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Rick Thoman

@alaskawx.bsky.social

3.2K followers 310 following 2.7K posts

Climate specialist with ACCAP/IARC at UAF, highlighting Alaska and Arctic climate, environment & Indigenous cultures. Opinions are my own. Alaska and Arctic Climate Newsletter: https://alaskaclimate.substack.com/

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Rick Thoman @alaskawx.bsky.social · Dec 3

Hot off the digital press: Alaska’s Changing Environment 2.0 is now online! Focused on observations and impacts to Alaskans. From warming air & ocean, ice & snow to salmon & berries. Please check it out. #akwx #Alaska #Climate #ClimateChange @climatologist49.bsky.social
uaf-accap.org/alaskas-chan...

Cover page of Alaska’s Change Environment with a photo of the November 2023 Wrangell landslide.

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Rick Thoman @alaskawx.bsky.social · 18m

Yes, Kotz 23Z ATLM 28.70, Nome 29.20

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Angutekaraq Qakvalria @angutekaraq.bsky.social · 2h

From accounts with relatives from Kipnuk, the village is a total loss. One of my Elder relatives says it's wiped out. Those rectangular dots in the distance? Houses floating away

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Rick Thoman @alaskawx.bsky.social · 53m

I saw that. Thanks for the confirmation.

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Rick Thoman @alaskawx.bsky.social · 1h

I ***think*** nearly all of the crests listed were from post-event high water mark surveys. Real-time gauging only since summer 2022, with significant gaps.

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Rick Thoman @alaskawx.bsky.social · 1h

There are many gaps in the record, including August 2024 severe flooding.

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Rick Thoman @alaskawx.bsky.social · 1h

Things you don't see every day: an actual Shoe House. #Pennsylvania

The Haines "Shoe House" in York, Pennsylvania. Photo taken June 2017.

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Rick Thoman @alaskawx.bsky.social · 2h

Great reporting on the western Alaska storm from the Alaska Public Media team. #akwx #weather #AlaskaSky

alaskapublic.org/news/public-...

A major storm is bringing dangerous flooding and hurricane-force winds to Western Alaska

The remnants of Typhoon Halong have already caused damaging flooding in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. The storm is expected to move north and continue into Monday.

alaskapublic.org

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blue-in-ak.bsky.social @blue-in-ak.bsky.social · 3h

Homes floating away in Kipnuk, Alaska. (Photographer unknown)

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Rick Thoman @alaskawx.bsky.social · 3h

Sea ice extent rapidly increased during early October in the Beaufort Sea and is now very close to the 1991-2020 median in NSIDC data. Chukchi Sea ice extent is higher than last year at this point in the season but remains ice free south of ~71ºN in NWS Alaska region analysis. #akwx #Arctic #SeaIce

Left: Beaufort Sea daily sea ice extent 1979 to 2025 with the past two years and the smoothed 1991-2020 median highlighted. Right: NWS Alaska region sea ice concentration analysis to October 11, 2025.

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CeeJay Johnson-Yellow Hawk @adriftalchemist.bsky.social · 6h

updates for kipnuk

several houses are gone and more continue to float away from the village

hope help arrives soon

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Rick Thoman @alaskawx.bsky.social · 4h

I can't help but think the lack of upper air observations at St. Paul and Kotzebue (and only one a day at Cold Bay and Bethel) contributed to the model's failure, but no way to be certain. If you have the obs you can see what the models do without them, but obviously does work the other way around.

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Rick Thoman @alaskawx.bsky.social · 5h

Great idea, as long as it has a low max amount (to eliminate $ being funneled through eligible voters).

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Rick Thoman @alaskawx.bsky.social · 6h

Flooding no longer a threat for Nome. Eastern Norton Sound different story.

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CeeJay Johnson-Yellow Hawk @adriftalchemist.bsky.social · 6h

updates for kipnuk

so glad they floated inland and not out to sea

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CeeJay Johnson-Yellow Hawk @adriftalchemist.bsky.social · 6h

updates for kipnuk

looks like help is on the way

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CeeJay Johnson-Yellow Hawk @adriftalchemist.bsky.social · 7h

someone in a kipnuk facebook group screen recorded all the pleas for help in the community due to the disaster flooding

hopefully the alaska national guard will make it out there soon

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Rick Thoman @alaskawx.bsky.social · 6h

The center of ex-typhoon Halong reached the Seward Peninsula coast near or just east of Cape Nome around 830am AKDT Sunday. South winds 30 to 60 mph in southern/eastern Norton Sound will shift to the southwest soon. #akwx #weather @hanners64n.bsky.social @climatologist49.bsky.social

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ᒪᑰᓯ Mark Springer @markspringer.bsky.social · 6h

@alaskawx.bsky.social reports Emmo lights on, SSW gusting high 60's.

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CeeJay Johnson-Yellow Hawk @adriftalchemist.bsky.social · 7h

does anyone have an update from kwigillingok??

Rick Thoman @alaskawx.bsky.social · 8h

1/2 Early Sunday morning satellite pix and Nome weather radar show ex-typhoon Halong centered over Norton Sound south of Nome and moving quickly to the north-northeast. Severe flooding and damage and power outages overnight in the YK Delta region. #akwx #weather #ExtremeWeather

GOES-West infrared satellite image taken at 710am AKDT centered over Alaska showing the center of ex-typhoon Halong over western Norton Sound and the associated high clouds far to the north and east. Image courtesy NOAA.

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Rick Thoman @alaskawx.bsky.social · 7h

2/2 Thru 730am AKDT peak winds at airports include 100 mph at Tooksok Bay, 84 mph at Tununak, 81 mph at Kotlik, 76 mph at Bethel and 74 mph at Chevak. However, power outages mean no observations from some communities. Winds over 60 mph also occurring well inland. #akwx #weather

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Rick Thoman @alaskawx.bsky.social · 8h

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ᒪᑰᓯ Mark Springer @markspringer.bsky.social · 8h

Tail end hitting Hooper Bay now.

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Rick Thoman @alaskawx.bsky.social · 8h

Looks like power is out in a number of communities.

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Rick Thoman @alaskawx.bsky.social · 8h

Thx

Rick Thoman @alaskawx.bsky.social · 9h

Have you seen anything out of HPB?

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