rick Thoman, “that’s the highest three day total on record for Nome in March in the past 116 years.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Landslide over county road – 100 people isolated
Alf Åge Teigmo heard a huge crash: "First came a river, then forest and large boulders.
Småvika, Flatanger, Trøndelag
NRK

Heavy snows in Sierra Nevada Mountains
This winter is the snowiest on Donner Summit in the Sierra Nevada mountains since reliable snow measurement began in 1971.
Truckee, California, United States

Tahoe officials warn of roof collapses in advance of storm
With even more rain and snow predicted to hit Lake Tahoe on Friday. Officials warn of dangerously heavy snow on homes.
Lake Tahoe, California, United States
SFGATE

Rough weather delays Kodiak barge deliveries, leaving grocery shelves bare
Safeway on Mill Bay Road is the only large grocery store on the island. And store management expected the barge to bypass Kodiak after its last visit, with a resupply stop scheduled ahead of this past weekend. But snowstorms and gusty weather, including hurricane-force winds, scuttled those plans. “In my entire career, I’ve never seen two successive bypasses,” said Mike Murray, the store director of Kodiak’s Safeway.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Iditarod mushers cope with warm temperatures as they arrive at Alaska Range
Mushers shrugged off jackets and dogs sunbathed in the snow as temperatures hovered around 40 degrees — hot by Alaska winter standards.
Rainy Pass, Alaska
Lex Treinen, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage

Extended Storms in Early March
It has been some years since we have had a long storm. March 6 marks the 3rd day and there have been no jets or small planes flying.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

Anchorage officials report a second building collapse this weekend with no injuries
This is the second reported roof collapse in Anchorage in two days.

Back-to-back blizzards hit region with high winds and snow
The weekend was marked by cold sunny days and stunning aurora displays at night, but then the weather took another turn. By Tuesday morning, an east wind was howling and blowing snow sideways. The week started looking like a repeat of the last.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Crazy weather this winter
Nuuk, Sermersooq, Greenland

Unstable snowpack causes heightened avalanche risk in Turnagain Pass this winter
The reason for the uptick in human-triggered avalanches this winter: persistent weak layers in the snowpack.
Turnagain Pass, Alaska

A million households have lost power so far as major winter storm blasts the U.S.
A major winter storm is continuing to bring heavy snow, blizzard conditions and significant ice from California to the Northeast on Thursday.
United States

Water shortage hits Adilabad district amid soaring temperatures
Rural areas here have begun facing water scarcity much before the onset of summer. Villagers are going long distances by bullock carts to collect water in plastic drums. Day temperature is already high.
Ādilābād, Telangana, India
Deccan Chronicle

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

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.

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

Warm in the north and lots of snow
Kirkenes had a record warm moon and Kongsberg has had more than twice as much accumulation as they usually do in January.
Kirkenes, Troms and Finnmark County, Norway
Meteorologisk institutt

Fluctuating Juneau weather set the stage for an avalanche at Eaglecrest
The upper mountain at Eaglecrest Ski Area in Juneau was closed on Friday following a large avalanche Thursday morning. No one was hurt.
Juneau, Alaska, United States

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
Mette Kristensen, Barbro Andersen, Emma Fondenes Øvrebø, Andreas Nilsen Trygstad, Ola Helness

Slushy streets in Whitehorse, as warm spell hits the region
Southern Yukon is basking in some unusually mild January weather this week, with temperatures climbing well above the freezing point on Wednesday and expected to stay that way into Thursday.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Mohe: China's northernmost city records coldest day ever
Temperatures in China's northernmost city plunged to minus 53°C (minus 63.4 degrees Fahrenheit) -- its coldest ever recorded.
Mohe, China
CNN Travel

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

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

Twenty Rescued from Ski Lift in High Winds
Twenty people were rescued from a chairlift at the Hlíðarfjall ski area outside Akureyri. The lift stalled when the wire was blown off its spool by a strong blast of wind.
Akureyri, Northeast, Iceland
Iceland Review

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

Weekend rains spur flooding; water levels at 25-year highs in some areas
The last time the water levels were this high in some places was in the late 1990s or early 2000s. According to the Finnish Environment Institute (Syke), floodwaters will likely spill onto fields and roads in parts of southern and western Finland, but not into buildings.
Finland
News

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

Snow shortage threatens Alps with wet winter season
The word for it here is Schneemangel or snow shortage. There's a phrase for when the snow is plentiful too - das weisse Gold - white gold. It's a reflection of how many alpine communities depend on winter sports for their livelihoods. World Cup skiers will race on artificial snow this Saturday as the Alps see record high temperatures.
Adelboden, Bern, Switzerland
BBC News

End of year brings record rains to Unalaska
A typical December brings about 6 inches of rain to Unalaska. But the island has already received more than 10 inches this month. Michael Lawson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said an atmospheric river above the Eastern Aleutians acted as a funnel to allow warm and rainy weather to move from the south to the north, directly across the region.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States
KUCB - Unalaska

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