Abnormal Weather in Alaska Points to Larger Shift, Says Climatologist

It’s been a year of abnormal weather events. Nome and the Bering Strait region have experienced copious amounts of snowfall, low sea ice extent, and warmer waters in the Bering Sea, just to name a few.

Rick Thoman, a climatologist with the University of Alaska–Fairbanks, believes these events are all indicative of a larger shift taking place in the Bering Sea ecosystem. Hear Thoman give a full recap of climate events the region has experienced in 2019, and how could this impact things going forward, with the audio player below.

Image at top: High snow berms along Bering Street in Nome, Alaska, on Friday, March 15, 2019. Photo: David Dodman; used with permission.

Man gives conference presentation from podium inside hotel ballroom. — Rick Thoman presents at a climate conference in Charleston, South Carolina, June 2019. Photo: Susi Moser, Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy; shared with permission.

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