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
The ice edge has receded significantly northward toward the ice pack, leaving most of the sea free of ice. Isolated areas of dense concentrations of ice still remain.
Canada East
Jones Sound is mostly bergy water. Some first-year ice and a trace of old ice are present in in the western section streaming in from Norwegian Bay. Davis Strait is mostly bergy water. The remaining ice is along the eastern side of Cumberland Peninsula (Baffin Island) and is first-year ice with a trace of old ice.Nansen Sound contains some first-year ice with a trace of old ice, and areas of bergy water. The Nansen ice bridge is intact. Greely Fjord contains first-year ice. Eureka Sound contains first-year ice with a trace of old ice.Davis Strait contains bergy water. Frobisher Bay contains bergy water. The Labrador Sea is bergy water.
Canada North
Canada Basin consists mainly of old ice with some first-year ice present. Nares Strait contains a mixture of old ice and first-year ice. Baffin Bay is mostly bergy water with some old ice and first-year ice present in the extreme northwest section, streaming in from Nares Strait. Cumberland Sound is bergy water. The Gulf of Boothia is bergy water except its extreme south where some first-year ice is present near Pelly Bay. Committee Bay and Fury and Hecla Strait consist of first-year ice. Prince Regent Inlet is mostly bergy water with some first-year ice and a trace of old ice along the coast of Somerset Island. Lancaster Sound consists mostly of bergy water. There is some first-year ice with a trace of old ice present in the western section, and a mix of old ice and first-year ice in the eastern section.
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. M’Clure Strait contains predominantly old ice with some first-year ice. Barrow Strait comprises first-year ice with a trace of old ice and bergy water openings along the islands to the north. 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 northern section. Southern Queen Maud Gulf is bergy water while the northern section contains mobile first-year ice. Coronation Gulf contains bergy water Eastern Amundsen Gulf contains bergy water. Western Amundsen Gulf comprises mixed concentrations of mobile old and first-year ice. The ice in the Beaufort Sea is mostly old ice with some first-year ice. The Canada Basin comprises mostly old ice with some first-year ice. Arctic Ocean is mostly old with some first-year ice.
Chukchi Sea
The pack ice edge in the Chukchi Sea has receded significantly to the north as melt accelerates. The marginal ice zone continues to rapidly deteriorate with warmer air and sea temperatures.
East Siberian Sea
Seasonal melt continues in the East Siberian Sea, particularly around the Anzhu Islands. Low concentrations of sea ice remain along the ice edge, and weaknesses continue to form within the pack ice.
Greenland Sea
Polynyas continue to open throughout the Greenland Sea, particularly near Dove Bugt. Much of the fast ice in the central and southern regions has deteriorated. The Greenland Sea is sea ice free from Traill Island to points south, but icebergs remain a constant threat.
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. Foxe Basin contains first-year ice and open water in its northern half. The southern half is ice-free. Lake Melville is ice-free.
Kara Sea
While the majority of the region remains ice free, seasonal melt is aiding in the continued deterioration of ice around Severnaya Zemlya.
Laptev Sea
Significant melting continues, particularly around Severnaya Zemlya, leading to the multiple openings within the pack ice. Some sea ice drifted southward, resulting in the accumulation of rotten ice along the Russian coastline.
