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 20-60 cm thick fast ice to Kemi 3, Oulu 5 and Länsipiekko. Farther out 5-30 cm thick close and very close ice and new ice approximately to Bothnia buoy and 5 nautical miles west of Nahkiainen. Farther out open. In the Southern Bay of Bothnia 10-25 cm thick fast ice in the archipelago. Off the coast new ice and in places thin close ice. In the Quark drifting new ice in places. In the Vaasa archipelago 10-30 cm thick fast ice to Storhästen. In the Sea of Bothnia 10-25 cm thick fast ice and thin ice in the archipelago. Off the coast ice formation and thin drifting ice in places. In the Archipelago Sea and the western Gulf of Finland thin ice and new ice in the inner archipelago. In the eastern Gulf of Finland 10-25 cm thick fast ice and thin ice in the inner archipelago. At the ice edge there is shuga in places. Farther out ice formation in places. In the Lake Saimaa 10-30 cm thick ice.
Barents Sea
Frigid air temperatures have returned over the Barents Sea, ranging -2°C to -24°C. This drop in air temperature has allowed for rapid new ice growth between Franz Josef Land and Svalbard. In the southern Barents Sea, fast ice development persists.
Bering Sea
The ice edge in the Bering Sea and Kamchatka remained relatively consistent over the last week.
Canada East
Eureka Sound is comprised of first-year fast ice with some old ice present. Western Baffin Bay is comprised of mostly first-year ice with some old ice present. Eastern Baffin Bay is comprised of mostly first-year ice with some young ice present. Western Davis Strait is comprised of first-year ice, young ice and new ice. Eastern Davis Strait is comprised of bergy water. The Labrador Sea is bergy water with young ice and new ice development along the Labrador coast. Frobisher Bay contains predominantly young ice with some new ice.
Canada North
The Arctic Ocean is comprised of old ice. Nares Strait is comprised of mostly old ice with some first-year ice and young ice present. Jones Sound is comprised of first-year fast ice with some old ice present. Lancaster Sound is comprised of mostly first-year ice with some old ice present. The Gulf of Boothia is comprised of mobile first-year ice. Cumberland Sound is comprised of a mixture of first-year, young and new ice.
Canada West
The Queen Elizabeth Islands are fast with old and first-year ice. Viscount Melville Sound contains predominantly fast old and first-year ice. M’Clure Strait is now mobile old and first-year ice. Barrow Strait is covered by a mix of fast and mobile first-year ice, including a trace of old ice, along with a couple of areas of predominantly old ice with some first-year ice. M’Clintock Channel is predominantly first-year ice with a trace of old ice. Peel Sound is covered by fast first-year ice with a trace of old ice. Victoria Strait is mobile first-year ice. Queen Maud Gulf, Coronation Gulf, and Rae Strait are covered by fast first-year ice. Amundsen Gulf is partially fasted 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 young ice along the shore and some old ice further offshore.
Chukchi Sea
The pack ice in the Chukchi Sea drifted generally southward over the past week, with increased drift being observed in the central and southern regions. This movement caused for portions of the fast ice edge between Point Lay and Utqiagvik to deteriorate.
Cook Inlet
Due to above freezing air temperatures, ice concentrations have reduced in exposed areas, like Kachemak Bay and south of Anchor Point.
East Siberian Sea
General northward drift of the pack ice in the East Siberian Sea allowed for multiple areas of young ice to form adjacent to the fast ice edge.
Greenland Sea
Ice motion varied significantly across the region. In the northern Greenland area, movement was relatively limited at around 10 nautical miles. Farther south, the drift increased substantially, with ice shifting approximately 30–60 nautical miles since last week. In addition, strong easterly winds forced roughly 380 nautical miles of the ice edge back into the main pack 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
Hudson Bay is predominantly first-year ice with small amounts of young ice where the pack moves away from the coast. Western Hudson Strait contains a mixture of first-year ice and young ice while eastern Hudson Strait contains mostly young ice with some first-year ice. Ungava Bay contains mostly young ice with some first-year ice along the eastern and central regions. James Bay is predominantly first-year ice with small amounts of young ice where the pack moves away from the coast. Foxe Basin is comprised of mostly first-year ice with some young ice.
Kara Sea
Sea ice continues to thicken and develop throughout the Kara Sea due to frigid air temperatures ranging -10°C to -22°C. The ice edge north of Novaya Zemlya has compressed and drifted northward due to strong southerly winds due to approaching warm front in association of an area of low pressure located north of Franz Josef Land.
Laptev Sea
Northward drift of the pack ice in the Laptev Sea allowed for a significant area of new and young ice to form north of the Taymyr Peninsula.
Sea of Japan
Ice growth continued around Vladivostok as temperatures remained between -15°C and -20°C. Despite the cold, the ice edge stayed near its previous position due to multiple storms affecting the region.
Sea of Okhotsk
Along the coast of Sakhalin Island, ice has drifted southward by up to 60 NM and is now in contact with Hokkaido. Along the northern shoreline between Okhotsk and Sheikhov Gulf, significant formation of new and young ice has been observed.
White Sea
Ice concentrations have slightly increased over the week due to air temperatures ranging between -6°C to -18°C over the White Sea. Sea ice within Mezen Bay has retreated slightly along the ice edge and compressed into the shore.
Yellow Sea
Ice growth and development continued in Lioadong and Korea Bays over the last week due to temperatures between -15°C and -20°C.
