Scientists have detected toxic algae in clams from the Bering Strait and Chukchi Sea regions of northern and western Alaska, according to a new bulletin. This set of clams was taken on August 22, 2019 about 50 miles north of Cape Lisburne.

During a workshop in Nome this week, scientists and residents discussed algal toxins’ role in the changing Bering Sea ecosystem.

In July, Norton Sound water surface temperatures reached 68.2 DEG F on 7/10 and 69.3 DEG F on 7/11, which is about 17 degrees above average. The water was warm enough to comfortably swim in.

The Kotzebue area saw average temperatures as high as 11.4 degrees F above normal in May, with similar conditions in nearby villages. Utqiaġvik saw a 6.6-degree jump, while Prudhoe Bay experienced temperatures more than 8 degrees higher than normal.