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 40-75 cm thick locally rotten fast ice and 30-50 cm thick consolidated drift ice to Kemi 2 and Kattilankalla. Farther out 20-50 cm thick, ridged, very close ice. Areas of open water, leads and cracks in the ice field. The southern edge of the ice field runs approximately along the line Nygrån - Falkens grund - Kalajoki. In the southern Bay of Bothnia, Quark and Sea of Bothnia rotten fast ice locally in the archipelago. Elsewhere open water. The Archipelago Sea and the western Gulf of Finland are ice-free. In the eastern Gulf of Finland mostly open water. From Sommers to northeast, 5-20 cm thick, in places ridged, very close ice.
Barents Sea
The ice edge between Novaya Zemlya and Spitsbergen advanced south 20–30 NM over the last week. Ice in Chesha Bay continues to melt; while minimal ice remains around Kolguyev Island.
Bering Sea
The ice edge moved slightly south of St. George Island this week, and ice remains in contact with the length of the Alaska Peninsula. Meanwhile, the ice edge in the Gulf of Anadyr receded, and ice in Karaginsky Gulf compressed toward the coast.
Canada East
Davis Strait contains mostly first-year ice with some old ice. The Gulf of Boothia and southern Prince Regent Inlet contain first-year ice with a trace of old ice. Northern Prince Regent Inlet contains fastened first-year ice with a trace of old ice. Cumberland Sound comprises new, young and first-year ice. The Labrador Sea is bergy water with a mixture of first-year ice, trace of old ice, young ice, and new ice along the Labrador coast. Frobisher Bay and Cumberland Sound contain a mixture of first-year ice, young ice, and new ice.
Canada North
The Arctic Ocean contains old ice. Eureka Sound and Jones Sound contain fastened first-year ice and some old ice. Nares Strait contains fastened old ice and first-year ice. South of the fast ice, in Smith Sound, there is a mixture of old ice, first-year ice, young ice, and new ice. Lancaster Sound contains mostly first-year ice with a trace of old ice. Baffin Bay contains mostly first-year ice with some old ice. Coastal Greenland contains mostly first-year ice with some young ice present.
Canada West
The waters around the Queen Elizabeth Islands are fast old ice and first-year ice. M’Clure Strait and Viscount Melville Sound contain predominantly fast old ice with some first- year ice. Barrow Strait, M’Clintock Channel and Peel Sound are fast first-year ice with a trace of old ice. Victoria Strait is fast first-year ice. There is an area of mobile first-year ice in the southern section. Queen Maud Gulf and Coronation Gulf are fast first-year ice. Amundsen Gulf is mostly fast first-year ice with some 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.
Chukchi Sea
Slight northward drift of the multiyear ice over the last week has resulted in openings filling with new growth along the fast ice edge.
Cook Inlet
Ice concentration south and west of Kalgin Island decreased over the last week.
East Siberian Sea
Sea ice conditions within the East Siberian Sea have remained consistent over the last week. Higher concentrations of multiyear ice have drifted westward into the eastern portion of the sea.
Greenland Sea
The East Greenland Current has continued to drift sea ice southward, most notably just north of the Denmark Strait, where portions of the ice edge drifted over 150 NM within a few days. In central and southern Greenland, air temperatures ranged from -12°C to 0°C, leading to a reduction in sea ice coverage. In the southern Greenland Sea, the ice edge retreated by as much as 50 NM, leaving the region with predominantly older ice.
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
James Bay contains first-year ice. Hudson Bay comprises first-year ice with young ice forming along the northwestern coast where the pack pulls away. Hudson Strait contains mostly first-year ice with young ice along parts of the coasts. Ungava Bay contains mostly first-year ice in the northern and eastern sections with young ice in the southwestern section where the pack pulls away from the coast. Foxe Basin contains mostly first-year ice with some young ice present in the western section along the coast.
Kara Sea
First year sea ice continues to dominate the Kara Sea; areas of young ice remain along the fast ice edge. The fast ice south of Severnaya Zemlya has expanded approximately 45 NM westward since last week.
Laptev Sea
The pack ice within the Laptev Sea remains consistent, with the thinnest ice found along the fast ice edge. The fast ice south of Severnaya Zemlya has significantly expanded westward over the last week, as freezing conditions encouraged development.
Sea of Japan
Ice coverage continues to decrease as a result of higher temperatures and passing storms.
Sea of Okhotsk
Ice in the Shelikhov Gulf remains compressed against the coastline, with a retreating edge. The polynya in the Sakhalin Gulf persists. Near Hokkaido, the ice edge has melted back and shifted roughly 15 NM north since last week.
White Sea
Mezen, Onega, and Dvina Bays are sea ice free. Consolidated ice remains in the Kandalaksha Gulf and along the Kanin Peninsula.
