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 15-45 cm thick fast ice and thin level ice to Timo, Hebe and Oulu 5. Farther out thin ice and new ice to 10 nautical miles southwest of Malören and to Falkens grund. From Raahe to approximately 15 nautical miles west of Nahkiainen, thin ice and new ice. In the Southern Bay of Bothnia thin ice in the archipelago. Off the coast, drifting new ice and ice formation. In the Quark 5-20 cm thick fast ice and thin ice in the archipelago. In the Sea of Bothnia thin ice and new ice in the archipelago. In the Archipelago Sea and the Gulf of Finland thin ice and new ice in the inner archipelago.
Barents Sea
In the northern Barents Sea, freezing temperatures in the area around Franz Josef Land were -22°C, the ice edge has grown and expanded at least 130NM. The previous openings throughout Franz Josef Land have filled with new and young sea ice.
Bering Sea
In the Bering Sea along the Kamchatka peninsula air temperatures near Petropavlovsk and Avacha Bay are as cold as -12°C with sea ice concentrated in the southern half of the bay. North of Petropavlovsk sea ice is concentrated along the coast where the coldest air temperatures are. In the Central Bering Sea a deep low pressure is centered there. Sea ice has generally drifted westward 35 to 45 nautical miles, as frigid air temperature are pulled out of Alaska and into 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 old and first-year ice. M’Clure Strait and Viscount Melville Sound contain predominantly old and first-year ice. The ice in Viscount Melville Sound has refasted. Barrow Strait consists of first-year ice with a trace of old 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. Larsen Sound contains first-year ice, with a trace of old ice in the north. 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 old ice further offshore.
Chukchi Sea
The Chukchi Sea experienced counterclockwise drift. Fast ice formation progressed along the coast of Kotzebue Sound, driven by temperatures around -26°C.
Cook Inlet
In the Cook Inlet air temperatures range from -08°C to -20°C. The sea ice is primarily composed of new (<10 cm) and young (10-30 cm) sea ice, with 10% of sea ice composed of thin first year ice (30-70cm). Sea ice concentrations are higher north of Kalgin Island. Sea ice concentrations are lower south of Kalgin Island and mainly along the western shore. New ice has also formed in Kachemak Bay, with 90% concentration of new and young sea ice bunched up on Homer Spit.
East Siberian Sea
In the East Siberian Sea, the fast ice has extended to encompass the entire New Siberian Islands due to temperatures ranging from -24°C to -32°C.
Greenland Sea
In the northern Greenland Sea, air temperatures as cold as -16°C promoted significant growth at the ice edge. Strong winds along the northeastern coast of Greenland caused for some areas of fast ice to break apart. In the central and southern regions, sea ice movement was insignificant. Sea ice movement in the Greenland Sea was highly dynamic. While most of the ice drifted southward, intense winds from both the north and south caused break up in several areas. The southern tip of Greenland was affected most significantly, with ice concentrations decreasing as temperatures dropped.
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 consists of a mixture of first-year and young ice. Hudson Strait contains mostly young ice with some first-year ice in its western section. Ungava Bay contains young and new ice in close pack conditions. James Bay contains a mixture of 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 open drift conditions.
Kara Sea
In the southern Kara Sea, frigid air temperatures to the east of Novaya Zemlya resulted in significant growth of new and young ice over the last week. In the northern Kara Sea, pack ice shifted up to 50 NM to the northwest as a result of a strong area of low pressure centered near Yamal Peninsula.
Laptev Sea
Ice continues to thicken in the Laptev Sea due to sustained temperatures around -30°C, while fast ice continues to expand along the coastline.
Sea of Japan
In the Sea of Japan in the vicinity of Peter the Great Bay air temperatures range from -10°C to -18°C. These frigid air temperatures are allowing for rapid new and young sea ice growth. As the sea ice drifts southward it encounters warmer waters and melts. In the vicinity of the Fast ice spans the northern Tartar Strait and the Sakhalin Gulf.
Sea of Okhotsk
In the Sea of Okhotsk, air temperatures range from -30°C along the northern Russian shore, to -04°C along the Kuril Island chain. Sea ice has generally drifted southward with new and young sea ice forming along the northern shore and thickens rapidly under these frigid conditions. This action is called the ice conveyor belt process.
White Sea
Sea ice freezing conditions persist along the coastline of the White Sea with fast ice present. Ice concentrations remain consistent, with noticeable growth having occurred in Kandalaksha Gulf with temperatures ranging from -14 to -20°C.
Yellow Sea
In the Yellow Sea, sea ice continues to grow in thickness and extent in eastern Liaodong Bay. In Korea Bay, sea ice can be found along the coast from Zhuanghe, China to Nampo, North Korea.
