The Northern Climate Observer

The Northern
Climate Observer

Ocean Signals - According to the Arctic Report Card 2020, sea surface temperatures in the Arctic Ocean last August were ~1-3°C warmer than the 1982-2010 mean. In the Kara Sea and other extremely warm areas, the warm surface waters are resulting in early loss of sea ice. This week we saw several ocean temperature related articles describing impacts on weather conditions, the health of wildlife and other topics. From the Western Aleutian comes reports of little snow and February air temperatures 8 degrees Fahrenheit above normal. In Western Iceland, ocean temperatures are at their highest point in the past 30 years. While parts of Alaska and Iceland have been uncommonly mild, many other parts of the north have been uncommonly cold and snowy. See video report of Russian snow storms from The Moscow Times along with other big snow days in the Southern Klondike and Nordland in Norway. Mike Brubaker, Editor

	Warm, wet February linked to rise in ocean temperatures Unalaska, Alaska, United States Bristol Bay Times / February 25, 2020 At Unalaska's Tom Madsen Airport, temperatures haven't dropped below freezing yet this month. And in Cold Bay, the average temperature is running more than 8 degrees Fahrenheit above normal, making this the second warmest start to February since World War II. Read article on Bristol Bay Times
	The sea is getting warmer Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland RÚV / February 26, 2021 The sea temperatures around Iceland have been higher than the average for the past 20 years, and the sea around the whole country has become more acidic, according to data recorded by the Marine Research Institute. Read article on RÚV
	Offshore SeaBirds Feel Effects of Warmer Ocean Waters Bering Sea Catherine Rubano / KNOM Radio Mission / February 22, 2021 Coastal seabirds have experienced significant die-offs in Western Alaska the past few years. But recent results suggest that offshore birds are also feeling the impact of low ice and warming ocean temperatures in the Bering Sea. Read article on KNOM Radio Mission
	Gold Jackal seen for the first time in Norway Ildskog, Porsanger, Finnmark Fylke, Norway Christer Andre Henriksen / NRK / February 24, 2021 It is common to be found in Myanmar and in Southeastern Europe. Now the gold jackal is captured on film in Finnmark. Read article on NRK
	South Klondike Highway hit with way above average snowfall, closures due to avalanche risk Carcross, Yukon, Canada CBC / March 2, 2020 This year’s large snowfall in southern Yukon has caused issues for highway staff and for people contracted by Highways and Public Works to deal with avalanches. Read article on CBC
	Abnormally large area is at risk of more avalanches, and they may come as a surprise Kistrand, Bodø, Norway Sondre Skjelvik, Oliver Rønning / NRK / February 25, 2021 Ever since the first major snowfall this year, there have been warnings of avalanche danger in northern Norway. However, the recent cold period makes the area extra exposed. The avalanche that seriously injured a man on Kistrand was a "slippery avalanche", which differs relatively distinctly from an "ordinary" avalanche. Read article on NRK
	Record Snowfall Blankets Russia Moscow, Moscow, Russia The Moscow Times / February 25, 2021 A snowpocalypse has engulfed Russia in recent days, with various regions and cities struggling to deal with the freak weather. Read article on The Moscow Times

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
Climate Observer