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
Barents Sea
In the Barents Sea, ice growth increased over the last week. Air temperatures have decreased causing some of the ice to thicken as air temperatures are between -2°C to -14°C over the area. Significant new and young formation occurred around Franz Josef Land and Svalbard.
Bering Sea
In the Bering Sea along the Kamchatka Peninsula, fast ice has developed in protected bays along the coast. Air temperatures are just cold enough to support the growth of new and young sea ice. Air temperatures over the Bering Strait range from -2°C to -10°C, aiding in the development of new and young sea along both Alaskan and Russian coasts. New ice has also formed around St Lawrence Island.
Canada East
Eureka Sound consists mostly of first-year ice with some old and second-year ice present. The Queen Elizabeth Islands comprise of multi-year, second year, and first year ice. Some of the ice is fast among the islands, although there is still a significant amount of mobile ice in the area. Eastern and southern Baffin Bay contain bergy water. New and young ice continue to form along the western coast of Greenland. The Gulf of Boothia, Prince-Regent Inlet and Committee Bay consist of young and new ice. Foxe Basin consists mainly of open with some young and new ice present it its northern section and along most of its coastline. Frobisher Bay contains bergy water. Labrador Sea is bergy water.
Canada North
The Arctic Ocean contains mainly old ice with some second year and first-year ice present. Nares Strait contains a roughly even mixture of old and first-year ice with some second-year and young ice present. Jones Sound contains a mix of new and first year ice with some old and second-year ice present. Lancaster Sound contains a mix of young and first year ice with a trace of old ice. Some second- year ice is present in its eastern section. Western Baffin Bay consists mostly of new and young ice with a trace of old. A mixture of old, second-year, first-year and young ice is present in the Bay’s extreme northwestern section having originated from Nares Strait. Davis Strait consists of bergy water. Cumberland Sound contains bergy water except for very small amounts of new ice present in isolated coastal areas.
Canada West
The Queen Elizabeth Islands comprise of multi-year, second year, and first year ice. The ice is beginning to fast among the islands, although there is still a significant amount of mobile ice in the area. M’Clure Strait and western Viscount Melville Sound contain predominantly multi-year ice with some second-year and first-year ice. Eastern Viscount Melville Sound, Barrow Strait and M’Clintock Channel contain a mix of younger and first-year ice with trace amounts of multi-year and second-year ice. Larsen Sound, Rasmussen Sound and Rae Strait are now predominantly grey-white ice. Young ice continues to develop in Victoria Strait, Queen Maud Gulf and Coronation Gulf. Amundsen Gulf is now predominantly grey-white ice. Canada Basin is filled with mostly multi-year ice with some first-year filling in the gaps. Young ice is predominant along the coast of Alaska, Yukon and Northwest Territories.
Chukchi Sea
While westward ice movement continued in the northern Chukchi Sea, it was less pronounced than the previous week. Colder temperatures have resulted in the formation of 28 NM of ice off Point Hope, Alaska. Existing ice-free areas continue to shrink.
Cook Inlet
New and young sea ice has formed in the northern portion of the Cook Inlet under air temperatures as cold as -10°C.
East Siberian Sea
Pack ice in the East Siberian Sea drifted westward up to 25 NM over the last week. New areas of fast ice were observed around the New Siberian Islands. Ice continues to develop and thicken as a result of frigid temperatures as low as -30°C.
Greenland Sea
Sea ice drift was mostly minimal this week in the Greenland Sea. The northern region experienced the most change, with sea ice pushing to the northeast. Frigid temperatures supported the formation of additional fast ice along the coast.
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 is predominantly ice-free, except for the western coastline and the shores of Southampton Island, where new and young ice are forming along their full extent. Southern Hudson Bay is largely ice-free, with areas of new and young ice developing along the coastline. James Bay is mostly open water, with new and young ice forming along the shoreline. Hudson Strait contains bergy water. Ungava Bay is bergy water. Lake Melville is open water.
Kara Sea
In the Kara Sea we have seen a rapid decrease of air temperatures with the coldest ranging between -20°C to -30°C. We have seen an expanse of the fasted ice around the October Revolution Islands, and mainland Russian coastline from the previous week. The shallow waters around the larger islands of the Kara Sea have fasted ice around them due to the very cold temperatures. The eastern side of Novaya Zemlya has seen the continued development of new and young ice. We have some early first year ice on the east side of Novaya Zemlya.
Laptev Sea
Sea ice continued to develop and thicken in the Laptev Sea over the last week due to sustained frigid temperatures. The fast ice edge along the Russian coast expanded by as much as 25 NM.
Sea of Japan
In the Sea of Japan within the Tartar Strait, fast ice is found on the Russian mainland side and Sakhalin. Between the fast ice, new and young sea ice is growing thicker in air temperatures of -10°C. Elsewhere, the Sea of Japan is ice free.
Sea of Okhotsk
In the western Sea of Okhotsk, new and young sea ice is rapidly forming. In well protected bays thin first year ice is also forming. The northern coast of the Sea of Okhotsk has air temperatures ranging from -10°C to -30°C, this cold air is producing new and young sea ice adjacent to the coast and conditioning waters to the south for potential ice growth. In the eastern Sea of Okhotsk, in the Shelikhov Gulf, air temperatures range from -4°C to -20°C, allowing for normal sea ice growth. The southeastern Sea of Okhotsk is ice free.
White Sea
New and young ice has begun to develop in the White Sea. Most of the new and young ice is along the shore line as well as the shallow protected bays. Air temperatures have decreased over the previous week leading to the growth of ice in the region.
