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 40-80 cm thick fast ice and 30-50 cm thick consolidated drift ice to Kemi 2, Oulu 4 and from Raahe to Johan. Fast ice has started to rot in places. Farther out 20-50 cm thick, ridged, very close ice. The southern edge of the ice field runs north of the line Nygrån - Falkens grund - Nahkiainen. In the Southern Bay of Bothnia rotten fast ice in the archipelago. Along the fairways and farther out is open water. In the Quark and in the Sea of Bothnia rotten fast ice in the archipelago. Elsewhere open water. The Archipelago Sea and the western Gulf of Finland are virtually ice-free. In the eastern Gulf of Finland rotten fast ice locally in the inner archipelago. From Haapasaari to east, 5-20 cm thick, in places ridged, very close ice. Otherwise open water.
Baltic Sea
In the Northern Bay of Bothnia 40-80 cm thick fast ice and 30-50 cm thick consolidated drift ice to Kemi 2, Oulu 4 and from Raahe to Johan. Fast ice has started to rotten in places. Farther out 20-50 cm thick, ridged, very close ice. The ice field is in places difficult to force. The southern edge of the ice field runs between Nahkiainen and Falkens grund. In the Southern Bay of Bothnia rotten fast ice in the archipelago. Along the fairways and farther out, open water. In the Quark in the Vaasa archipelago rotten fast ice. Elsewhere open water. In the Sea of Bothnia rotten fast ice in the archipelago. Along the larger fairways open water. In the Archipelago Sea rotten fast ice in the inner archipelago. Along the larger fairways open water. The western Gulf of Finland is virtually ice-free. In the eastern Gulf of Finland rotten fast ice in the inner archipelago. Outside Mussalo and Einonkari, 10-30 cm thick, in places ridged, very close ice. Farther out open water. In the Lake Saimaa 10-40 cm thick rotting ice. In places with currents partly open water.
Barents Sea
Due to a continued mature low pressure system, Svalbard has experienced persistent easterly winds around 15 knots. These winds continue to impact the ice conditions throughout the islands. Air temperatures across Svalbard have dropped to approximately -26°C, supporting new ice formation. The ice edge south of Novaya Zemlya has experienced significant ice degradation, leaving minimal ice surrounding Kolguyev Island.
Bering Sea
Pack ice in the eastern Bering Sea drifted northeastward up to 60 nautical miles over the last week due to an area of low pressure tracking along the Russian coast. Northerly winds on the western side of the same area of low pressure caused ice to drift southward away from the coast in the western Bering Sea.
Canada East
In Nares Strait, fast ice contains a mixture of old ice and first-year ice. South of the ice bridge in Smith Sound, there is a mixture of old ice, first-year ice, young ice, and new ice. Baffin Bay contains mostly first-year ice with some old ice. There is young ice and new ice in the southeastern section along the Greenland coast. 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 is fasted first-year ice with a trace of old ice. Frobisher Bay contains a mixture of first-year ice, young ice, and new 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.
Canada North
The Arctic Ocean contains old ice. Cumberland Sound comprises new, young and first-year ice. Eureka Sound and Jones Sound comprise fast first-year ice and some old ice.
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 is fast first-year ice with some old ice in the western section; in the eastern section there is mobile first-year ice, young ice and new ice with a trace of old ice. M’Clintock Channel is fast first-year ice with a trace of old ice. Peel Sound is 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 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. Lancaster Sound contains mostly first-year ice with a trace of old ice.
Chukchi Sea
Fast ice persists along the Russian and Alaskan coastlines in the Chukchi Sea. Minimal sea ice drift has occurred over the last week, and fluctuating air temperatures between -10°C and -4°C contribute to the continuous thickening of the ice.
Cook Inlet
The main ice edge in Cook Inlet extends from Anchor Point to Augustine Volcano. There is also ice in Kamishak Bay flowing into Shelikof Strait.
Cook Inlet
The ice edge in the Cook Inlet has not changed much from last week's analysis. Air temperatures over the Cook Inlet are mild at 0°C to -04°C. Sea ice growth is limited.
East Siberian Sea
Due to minimal sea ice drift and air temperatures consistently ranging between -14°C and -10°C, sea ice conditions have remained stable since last week in the East Siberian Sea.
Greenland Sea
Buoy movement in the northern Greenland Sea is between 70 to 100 nautical miles, meanwhile in the southern Greenland Sea buoy movement is up to 170 nautical miles transporting large amounts of old ice south. Air temperatures range from -26°C over northern Greenland and -04°C over southern Greenland. Normal ice growth continues in northern Greenland, but increasing sun angles and warmer air and water temperatures in southern Greenland are melting sea ice there.
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
Large leads have opened along the eastern shore of Novaya Zemlya. While air temperatures in the southern Kara Sea remain around -4°C, a significant low-pressure system is moving across the northern tip of the island, dropping temperatures to approximately -14°C. These colder temperatures are priming the recent openings for new ice growth in the wake of the storm system.
Laptev Sea
Pack ice and fast ice conditions remain consistent within the Laptev Sea. Younger sea ice continues to develop along the fast ice edge near Severnaya Zemlya and the Anzhu Islands.
Sea of Japan
Ice coverage decreased over the last week as a result of higher temperatures and passing storms. Higher concentrations of ice moved further north within the Strait of Tartar. Concentrations of sea ice also continue to decrease in northern Peter the Great Bay.
Sea of Okhotsk
In the northwestern Sea of Okhotsk, ice compressed towards the coast with the ice edge retreating as much as 40 NM. A large polynya has formed along the fast ice edge north of the Strait of Tartar. The Strait itself is primarily open water, with low concentrations of first-year ice and new ice within the polynya.
White Sea
Southerly winds and air temperatures around 0°C continue to contribute to the degradation of ice concentrations in the White Sea.
