The Northern Climate Observer

The Northern
Climate Observer

Beneath the Ice Last week swimmer Yekaterina Nekrasova swam 85 meters under Lake Baikal ice to set a world record. The ice above her was 25 centimeters thick and support crews cut a series of escape holes just in case. The average thickness is between 0.5 to 1.4 meters but the cutting was probably easier then in the past. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, ice thickness has decreased by an average of 12 centimeters on Lake Baikal since 1949, and the ice–free season has lengthened by nearly three weeks since 1869. The video is pretty amazing and Nekrasova makes the swim look easy despite the subzero temperatures. See also this week, stories about unprecedented January shipping through the Northern Sea Route and Bering Strait, and a beautiful celebration of natural ice by figure skaters Elizabet Tursynbayeva and Kseniya Pankratova’s on frozen lakes in Northern Kazakhstan. Mike Brubaker, Editor

	Russian Swimmer Claims New World Record With Baikal Under-Ice Swim The Moscow Times / The Moscow Times / January 11, 2021 See video of Yekaterina Nekrasova 40, swim an 85-meter distance beneath the ice of Lake Baikal. Nekrasova beat the current under-ice swim record of 70 meters set by South African Amber Fillary in Norway last year. Read article on The Moscow Times
	Skaters Perform on Kazakhstan’s Lakes Qusmuryn, Qostanay, Kazakhstan The Astana Times / January 15, 2021 See Kazakh figure skater Elizabet Tursynbayeva skating to “Znai (Know)” by Dimash Kudaibergen on the frozen lakes of Kazakhstan. Read article on The Astana Times
	Mild stretch sets the stage for record-breaking warmth in Iqaluit Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada Nunatsiaq News / Nunatsiaq News / January 19, 2021 The warm spell, which is expected to last into the last week of January, is the result of a low-pressure cyclonic system of warm air from the south. Read article on Nunatsiaq News
	Russian tanker passes through Bering Strait in the midst of winter Uelen, Chukotskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia RB Smith / The Nome Nugget / January 16, 2021 Last week, a 908-foot Russian tanker carrying liquified natural gas passed south through the Russian side of the Bering Strait, with two more to follow. The ships are traversing the northern coast of Siberia, called the North Sea Route, in the middle of January with no icebreaker escort, an unprecedented event that may hint at the future of the region as climate change alters global commerce. Read article on The Nome Nugget
	Coast guard warns of thin ice Vihti, Uusimaa, Finland Yle Uutiset / January 17, 2021 Finland is emerging from a deep freeze, giving way to milder temperatures and more snow. On Saturday three people in Helsinki fell through the ice at two different locations within the same 15-minute period. Read article on Yle Uutiset
	Whitehorse city workers pile snow high to keep roads clear after early winter storms Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada CBC / January 15, 2021 City of Whitehorse crews have been dealing with record amounts of snow on residential streets and roads. Thousands of truckloads of snow will be hauled away keeping a small army of city workers and contractors busy with plenty of overtime. Read article on CBC
	Snowfall blankets Istanbul, boosts water resources İstanbul, Istanbul, Turkey DAILY SABAH / Daily Sabah / January 18, 2021 The precipitation, although lasting just a few days, was good news for dams supplying water to more than 15 million people in the city. Just a few weeks after a drought alert, dams have seen a rise in their water levels. Read article on Daily Sabah
	Storm Filomena paralyzes Madrid, leaving the Spanish capital immobilized and in a critical condition Madrid, Madrid, Spain Simon Hunter / EL PAÍS / January 9, 2021 The unexpectedly heavy snowfall has blocked roads, left the emergency services unable to circulate and has caused dangerous situations due to falling branches. Read article on EL PAÍS
	Thousands of salmon lost in major seal attack Portree, Scotland, United Kingdom BBC News / January 14, 2021 More than 50,000 juvenile fish were killed or escaped in the incident on Skye, says an industry body. The Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO) said predation attacks continued to have a significant impact on fish health and welfare. Read article on BBC News

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.

Please forward this newsletter or share it on social media. Join the LEO Network to share your own stories of environmental change.

You may subscribe or unsubscribe from this newsletter by clicking here.

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.

Explore Posts

Submit a Post

Directory

About

My LEO

The NorthernClimate Observer

Northern Climate Observer

The Northern
Climate Observer