The Arctic Sounder - Serving the Northwest Arctic and the North Slope

Sean Whelly the mayor of Fort Simpson is worried that low water levels could impact the ferry’s ability to operate, potentially leaving the community isolated in the summer months.The water levels are the lowest he's ever seen at this time of year.

Residents in Yukon's Southern Lakes region are bracing for the worst as water levels continue to creep dangerously high.

The river, which starts at the Saskatchewan Glacier in the Columbia Icefields and flows through to central Saskatchewan, is usually murky brown by the time it reaches Edmonton in summer. In recent weeks, however, the water has taken on the hues of Alberta's glacial lakes, thanks to dry, hot weather combined with maintenance at a major dam.

Parts of 10 states and some major population centers — including Philadelphia, New York and Boston — were pummeled by the storm.

After a warm Arctic Winter Games in Alaska, some officials and coaches have suggested moving the games up from March to February in an effort to ensure that temperatures are cold enough for winter sports.

In the village of about 400, outgoing winter ice dams triggered flooding tha shut down the low-lying runway for 11 days.

But first tests show very little new snow cover on the glacier from this past winter: ”The snow depth was only 1.2 metres — we had at least double that amount in previous years,” says Nina Kirchner, director of the Tarfala research station.