In Western Alaska, there’s water where there should be ice

February 26, 2018 – Alaska Public Media

It’s been a record-breaking winter in Western Alaska. Temperatures in parts of the state have reached more than 40 degrees above normal, and sea ice cover in the Bering Sea has dropped to levels never before recorded.

Last week, social media across the region lit up as residents posted photos and videos of open water where, normally, there’s ice. In some communities, people say it’s the first time they can remember seeing wide open water in February.