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
A deep low pressure center over the north pole is causing the sea ice in the northern Barents Sea to drift eastward. In the southern Barents Sea, sea ice is drifting southward through the Kara Gates and melting in the warmer open water. Air temperatures remain above the freezing point of sea ice leading to melting conditions throughout the Barents Sea.
Bering Sea
The Bering Sea is ice free. A small strip of sea ice remains along the Russian shore within the Bering Strait.
Canada East
Nares Strait comprises old and first-year ice in roughly equal proportion. Eureka Sound and Jones Sound contain first-year ice with low amounts of old ice. Northern and eastern Baffin Bay contain bergy water while southwestern Baffin Bay contains mostly first-year ice with some old ice. Western Davis Strait contains first-year ice with some old ice, while its eastern section is bergy water. The Labrador Sea contains bergy water.
Canada North
Frobisher Bay contains mostly bergy water with some old and first-year ice present in its eastern section. Southern Davis Strait contains mostly first-year ice with some old ice along Baffin Island. Otherwise, Davis Strait consists of bergy water. Canada Basin contains old ice with some first-year ice present to the northwest of Axel Heiberg Island. Lancaster Sound is mostly bergy water except for low amounts of first-year ice with a trace of old along the coast of Baffin Island. The Gulf of Boothia contains first-year ice except where a trace of old ice is present north of 71.5N. Cumberland Sound contains some old and first-year ice in its eastern section and bergy water in its western section.
Canada West
Fast ice, made up of old ice and first-year ice, surrounds the Queen Elizabeth Islands and much of M’Clure Strait. Some small holes are beginning to appear along the coastlines of the islands and melt water is present on top. Larger holes have overtaken Penny Strait and into Norwegian Bay with mix of predominantly first-year ice and some old ice drifting around. Northern M’Clintock Channel, Peel Sound and the western section of Barrow Strait are fast first- year ice with a trace of old ice. This fast ice continues to show signs of melt. The eastern section of Barrow Strait is bergy water containing some first-year ice with a trace of old ice. The southeastern section of M’Clintock Channel and Franklin Strait have just barely become mobilized, with first-year ice containing a trace of old ice filling the region. The first-year ice is degrading quickly heading south through Victoria Strait into Queen Maud Gulf with melt water present on top of the remaining ice. The ice in Rasmussen Basin has also degraded significantly in the past week and transitioned into bergy water in southern sections. Coronation Gulf is predominantly bergy water, with small amounts of lingering first-year ice. Concentrations of first-year ice slowly increase through Dolphin and Union strait into Amundsen Gulf, which is mostly full of mobile first-year ice. There is some old ice mixing into the pack towards and into southern Prince of Wales strait, as well as in the approaches to the Beaufort Sea. The Beaufort Sea is predominantly first-year ice along the coast, with small amounts of old ice mixing in approaching Amundsen Gulf. The first-year fast ice along the coast has continued to fracture, with only a few sections still fasted this week. Old ice mixes into, and eventually dominates, the pack ice further north in the Beaufort Sea. Canada Basin is primarily old ice with some first-year ice present.
Chukchi Sea
A strong low-pressure system has pushed pack into open waters, leading to accelerated melt as it comes into contact with warmer surface temperatures. Many of the smaller bays are now ice free.
East Siberian Sea
Additional sea ice degradation has occurred in the East Siberian Sea due to influences from strong coastal winds and warmer surface temperatures. Concentrations continue to decrease as melt conditions persist.
Greenland Sea
Sea ice in northern Greenland has drifted northeastward into the warmer surface waters influenced by the W. Spitsbergen Current, accelerating melt of the remaining first year ice. Air temperatures near +8°C continue to support seasonal melt across the region. Fast ice is steadily diminishing, with the most notable losses occurring near the Denmark Strait.
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 mostly open water with some first-year ice remaining in its northern section and small areas of first-year ice in its central section Northwestern and northeastern Hudson Bay is mostly ice free. Northern and central Hudson Bay consist mostly of open water with some small areas of first-year ice present. Southern Hudson Bay contains first-year ice and large areas of open water. Some first-year ice is present in the extreme northwestern section of Hudson Strait while some old and first-year ice are present in its extreme northeastern section. Otherwise, Hudson Strait consists of bergy water. Ungava Bay contains bergy water. Foxe Basin contains first-year ice with many open water areas present.
Kara Sea
Air temperatures remain above the freezing point of sea ice, encouraging persistent melt throughout the Kara Sea. The sea ice edge in the northern Kara Sea has retreated 30 to 150 nautical miles over the past week.
Laptev Sea
The polynya in vicinity of Severnaya Zemlya continues to expand, particularly around the island's edges and along the Russian coastline. More openings have continued to form within the fast ice.
Sea of Okhotsk
Small concentrations of sea ice remain west of the Shantar Islands as melt continues.
