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
Due to cooler temperatures new and young ice started to form around Franz Josef Land. Northerly winds to the West of Franz Josef Land held the ice edge to almost the same area as the previous analysis.
Canada East
Baffin Bay, Davis Strait, Labrador coast, and Cumberland Sound are Bergy water. Lake Melville is ice free.
Canada North
The Arctic Ocean consists of old ice. Nares Strait contains predominately old ice with some thick first-year ice. New ice is beginning to form between the old ice and thick first-year ice that covers southern Norwegian Bay. The northeastern part of the bay contains bergy water. The entrance to Nansen Sound from the north is blocked by fast ice, which is backed by mobile ice that contains mainly old ice with some thick first-year ice. Nansen Sound along with Eureka Sound contains thick first-year ice with a trace of old ice. Greeley Fiord contains bergy water. The Peary and Sverdrup channels contain a high concentration of old ice, with some new ice forming between floes. Hassel Sound contains predominantly old ice with some thick first-year ice and new ice. Fast ice remains along the north coast of Meighen Island. Western Jones Sound has bergy water, however some old ice, thick-first year ice with new ice developing at the eastern entrance. Wellington Channel, Lancaster Sound and Prince Regent Inlet have bergy water. The Gulf of Boothia has bergy water. Committee Bay and Pelly Bay contain a small concentration of old ice.
Chukchi Sea
Fragments of rotten multi-year and first-year ice remain in the far northeast and northwest of the Chukchi Sea, with a larger area comprised of the same ice types northwest of Wrangel Island.
East Siberian Sea
A remnant mix of multi-year and first-year ice continues to drift westward from the Chukchi Sea; it is now roughly halfway between Wrangel Island and the New Siberian Islands. Below freezing temperatures have arrived in the far northern East Siberian Sea, allowing for trace amounts of new ice to form on the northern side of the remnant ice pack and in the far northwestern region of the sea.
Greenland Sea
Freeze-up has begun as below freezing temperatures caused new ice to form in the gaps within the rotten ice pack and along the coast and fjords of northern Greenland. Toward the south, temperatures above freezing still reign. The East Greenland current has allowed filaments of multi-year ice to flow much further to the south; near 72N.
Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay and James Bay are ice free. In Fury and Hecla Strait and into northwestern Foxe Basin there is a small concentration of old ice with bergy water. The rest of Foxe Basin has open water and ice-free water. Hudson Strait and Ungava Bay are bergy water.
Kara Sea
The ice pack has drifted east and receded northward a bit due to a period of westerly winds. However, a wind shift has brought northerly winds, injecting the northern Kara Sea with below freezing temperatures, allowing for the formation of new ice along the ice edge and within the rotten pack ice.
Laptev Sea
Currents have been responsible for compressing the pack ice northward, while northerly winds have delivered cold air, which has begun new ice formation along the ice edge. New ice formation is particularly rapid around Severna Zemlya, where it has mostly filled in the existing ice pack.
