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
The ice in the Bay of Bothnia is drifting eastward. In the Northern Bay of Bothnia, 10-20 cm thick fast ice and thin ice in the archipelago. Farther out new-ice formation and drifting shuga. In the Southern Bay of Bothnia and in the Quark thin ice in places in the archipelago. In the Lake Saimaa in places thin ice.
Barents Sea
Strong southerly winds have resulted in openings throughout Franz Josef Land. New ice formation south of Kong Karls Island. Concentrations have decreased around Svalbard. The main pack ice edge has compressed as it drifts toward Greenland, allowing for more new ice growth in the northeastern Barents Sea.
Bering Sea
A strong storm passing across the Bering Strait resulted in a retreat of the main ice edge north through the strait and into the Chukchi Sea, and ice shifting east from the Russian side of the north Bering Sea and pressing against the pack ice along the Alaskan Coast. Ice along the Kamchatka Peninsula remains limited to shallow bays. Sea ice is noted in the bay around Petropavlovsk.
Canada East
Foxe Basin contains first-year ice and young ice in roughly equal proportion. Western Baffin Bay consists mainly of first-year ice with some old/second-year ice present. Eastern Baffin Bay contains mostly young and new ice with some first-year ice also present. Western Davis Strait consists of young and new ice in close pack conditions. Eastern Davis Strait is bergy water. Frobisher Bay is mostly bergy water, with new and young ice development along the coast. Labrador Sea remains bergy water, with some new and young ice forming along the coastline. Lake Melville is predominantly young ice with some thin first-year ice and new ice continuing to develop.
Canada North
The Arctic Ocean contains mostly of multi-year ice with some second-year ice and first-year ice present. Nares Strait contains mostly multi-year ice with some second-year ice, first-year ice and young ice present. The ice in Eureka Sound is fast and consists mainly of first-year ice with some multi-year and second-year ice present. The ice around the eastern Queen Elizabeth Islands is fast and contains a mixture of multi-year ice, second-year ice and first-year fast ice. The western, central and northern sections of Jones Sound contain fast ice consisting mostly of first-year ice with some multi-year and second-year ice present. A zone of mobile ice is present in eastern Jones Sound and is a mixture of first-year ice and young ice. Lancaster Sound contains mostly first-year ice with some multi-year and young ice present. The Gulf of Boothia consists mainly of first-year ice with some young ice present. Cumberland Sound contains young and new ice in very open drift conditions except for along the coastline where young fast ice is present.
Canada West
The Queen Elizabeth Islands are fast multi-year, second-year, and first-year ice. M’Clure Strait and Viscount Melville Sound contain predominantly multi-year ice, with some second-year and first-year ice. Ice in Viscount Melville Sound has unfasted. Barrow Strait consists of young and first-year ice, including a trace of multi-year ice. M’Clintock Channel is predominantly first-year ice with a trace of multi-year ice. Peel Sound is covered by fast first-year ice with a trace of multi-year ice. Larsen Sound contains first-year ice and young ice, with a trace of multi-year ice. Queen Maud Gulf, Coronation Gulf, and St. Roch Basin are covered by fast first-year ice. Amundsen Gulf is first-year and young ice, including a trace of multi-year ice in the northern section. Canada Basin is predominantly multi-year ice with some second-year and first-year ice. The Beaufort Sea is predominantly first-year ice with some multi-year and second-year ice further offshore.
Chukchi Sea
Sea ice drift in the Chukchi Sea was generally to the southeast, pushing the pack ice off of the Russian coast and causing the formation of isolated polynyas.
Cook Inlet
High concentrations of developing new and young ice can be found in the eastern portion of the Cook Inlet. The western portion remains more open; however, along the shores there was considerable new ice formation over the last week.
East Siberian Sea
The pack ice in the East Siberian Sea remained mostly stagnant over the past week. The fast ice edge in the vicinity of the Anzhu Islands has expanded slightly.
Greenland Sea
In the Greenland Sea the fast ice has continued to develop further from the previous week. Air temperatures in western Greenland are above the freezing point and no new ice has formed in this region yet. Air temperatures are marginal for ice development in southern Greenland. Buoy movement of between 25NM and as much as 180NM occurred fastest being on the outside edges of the 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
Northern Hudson Bay saw significant ice thickening and motion. A large band of predominantly thin first-year ice with some young ice is in the central section, stretching from the western coast to the southern coast of Southampton Island. Along all coasts, new and young ice formed and thicken quickly as strong winds push away the ice pack. Southern Hudson Bay saw rapid development of new and young ice to cover almost the entire region. Patches of open water remain in the southeastern section. James Bay is almost covered with young ice and new ice. Hudson Strait is primarily bergy water, with new and young ice developing along the coasts and in the central part of the strait. Ungava Bay consists mainly of bergy water, with young and new ice along the coasts.
Kara Sea
The ice-free area, which was 130 nautical miles across last week, has decreased to 64 nautical miles across this week. An area of 10–30% new ice is located approximately 9 nautical miles north of the Kara Strait, encouraging the closing of the diminishing ice free area. Fast ice continues to develop and thicken.
Laptev Sea
Slight southward drift of the pack ice throughout the Laptev Sea allowed for the slight expansion of the fast ice edge in some areas, particularly near Sakha Republic.
Sea of Japan
The majority of sea ice in the Sea of Japan remains in the Tartar Strait, -22°C temperatures helping to maintain the land fast ice within the Strait. Westerly winds aided in sea ice movement and drift amongst the more mobile ice. Air temperatures over Peter the Great Bay are -14°C and colder sea ice growth is limited to well protected shores, the port of Vladivostok remains ice free. The Sea of Japan South continues to be ice free.
Sea of Okhotsk
A strong storm system moved through the Sea of Okhotsk, bringing intense winds and fluctuating temperatures. The eastern region, particularly the Shelikhov Gulf, experienced the greatest impact, resulting in little sea ice development. In the western Sea of Okhotsk, temperatures ranged from –14°C to –24°C, allowing for minimal ice growth despite the storm.
White Sea
Sea ice freezing conditions persist throughout the White Sea, allowing for consistent development along the coast. Ice concentrations in Kandalaksha Gulf have decreased over the past week.
Yellow Sea
In the Yellow Sea sea ice is limited to extreme coastal regions of Liaodong Bay.
