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
Drift in the Barents Sea was minimal this week, but melting continues to weaken the ice edge. The ice has retreated by approximately 40 nautical miles in some areas and remains highly degraded, with low concentrations of first-year ice. A small area of 0-2 of berg has been added within the fjords of Svalbard.
Canada East
The Arctic Ocean is composed mainly of old ice, with some first-year ice present. The Nansen Sound ice bridge, consisting of first-year ice with a trace of old ice, continues to show some movement while occupying the mouth of the Sound. The remainder of Nansen Sound is mostly bergy water. Greely Fiord is characterized by small amounts of first-year ice with a trace of old ice along with some new ice. Norwegian Bay contains first-year ice with a trace of old ice in open drift conditions with some new and young ice now present in its eastern section. Belcher Channel and Hassel Sound contain small amounts of old and first-year ice in very open drift conditions. Penny Strait contains mostly old ice with some first-year ice in close pack conditions. Queen’s Channel contains mostly old ice with some first-year ice in open drift conditions. A small amount of first-year ice remains in northern Foxe Basin. Southern Foxe Basin is ice-free. Frobisher Bay contains bergy water. The Labrador Sea is bergy water.
Canada North
Nares Strait contains mostly old ice with some first-year ice present with new and young ice now present. Some old ice is present in extreme northwestern Baffin Bay, eastern Jones Sound, Barrow Strait, and eastern Lancaster Sound. Otherwise, Baffin Bay, Pond Inlet, Navy Board Inlet, Lancaster Sound, Admiralty Inlet, Prince Regent Inlet, and Gulf of Boothia are all bergy water. There is a moderate amount of first-year ice in Committee Bay. Fury and Hecla Strait contain first-year ice in very close pack conditions. Davis Strait and Cumberland Sound are bergy water.
Canada West
The Queen Elizabeth Islands comprise old and first-year mobile ice. Small regions of old and first-year fast ice remain along the northern shores of the Parry Islands and Sverdrup Islands. Some new ice is forming in protected bays along the western coast of Axel Heiberg. M’Clure Strait contains predominantly high concentration old ice with some first-year ice. Viscount Melville Sound and Barrow Strait comprises first-year ice and old ice with a large bergy water opening southeast of Melville Island. M’Clintock Channel comprises mostly first-year ice with a trace of old ice in the northern section. Peel Sound contains mostly bergy water with some mobile first-year ice with a trace of old in the extreme northern section. Dolphin and Union Strait, Coronation Gulf, Queen Maud Gulf, Victoria Strait, and Larsen Sound are bergy water. Northern Amundsen Gulf contains mostly bergy water. Southern Amundsen Gulf comprises mixed lower concentrations of mobile old and first-year ice. The ice in the Beaufort Sea and Canada Basin is mostly old ice with some first-year ice. The ice continues to deteriorate west of 130W. Arctic Ocean is mostly old with some first-year ice.
Chukchi Sea
Sea ice concentrations in the northwestern Chukchi Sea continue to steadily decrease, despite slowing melt. Only trace amounts of ice remain in the northeastern region.
East Siberian Sea
The ice edge in the East Siberian Sea remained mostly unchanged, with slight retreat on the eastern region. Slow melt continues within the marginal ice zone. Isolated instances of diurnal ice growth were observed over the past week.
Greenland Sea
Relatively warm sea surface temperatures along the ice edge continue to degrade the sea ice. More weaknesses continue to open as the thinner, younger ice within the pack melts. Minimal fast ice remains. Residual fast ice is confined to Greenland's northern fjords and continues to weaken.
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 is ice-free. James Bay is ice-free. Hudson Strait and Ungava Bay contain bergy water. Lake Melville is ice-free.
Kara Sea
The Kara Sea remains mostly ice free except for a very small area just east of Severnaya Zemlya. Small berg concentrations remain within the islands of Severnaya Zemlya.
Laptev Sea
The ice edge in the western portion of the Laptev Sea experienced retreat, while the edge in the east stayed mostly stagnant. A polynya present in the northeastern region filled in with new and young ice as a result of colder air temperatures ranging from -2°C to -4°C entering the area.
