Archive · 21 Jan 2026
Arctic Enters New Era of Extreme Weather
Scientists have found that the Arctic is experiencing a new era of extreme weather.
This includes things like really hot summers, unexpected frost, and rain falling on snow.
These changes are happening because of climate change and are affecting plants, animals, and people who live in the Arctic.
For example, rain on snow can make it hard for reindeer to find food.
The study looked at data from over 70 years and found that some of these extreme weather events are new and have only started happening in the last 30 years.
This could have big effects on the Arctic's nature and the people who live there.
The Arctic is experiencing a new era of extreme weather, including heatwaves, frost during growing seasons, and warm winter spells.
Rain-on-snow events are affecting new regions, covering more than 10% of the Arctic land area, impacting mammals like reindeer.
Hotspots of change identified in Western Scandinavia, the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, and Central Siberia.
Extreme weather events can cause large-scale plant die-offs and high animal mortality, affecting Arctic livelihoods.
The study used atmospheric reanalysis data to provide comprehensive insights into Arctic bioclimate changes.
- Who
- International team of scientists led by the Finnish Meteorological Institute and the University of Sheffield
- What
- Study on long-term changes to the Arctic's bioclimate and extreme weather events
- When
- Data spanning more than seven decades, with recent changes noted in the past 30 years
- Where
- Arctic regions, with hotspots in Western Scandinavia, Canadian Arctic Archipelago, and Central Siberia
- Why
- To understand the impact of climate change on Arctic ecosystems and support adaptation efforts
- Study Lead
- Finnish Meteorological Institute
- Key Findings
- Increased extreme weather events, new regions affected by rain-on-snow events, hotspots of change in Western Scandinavia, Canadian Arctic Archipelago, and Central Siberia
- Impact on Ecosystems
- Plants dying over large areas, high mortality in animals like reindeer, potential harm to livelihoods of Arctic people
- Time Frame
- More than seven decades of data analyzed
- Data Source
- Modern atmospheric reanalysis data