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
Baltic Sea
In the Bay of Bothnia ice pressure occurs in the ice field. In the northern Bay of Bothnia 50-70 cm thick fast ice to Kemi 3 and Oulu 3. Farther out mostly 30-60 cm thick ridged very close ice to the line Malören - Nahkiainen. Farther west 20-40 cm thick ridged very close ice. The ice edge runs from east of Farstugrunden towards Kalajoki and the ice field is in places difficult to force. Farther out open water. In the southern Bay of Bothnia 15-35 cm thick fast ice in the archipelago. Off the fast ice edge strips. Farther out open water. In the Quark open water. In the Vaasa archipelago 20-45 cm thick rotting fast ice to east of Ensten. Farther out open water. In the Sea of Bothnia rotten fast ice in places in the inner archipelago. Farther out ice-free. In the Archipelago Sea and the western Gulf of Finland rotten ice in places in the inner archipelago. In the eastern Gulf of Finland rotten fast ice in the inner archipelago. Farther out ice-free.
Barents Sea
In Chesha Bay, a large area of ice free (IF) has developed, while Perchor Bay is undergoing an ice breakup. On the east side of Novaya Zemlya, ice has melted and retreated by approximately 10-15 nautical miles. Meanwhile, the northeastern side of Franz Josef Land continues to experience blowout. Additionally, ice has been pushed northward by about 30 nautical miles on both the southern and northern sides of Spitsbergen.
Bering Sea
Over the past week, the Kamchatka Peninsula and Bering Sea have experienced increased melting. Several coastal areas have seen ice blowouts, while the protected shallow bays and inlets remain largely covered with fast ice.
Canada East
Canada Basin is predominantly compact old ice with small amounts of first-year ice. Along the northwest coastline of Ellesmere Island, there is a pack of compact or fast first-year ice with a trace of old ice. The ice bridge remains in Nares Strait (from Archer Fiord to Kane Basin) and contains predominantly old ice with some first-year ice. South of the ice bridge, there is an area of bergy water with some new and young ice, followed by the main pack ice further south which is mostly first-year ice with smaller amounts of old ice. The ice throughout Greely Fiord and Eureka Sound is consolidated first-year ice. Nansen Sound contains consolidated first-year ice with a trace of old ice. Jones Sound has consolidated first-year ice, including some old ice east of Grise Fiord. Baffin Bay is predominantly first-year ice with some old ice in the western section while the eastern section is predominantly filled with first-year ice. Some younger ice also exists along the Greenland Coast near Disco Island. Davis Strait is predominantly first-year ice with a trace of old ice except for the eastern edge where it is primarily bergy water with lower concentrations of first-year ice and new ice. Cumberland Sound is a mix of first-year ice and young ice. Lancaster Sound is predominantly first-year ice with some young ice along the fast ice edge south of Resolute. A trace of old ice exists at the eastern entrance of Lancaster Sound. The Gulf of Boothia and Prince Regent Inlet contain first-year ice. Foxe Basin is predominantly first-year ice with areas of young ice along the northern coast, northern Prince Charles Island and Southampton Island.
Canada North
The ice bridge remains in Nares Strait (from Archer Fiord to Kane Basin) and contains predominantly old ice with some first-year ice. South of the ice bridge, there is an area of bergy water with some new and young ice, followed by the main pack ice further south which is mostly first-year ice with smaller amounts of old ice. The ice throughout Greely Fiord and Eureka Sound is consolidated first-year ice. Nansen Sound contains consolidated first-year ice with a trace of old ice. Jones Sound has consolidated first-year ice, including some old ice east of Grise Fiord.The Gulf of Boothia and Prince Regent Inlet contain first-year ice. Baffin Bay is predominantly first-year ice with some old ice in the western section while the eastern section is predominantly filled with first-year ice. Some younger ice also exists along the Greenland Coast near Disco Island.
Canada West
The ice in the Queen Elizabeth Islands is fast with mostly old ice and some first-year ice, with some mobile ice remaining along the northern sections and near Cornwallis Island. M’Clure Strait contains fast old ice which transitions to first-year ice in Viscount Melville Sound. Western Barrow Strait contains fast first-year ice with a trace of old ice, eastern Barrow Strait contains mostly mobile first-year with smaller amounts of young ice. M’Clintock Channel, Peel Sound, Queen Maud Gulf, Coronation Gulf, and Amundsen Gulf contain fast first-year ice. Victoria Strait contains an area of mobile first-year ice. Eastern Beaufort Sea contains mostly old ice with smaller amounts of first-year ice. Large leads have formed in the pack ice and have frozen over with young ice. Western Beaufort Sea contains mostly first-year ice with smaller amounts of old ice. A more concentrated band of old ice is present approximately 100 nm from the Alaskan Cost. In the southern Beaufort Sea, consolidated first-year ice is present along the coast.
Chukchi Sea
In the northern Chukchi Sea, the pack ice drifted westward 30 to 60NM. Polynyas forming along the Alaskan coast quickly refreeze with new and young ice in air temperatures as cold as -20°C. In the southern Chukchi Sea, sea ice drift is weak as the ice is constrained by the Alaskan and Russian coasts. Overall, sea ice continues to thicken in air temperatures ranging from -16°C to -22°C.
Cook Inlet
Cook Inlet is mostly ice free with the Turnagain Arm having one tenth of young ice and the Knik arm has a slightly higher concentration of young ice. A few of the protected bays on the western shore have ice in them.
East Siberian Sea
In the East Siberian Sea, sea ice is generally drifting northward in the vicinity of the New Siberian Islands and westward over the eastern portion of the sea under the influence of the Beaufort Gyre. Sea ice drifted 20 to 45NM over the past week. Air temperatures ranging from -22°C to -28°C continue to thicken first year ice at a normal rate.
Greenland Sea
Sea ice movement across the Greenland Sea continued to be dynamic over the past week, with movement ranging anywhere from 70 - 150 NM to the south. This southern push of the sea ice caused for portions of the fast ice to detach. As the pack ice approaches the southern tip of Greenland, it is deteriorating because of warming temperatures ranging from -02°C to 04°C, elsewhere in northern Greenland air temperatures are as cold as -30°C contributing to normal sea ice thickness growth.
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
Hudson Bay contains predominantly first-year ice with young ice and new ice developing along its northwestern coastline. James Bay contains first-year ice with some young ice developing south of Akimiski Island. Hudson Strait is predominantly first-year ice with some new and young ice along the coastlines. Ungava Bay is predominantly first-year ice with some young ice along the coastlines. Frobisher Bay is predominantly new and young ice with some first-year ice. Labrador Sea contains predominantly first-year ice with a trace of old ice extending south of 54°N. Foxe Basin is predominantly first-year ice with areas of young ice along the northern coast, northern Prince Charles Island and Southampton Island. There is a mix of new ice, young ice and first-year ice along the Labrador Coast. Lake Melville contains first-year fast ice.
Kara Sea
Westerly winds over the last week have pushed the pack ice in the Kara Sea to the east, creating openings near the southern portion of the sea. Considerable breakup of the fast ice to the south of Severnaya Zemlya also occurred over the last week, with anywhere from 30-50 NM of fast ice becoming detached.
Laptev Sea
Sea ice in the Laptev Sea is generally drifting northwestward. Polynyas forming along the fast ice rapidly freezing over with new and young ice and thicken into first year ice as they continue to drift northwest. Air temperatures ranging from -18°C to -26°C continue to thicken first year ice at a steady rate.
Sea of Japan
In the Sea of Japan we saw a significant melt of the ice from the previous week. The fasted ice near Vladivostock has melted out and there is no ice present in any of the sheltered bays coves or inlets. In the northern most part of the Sea of Japan we are seeing the fasted ice staying in place in the Tartar Strait.
Sea of Okhotsk
In the Sea of Okhotsk the western side of the Kamchatka Peninsula experience a large amount of melt out over the previous week. We saw the ice compact some more with the rotation of the ice in the eastern part of the Sea of Okhotsk rotate in a clockwise manner. Melt has occurred along the ice edge resulting in thinner ice in the middle of the Sea of Okhotsk. Fasted ice was still maintaining itself in the western part of the basin. Ice has been pushing southward along the Sakhalin Islands and we have seen compaction along the east coast. The area of Zaliv Terpeniya has melted out more and has an ice free area now. Fasted ice remains with in the protected shallow bays and inlets of the Sakhalin Island shoreline.
White Sea
This week, only small patches of fast ice and some floating ice remain in Kandalaksha Gulf. In Onega Bay and Dvina Bay, ice has been pushed along the northern shores, while Mezen Bay is now completely ice-free
