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
Air temperatures over sea ice in the northern Barents Sea range from 0°C to -02°C, and in the southern Barents Sea +02°C to -0°C. Sea ice drift has generally been northeastwards under the influence of southwesterly winds from a high pressure system over the Kara Sea. The ice edge has retreated northeastward as much as 60 nautical miles. In the southern Barents Sea the ice has nearly completely melted. The remaining hold outs are in the well protected bays of southern Novaya Zemlya and the Pechora Sea where ice is drifting in from the Kara Sea.
Bering Sea
In the past week, the pack ice in the Bering Strait has experienced melting due to temperatures ranging from 4? to 6?. However, substantial ice persists in the Gulf of Anadyr. The pack ice has shifted south of Saint Lawrence Island, while first-year ice remains along the coastline.
Canada East
Nares Strait contains fastened old and first-year ice, forming the Nares ice bridge. In the center of the ice bridge a large area of old and first-year ice has become mobile. South of the ice bridge, in Smith Sound, there is a mixture of old and first-year ice in very open drift conditions, and areas of bergy water. Eureka Sound and Jones Sound contain mainly first-year ice with some with some old ice. Both areas remain fast. Lancaster Sound contains mobile first-year ice with a trace of old ice and areas of bergy water. Baffin Bay contains first-year ice with some old ice in very close pack conditions. East of 58°W is bergy water. Northern Baffin Bay is made up of very open drifts of first-year ice with a trace of old ice, and large areas of bergy water. Northern coastal Greenland consists of fast first-year ice and mobile first-year ice. Southern coastal Greenland consists of bergy water. Davis Strait contains mostly first-year ice with some old ice. East of 58°W is bergy water. The Gulf of Boothia contains mobile first-year ice. Prince Regent Inlet contains mostly first-year ice with a trace of old ice. Cumberland Sound is mostly bergy water with some first-year ice in very open drift conditions. At the opening of the sound there is first-year ice with some old ice.
Canada North
The Arctic Ocean consists of old ice, with some first-year ice present along the northern Elizabeth Islands. Eureka Sound and Jones Sound contain mainly first-year ice with some with some old ice. Both areas remain fast. Nares Strait contains fastened old and first-year ice, forming the Nares ice bridge. In the center of the ice bridge a large area of old and first-year ice has become mobile. South of the ice bridge, in Smith Sound, there is a mixture of old and first-year ice in very open drift conditions, and areas of bergy water. Lancaster Sound contains mobile first-year ice with a trace of old ice and areas of bergy water. Baffin Bay contains first-year ice with some old ice in very close pack conditions. East of 58°W is bergy water. Northern Baffin Bay is made up of very open drifts of first-year ice with a trace of old ice, and large areas of bergy water. The Gulf of Boothia contains mobile first-year ice. Prince Regent Inlet contains mostly first-year ice with a trace of old ice. Cumberland Sound is mostly bergy water with some first-year ice in very open drift conditions. At the opening of the sound there is first-year ice with some old ice.
Canada West
Fast ice, made up of old ice and first-year ice, surrounds the Queen Elizabeth Islands and much of M’Clure Strait. Mobile ice has moved into the entrance to M’Clure strait and is primarily old ice, with some first-year and young ice mixed in. M’Clintock Channel, Peel Sound and the western section of Barrow Strait are fast first-year ice with a trace of old ice. The eastern section of Barrow Strait is bergy water, with some mobile first-year ice containing a trace of old ice along the coast of Devon Island. Amundsen Gulf, Coronation Gulf and Queen Maud Gulf are fast first-year ice. An area of bergy water with a bit of mobile first-year ice remains at the entrance to Amundsen Gulf and southwest of Banks Island. Canada Basin is primarily old ice with some first-year ice present. The Beaufort Sea is predominantly first-year ice along the coast. Old ice mixes into, and eventually dominates, the pack ice further north in the Beaufort Sea.
Chukchi Sea
The large polynya along the Alaskan coast between Point Hope and Wainwright decreased in size over the last week as pack ice drifted up to 20 NM and generally eastward. There was a significant breakup of fast ice in Kotzebue Sound as a result of temperatures between 2°C and 16°C.
East Siberian Sea
he two major polynyas in the East Siberian Sea, one north of the New Siberian Islands and the other southwest of Wrangel Island, decreased in size over the last week as pack ice drifted towards the Russian coast. An additional polynya has also opened to the east of the New Siberian Islands.
Greenland Sea
Fast ice in the Greenland Sea has retreated some. Much of the multiyear fast ice has stayed stable. The ice edge has also retreated throughout the area, with some areas receding up to 50 NM.
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 first-year ice with areas of open water along its shoreline. Hudson Bay comprises first-year ice. Areas of open water are present along the shores of Southampton Island, south of Inukjuak, and in northwestern and northeastern Hudson Bay. Northern Hudson Strait is characterized by bergy water with first-year fast ice present along the southern shoreline of Baffin Island. Southern Hudson Strait contains first-year ice with some old ice in its eastern section. Foxe Basin contains first-year ice and areas of open water in the northern section. Ungava Bay comprises first-year ice. A trace of old ice is present within the Bay north of ~60 N.
Kara Sea
Air temperatures over the Kara Sea range from +08°C in the southern Gulf of Ob to -02°C along Novaya Zemlya. In the southern Kara Sea the drift has been westward allowing the polynya along the Yamal Peninsula to open further. In the northern Kara Sea the sea ice drift has been southeastward, polynyas remain open due to the continued melting of sea ice.
Laptev Sea
The polynya on the lee side of Severnaya Zemlya continued to expand throughout the week, accompanied by the growth of polynyas along the fast-ice edge from the Taymyr Peninsula to the New Siberian Islands.
Sea of Okhotsk
Temperatures in the Sea of Okhotsk are hovering around 4?, leading to ongoing melting along the Russian coastline near the Sakhalin Gulf. The fast ice in the Shelikov Gulf has melted due to rising temperatures, although significant ice remains present in the region.
