Arctic Regional Synopsis
Regional charts and associated synopsis write-up capture ice and environmental conditions throughout the Arctic which are based on the U.S. National Ice Center’s weekly analysis. Charts and synopses are updated weekly on Fridays. Note: Baltic Sea analysis is provided by the Finnish Meteorological Institute. The Canadian Archipelago (Canada East, Canada North, Canada West, and Hudson Bay) analysis is provided by the Canadian Ice Service.
Regional Quick Access
Barents Sea
Temperatures in the southern Barents Sea remain above freezing, promoting sea ice melt near Franz Josef Land. Some openings within the pack ice continue to experience diurnal refreezing. Fast ice extent continues to gradually erode. Nearly all sea ice off the western coast of Novaya Zemlya has melted away.
Bering Sea
Pack ice remains concentrated around the Bering Strait down to St. Lawrence Island, with isolated pockets extending south of the island. Elsewhere in the Bering Sea, ice is holding on within Bristol Bay, Norton Sound, and the Gulf of Anadyr. Meanwhile, the only area in the Kamchatka Sea retaining ice is the Karaginsky Gulf, right along the coast.
Canada East
Eureka Sound and Jones Sound are characterized by fast ice composed mainly of first-year ice, along with some old ice. Nares Strait contains fastened old and first-year ice. South of the fast ice, in Smith Sound, there is a mixture of first-year, new ice, and a trace of old ice. There are also large areas of bergy water. Along the coast of Greenland there is first-year ice in the northern section and bergy water in the southern section. Davis Strait contains mostly first-year ice, with some old ice. The ice along the Labrador coast is first-year ice with a trace of old ice. The Labrador Sea is bergy water. Frobisher Bay contains mainly bergy water with first-year and old ice in its entrance.
Canada North
Cumberland Sound contains mostly first-year ice with some old ice in the southeastern part and bergy water in the northwestern part. The Arctic Ocean is predominantly covered by old ice, with some first-year ice present along the northern Elizabeth Islands. Lancaster Sound contains first-year ice with some young and new ice along with a trace of old ice. Baffin Bay is largely covered by first-year ice, with some old ice present. The Gulf of Boothia is covered by first-year ice, while Prince Regent Inlet is primarily fast first-year ice with a trace of old ice. A small amount of old ice is also present in the northern Gulf of Boothia and southern Prince Regent Inlet, where the ice remains mobile.
Canada West
The areas surrounding the Queen Elizabeth Islands are fast old ice and first-year ice. M’Clure Strait contains predominantly fast old ice and first-year ice. The pack ice has pushed away from the entrance of M’Clure Strait, leaving behind bergy water and new ice development. Barrow Strait, M’Clintock Channel and Peel Sound are fast first-year ice with a trace of old ice. Amundsen Gulf, Coronation Gulf and Queen Maud Gulf are fast first-year ice. The pack ice has drifted away from the fast ice boundary in the Amundsen Gulf and along the coast of Banks Island, leaving behind areas of bergy water and open drift containing predominantly first-year ice including pieces of broken fast ice. Canada Basin is primarily old ice with some first-year ice present. The Beaufort Sea is first-year ice and old ice. There is bergy water and open water west of Point Barrow.
Chukchi Sea
Recent temperatures in the Bering Strait and Kotzebue Sound, ranging from -2°C to 0°C, have supported continued ice melt. The polynya extending from Point Hope to Barrow has expanded more than 50 nautical miles westward, with similar expansion observed in the polynya near Wrangel Island.
East Siberian Sea
Slow melt continues across the East Siberian Sea. The land-fast areas along the coast are receding slightly, and some leads have formed along the fast ice edge.
Greenland Sea
Air temperatures over the Greenland Sea range from -6°C in the north to 4°C in the south, halting sea ice growth across the region. Fast ice in the northern areas remains mostly stable. Buoy data indicates sea ice drift ranging from 25 to 70 nautical miles. While the ice edge remains generally unchanged from last week’s analysis, much of the edge is undergoing rapid deterioration.
High Arctic
No synopsis write-up for the High Arctic as it remains consistent throughout this part of the year. A synopsis write-up will begin during summer months as ice retreats and becomes more dynamic in the region.
Hudson Bay
James Bay contains mobile first-year ice. Hudson Bay comprises first-year ice. Large areas of open water are present along the shores of Southampton Island, and in the northwest and the northeast of Hudson Bay. Hudson Strait contains first-year ice with some old ice in its eastern entrance. Large areas of bergy water are present along its northern shore. Ungava Bay comprises first-year ice. Foxe Basin contains first-year ice with some areas of open water along the northern coast.
Kara Sea
Seasonal melt continues across the Kara Sea, with increased sea ice deterioration occurring in the southern region. Sea ice is beginning to clear out of the Kara Gates. The fast ice edge along the mainland Russian coast is starting to recede. Any leads that form are remaining open.
Laptev Sea
The Laptev Sea is slowly beginning to melt. The fast ice edge is beginning to recede in some areas. Areas of leads and larger openings are present in the southern portion of the region.
Sea of Japan
Only a few small slivers of ice remain in the Strait of Tartar.
Sea of Okhotsk
Melt continued throughout the Sea of Okhotsk over the last week, as temperatures ranged from 0°C to 6°C. The ice edge in the northern Sakhalin Gulf retreated as much as 35 NM towards the coast.
