The Northern Climate Observer

The Northern
Climate Observer

The Power of Ice In November 2011, Toby Anungazuk Jr. made his way by snow machine to the mouth of the Kitchavik River. He wanted to check on the subsistence camps after a storm flooded much of his hometown, the Western Alaska community of Golovin. What he discovered was an amazing example of the destructive power of ice. "The sea ice went up on the shore several hundred feet and destroyed four of the eight subsistence fishing camps." This kind ice event is an "Ivu," an ice wave pushed by wind far up onto the land. This was the first ice observation ever posted to the LEO Network. Over the years we have received reports about many other ice phenomena, from surging ice on the River Ob in Russia to a moving wall of ice plowing the shore on Lake Erie. The most recent addition is featured this week in an article in Yle, a 15 km ice wall recently formed on Päijänne, Finland's second largest lake. No damage done, just an amazing ice barrier that suddenly appeared raised from lake surface. See the video and read about other ice stories including about the Ivu in related articles attached to the Päijänne story. Mike Brubaker, Editor

	15 km-long ice wall emerges on Finnish lake Sysmä, Päijänne Tavastia, Finland Yle Uutiset / March 24, 2021 The conditions for the creation of an ice wall on the lake occur about once a decade, when the ice is thick enough and there are large variations in the daily temperatures. As the ice melts, it creates a chasm, but when it freezes again and expands, it forces the edge of the chasm upwards, creating the 'wall' effect. Read article on Yle Uutiset
	Lack of sea ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence means more seals on shore Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick, Canada Brittany Wentzell / CBC / February 18, 2021 Record-low levels of sea ice cover in the Gulf of St. Lawrence means a greater number of seals are coming on shore and are more likely to interact with humans. Read article on CBC
	Heavy Snowfall Means Constant Plowing, Shorter Kuskokwim Ice Road Bethel, Alaska, United States Anna Rose MacArthur / KYUK Bethel / March 24, 2021 Heavy snowfall has made maintaining the lower Kuskokwim Ice Road a challenge this year. The road is shorter than usual, even as its crew is working harder. Read article on KYUK Bethel
	Wolves finding new homes in southern Sweden Malmö, Skåne, Sweden Trygve Ulriksen Skogseth / Radio Sweden / March 18, 2021 In recent months, there have been a number of reported wolf sightings in Southern Sweden, an unusual occurrence in this part of the country. Read article on Radio Sweden
	Arctic walrus spotted in Kerry reappears in Wales Wales, United Kingdom Ellen O'Riordan / The Irish Times / March 30, 2021 Marine biologist and director of Dingle’s OceanWorld Aquarium, Kevin Flannery, told the Irish Times it is “very unusual” for a walrus to be spotted in this part of the world, although there have been potential sightings from surfers and fishermen in Ireland in the past. Read article on The Irish Times
	Suspected bird flu after swan death in Fredrikstad Skjærvika, Østfold, Norway Kristian Havnes Klemetzen / VG Verdens gang / March 29, 2021 Knut-André Haugen found two dead swans with their heads under their wings outside Fredrikstad. Now the Norwegian Food Safety Authority suspects further spread of bird flu. Read article on VG Verdens gang
	Thaw-triggered landslides are a growing hazard in the warming North Yereth Rosen / ArcticToday / March 30, 2021 Midway along the 92-mile road that winds through Denali National Park, at a spot with an elevation of 3,500 feet and spectacular views of the Alaska Range and the braided rivers that flow out of it, an unstable wall of rock, ice, soil and clay rises precariously. The slope into which the road was cut eight decades ago is already collapsing gradually — and there are fears that it could collapse much more suddenly in the future. 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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