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 Northern Bay of Bothnia 20-50 cm thick fast ice and level ice to Kemi 3 and Oulu 3. Farther out mainly thin ice and new ice to the line Nahkiainen - Luleå. In the Southern Bay of Bothnia 10-25 cm thick fast ice in the archipelago. Off the coast, drifting new ice in places. In the Quark drifting new ice. In the Vaasa archipelago 10-25 cm thick fast ice to Ensten. In the Sea of Bothnia 10-25 cm thick fast ice in the archipelago. Off the archipelago new ice in places. In the Archipelago Sea an the Gulf of Finland thin ice and new ice in the inner archipelago. In the Lake Saimaa 10-30 cm thick ice.
Barents Sea
A storm system swept through the Barents Sea, bringing unusually warm air temperatures that climbed to 4?°C, especially around Franz Josef Land. This surge of warmth led to melting and degradation along the ice edge. Sea ice growth remained minimal throughout the week due to these storm conditions. Winds reached up to 24?knots, further slowing ice formation and contributing to additional breakup.
Bering Sea
There was little change in ice conditions in the Kamchatka Sea; however, in the eastern portion of the Bering Sea, considerable formation of new and young ice occurred over the past week. The ice edge was observed up to 80 nautical miles farther south and west compared to last week. The very cold temperatures that supported this ice formation also resulted in significant development and increased ice concentrations throughout the Bering Sea.
Canada East
The Arctic Ocean comprises old ice. Nares Strait contains mostly old ice with some first-year ice and young ice present. Eureka Sound contains first-year fast ice with some old ice present. Western Jones Sound is first-year fast ice with some old ice present. Eastern Jones Sound contains mobile first-year ice and young ice with a trace of old ice. Lancaster Sound contains mostly first-year ice with some old ice and young ice present. The Gulf of Boothia comprises mobile first-year ice. Foxe Basin contains mostly first-year ice with some young ice. Western Baffin Bay comprises mostly first-year ice with some old ice present. Eastern Baffin Bay contains mostly young ice and new ice with some first-year ice present. Western Davis Strait consists of first-year ice, young ice and new ice. Eastern Davis Strait is bergy water. Cumberland Sound contains young ice and new ice.
Canada North
The Arctic Ocean comprises old ice. Nares Strait contains mostly old ice with some first-year ice and young ice present. Eureka Sound contains first-year fast ice with some old ice present. Western Jones Sound is first-year fast ice with some old ice present. Eastern Jones Sound contains mobile first-year ice and young ice with a trace of old ice. Lancaster Sound contains mostly first-year ice with some old ice and young ice present. Cumberland Sound contains young ice and new ice.
Canada West
The Queen Elizabeth Islands are fast with old and first-year ice. M’Clure Strait and most of Viscount Melville Sound contain predominantly fast old and first-year ice. Eastern Viscount Melville Sound and Barrow Strait are covered by first-year ice including a trace of old ice. Most of M’Clintock Channel is predominantly first-year ice with a trace of old ice. Southwestern M’Clintock Channel, Peel and Larsen Sounds are covered by fast first-year ice with a trace of old ice. Most of Victoria Strait has mobile first-year and young ice. Queen Maud Gulf, Coronation Gulf, and Rae Strait are covered by fast first-year ice. Amundsen Gulf is mostly fast with first-year ice and a trace of old ice in the northern section. Canada Basin is predominantly old ice with some first-year ice. The Beaufort Sea is predominantly first-year ice with some old ice further offshore.
Chukchi Sea
Conditions showed little change from last week, as colder temperatures ranging from -26 °C to -34 °C contributed to the thickening of first-year ice.
Chukchi Sea
Conditions showed little change from last week, as colder temperatures ranging from -26 °C to -34 °C contributed to the thickening of first-year ice.
Cook Inlet
Temperatures in the Cook Inlet are ranging from -10°C to -6°C . The area still features new and young sea ice, along with thin first-year ice. Higher concentrations of sea ice can be found north of Kalgin Island.
East Siberian Sea
Not much change in the area from last week.
Greenland Sea
In the Greenland Sea the ice edge was largely unchanged from last week, with air temperatures of -02°C to -10°C limiting ice 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 comprises first-year and young ice. Western Hudson Strait contains a mixture of first-year and young ice while eastern Hudson Strait contains mostly young ice. Ungava Bay contains young and new ice in very close pack conditions. James Bay comprises first-year, young and new ice. The Labrador Sea is bergy water with some young and new ice along the Labrador coast. Frobisher Bay contains young and new ice in close pack conditions.
Kara Sea
Residual effects from a storm system moving in from the west caused slight ice breakup across the Kara Sea this week, particularly along coastal areas. Sea ice drifted away from the shore, but strong southerly winds and air temperatures dropping to -30?°C limited the impact and allowed growth to continue. East of Novaya Zemlya, however, air temperatures rose to -8?°C, resulting in less rapid development of sea ice.
Laptev Sea
Ice continues to thicken in the Laptev Sea due to sustained temperatures ranging from -30°C to -36°C.
Sea of Okhotsk
The passage of a strong low-pressure system significantly disrupted the ice this week. Prior to the storm, the ice edge was approximately 216 nautical miles offshore in the northwest; however, following the system’s passage, conditions became ice free all the way to the coast. Although colder air temperatures have since allowed the ice to reform, it has only extended to about 165 nautical miles offshore. This system also contributed to a retreat of the ice edge by at least 90 nautical miles southeast of Sakhalin Island. Ice conditions along the Kamchatka Peninsula remained largely unchanged from last week.
White Sea
Ice concentrations remain stable. Air temperatures have dipped slightly since last week, ranging from -8?°C to -16?°C. Sea ice within Mezen Bay has retreated slightly along the ice edge, where the impact of the temperature drop is most prevalent.
Yellow Sea
Ice growth and development continued along the northern shores of Lioadong and Korea Bays over the last week.
