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
Continued seasonal melting and southward drift have largely balanced each other out, resulting in a relatively stable ice edge.
Bering Sea
Fragments first year ice remains along the Russian shore in the western Bering Strait.
Canada East
The ice in Davis Strait is mostly thick first-year with some old ice. Frobisher Bay is bergy water. Labrador Coast consists of bergy water.
Canada North
The Archipelago contains a mixture of old and first-year ice. The eastern Arctic Ocean consists mostly of old ice with some first-year ice present along the Ellesmere and Axel Heiberg Islands. The ice in Nares Strait is mostly old with some first-year ice and now contains some bergy water. The ice in Jones Sound is mostly first-year with some old ice and is now mobile. The ice in eastern Barrow Strait is mostly first-year with a trace of old ice present along northern Somerset Island. Lancaster Sound consists mostly of bergy water. The Gulf of Boothia and Committee Bay contain first-year ice in very close pack conditions. Prince Regent Inlet is characterized by mostly bergy water with some ice present along the Brodeur Peninsula which is mainly first-year with a trace of old ice. Baffin Bay has seen a precipitous decline in ice presence and consists mostly of bergy water. The ice in southeastern Baffin Bay is mostly first-year with a trace of old ice in open drift conditions. The ice along the northern coast of Baffin Island is mostly first-year with some old ice also present. The main pack in southern Baffin Bay and Davis Strait consists mostly of first-year ice with some old ice present. Cumberland Sound consists mainly of bergy water with some ice in its eastern section which is mainly first-year with a trace of old ice in very open drift conditions. The coast of western Greenland is mostly devoid of sea ice with some first-year ice remaining in very close pack and fast conditions east of Thule.
Canada West
The fast ice remains in the Northwestern section of the arctic Archipelago and is predominantly old ice with small amounts of first-year ice. Belcher Channel, Penny Strait, Queen’s Channel and Wellington Channel consist of mobile ice that is predominantly first-year with small concentrations of old ice. Fast ice has fractured throughout Parry Channel, Mc’Clintock Channel, Peel Sound and Franklin Strait. The ice in Parry Channel is a mixture of old ice and first-year ice. The ice is very close pack first-year ice throughout Mc’Clintock Channel, Peel Sound and Franklin Strait. The ice in Queen Maud Gulf is predominantly open drift first year ice. The Mackenzie Bay to Amundsen Gulf, Dolphin and Union Strait and Coronation Gulf consist of open water and ice-free conditions. The length of the Yukon and Alaska coastline contains open drift first-year ice with some areas of open water and bergy water. Offshore, in the Beaufort Sea, the ice is mostly close pack first-year ice. North of 72°N, the Beaufort Sea consists of old and first-year ice in roughly equal proportion, except for the north central region which is mostly first-year ice. There is an area of bergy water running along the southeastern Beaufort Sea from along the southwest coast of Banks Island and stretching southwest below 71N. The Arctic Ocean consists of old ice with some regions that include first-year ice along the northern coastlines of the QEI.
Chukchi Sea
Polynyas continue to develop within the pack ice in the Chukchi Sea, while ice at the edge rapidly deteriorates due to persistent warmer temperatures.
East Siberian Sea
Over the past week, significant melting has occurred in the East Siberian Sea, especially around the New Siberian Islands. A substantial ice-free area has now emerged in the western part of the sea.
Greenland Sea
The Greenland Sea continues to melt slowly with most noteworthy ice loss in the Northern Denmark Strait over the past seven days. The majority of the ice edge is composed of rotten multiyear/first-year mix. Bergy water present approximately 50NM south of the ice edge along Greenland's southeast coast.
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
Western Hudson Bay contains medium first year ice, except for the northern portion where thick first year ice is predominant. Ice extent and concentration continue to decrease. Eastern Hudson Bay and James Bay are ice free. Foxe Basin contains first-year ice in overall open drift conditions. Southern Foxe Basin contains thick first-year ice. The ice extends southeastward into Hudson Strait passing Nottingham Island and around Bell Peninsula into Evans Strait. Hudson Strait contains bergy water. Ungava Bay contains bergy water. Lake Melville is ice-free.
Kara Sea
Significant erosion of the remaining pack ice continues in the Kara Sea. Areas of open water along the Russian coast and Novaya Zemlya are expanding, with pack ice now primarily found north and west of Severna Zemlya and along the Yamal Peninsula.
Laptev Sea
The ice free area in the Laptev Sea continues to expand towards the north.
