The Northern Climate Observer

The Northern
Climate Observer

Summer Breeze One topic that has been filling the Northern news is the unusual intensity of recent storms. We feature four stories, beginning with a record setting August storm (remnant of Typhoon Bavi) that brought winds of 193 km/hr to Unalaska. See also stories about storms that overturned Hay River, Vladivostock and Sanikiluaq. A second theme is the changing condition of wild Pacific salmon. On the heels of a study describing how warming may benefit pink salmon (see APRN September 7th) come reports of invasive pinks way over in Nunavik. Closer to home the Yukon River is reporting its worst chum salmon run on record. See also the observation by Mike Smith of Quinhagak, Alaska who describes unusual egg sacs in a coho salmon, a possible symptom of the stressful conditions being experienced by most Pacific salmon species. Mike Brubaker - Editor

	Unalaska records 120 mph winds during record-breaking August storm Unalaska, Alaska, United States Hope McKenney / Alaska Public Media / August 31, 2020 The strong winds toppled boats, threw shipping containers into the bay, and even blew the windows out of American President Lines crane. The winds came during a storm from the remnants of Typhoon Bavi. Read article on Alaska Public Media
	Most of Hay River's 2 Seasons Adventures beach front campground wiped out by weekend storm Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada More by Paul Bickford / NNSL Media / September 3, 2020 A Hay River tourism operation on the shoreline of Great Slave Lake has been hit hard by high water and high wind. Read article on NNSL Media
	Typhoon Maysak Batters Russia’s Far East Vladivostok, Primorskiy, Russia The Moscow Times / The Moscow Times / September 4, 2020 High winds reached speeds of up to 154 km/hr. At least three people died and dozens were injured. The storm unmoored a floating dry dock, causing it to slam into some of the vessels making up Russia's Pacific Fleet. Read article on The Moscow Times
	Stunning beach with hundreds of colourful sparkling pebbles damaged by typhoon Maysak Vladivostok, Primorskiy, Russia Siberia Times / September 5, 2020 The remarkable glass beach was formed after years of dumping old vodka, wine and beer bottles, along with jars and ceramics during the Soviet era. Record strong wind destroyed at least half of the unique beach on Ussuri bay. Read article on Siberia Times
	High winds, torrential rain wreck buildings in Sanikiluaq Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, Canada Nunatsiaq News / Nunatsiaq News / September 10, 2020 “We stood at the window and we actually watched a shed get blown down the road. I saw an empty oil barrel get lifted up and put over a sea can. There were wires flying around,” Alison Drummond said. Read article on Nunatsiaq News
	Pink salmon could prosper in warmer Arctic, new study finds Nathaniel Herz / Alaska Public Media / September 7, 2020 The findings bolster reports by Alaska subsistence fishermen that the species’ numbers have been increasing as the Arctic warms at more than double the rate of the rest of the globe. Read article on Alaska Public Media
	Pink salmon catches in Nunavik are raising red flags for biologists Kangirsuk, Quebec, Canada Jane George / ArcticToday / September 11, 2020 After learning about catches of pink salmon near Salluit, Quebec wildlife officials are urging any fishers who net the newcomers to report their catch. Two pink salmon were netted in Nunavik during the summer of 2019 in the Ungava Bay region, one near Kangirsuk. Read article on ArcticToday
	Yukon River fall chum run the worst on record Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada Jackie Hong / Yukon News / September 12, 2020 About 189,000 fall chum had entered the Yukon River as of Sept. 7. At least 300,000 fish must enter the river before either Alaska or Yukon fishers can begin harvesting. Read article on Yukon News
	Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) with Dead or Dying Eggs Quinhagak, Alaska, United States Jayde Ferguson, Ted Meyers and Richard L Thoman Jr / LEO Network / September 2, 2020 Dead or dying eggs in a female coho salmon are a possible symptom of environmental stress felt by the fish. In Western Alaska, water levels have been low following a rapid spring snowmelt and low precipitation. Read post on the LEO Network
	2020 Arctic Wildfires Emissions So Far Surpass All of 2019 The Moscow Times / The Moscow Times / August 31, 2020 Russian weather officials and environmentalists have said climate change is a major factor behind the increase in fires. Read article on The Moscow Times
	Frost Damage Forces Farmers to Buy Hay Near Húsavík, Northeast, Iceland Jelena Ćirić / Iceland Review / September 9, 2020 Sveinbjörn Þór Sigurðsson of Búvellir farm in Aðaldalur, North Iceland says 80-90% of his hay fields were frozen in spring, and dry weather exacerbated the situation. Read article on Iceland Review
	Rainiest summer on record in over 100 years Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada CBC / September 2, 2020 Prince Rupert residents only had one dry day during the entire month of August and got a third of their annual rainfall in three summer months. Read article on CBC
	Nunavut government limits hunting of Dolphin and Union caribou herds Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada ArcticToday / September 10, 2020 The Government of Nunavut is restricting harvest due to what it calls “a recent steep decline in the population” of the herd. That decline has led to a “conservation concern” about the western Nunavut herd’s numbers. Read article on ArcticToday

The Northern Climate Observer is published by the Center for Climate and Health. We track news coverage from across the circumpolar north and provide readers with a curated roundup of climate change related events. Thank you for reading our newsletter and for paying attention to our changing world.

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Northern Climate Observer

The Northern Climate Observer is published weekly by the Center for Climate and Health. We track news from across the circumpolar north and provide readers with a curated roundup of climate change related events.

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Northern Climate Observer

The Northern
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