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 25-65 cm thick fast ice to Kemi 3, Oulu 5 and Länsipiekko. Farther out 5-30 cm thick close and very close ice, ridged in places. In the Southern Bay of Bothnia 10-30 cm thick fast ice in the archipelago. Off the coast new ice and thin close ice. In the Quark new ice and thin close ice. In the Vaasa archipelago 10-35 cm thick fast ice. In the Sea of Bothnia 10-30 cm thick fast ice and thin ice in the archipelago. Off the archipelago new ice and ice formation. In the Archipelago Sea 10-20 cm thick ice, new ice and ice-formation in the inner archipelago. In the western Gulf of Finland 5-20 cm thick ice in the archipelago. Farther out new ice and ice-formation to the line Jussarö - Kalbådagrund. In the eastern Gulf of Finland 10-25 cm thick fast ice in the inner archipelago. In the outer archipelago thin ice, including some 15-25 cm thick rafted ice in places. Farther out new ice and ice formation. In the Lake Saimaa 10-30 cm thick ice.
Barents Sea
No major changes were observed this week in the Barents Sea, with the ice edge remaining consistent with last week’s extent. Ongoing cold temperatures continue to promote ice thickening.
Bering Sea
Overall sea ice concentrations have decreased in the western Bering Sea due to storm systems that have passed through the area, especially along Olyutorskiy Zaliv. Despite storm interference, the ice edge has continued to expand around the international dateline with freezing air temperatures between -12°C to -24°C.
Canada East
Eureka Sound is comprised of first-year fast ice with some old ice present. Western Baffin Bay is comprised of mostly first-year ice with some old ice present. Eastern Baffin Bay is comprised of mostly first-year ice with some young ice. In the southeast there is bergy water. Western Davis Strait is comprised of first-year ice with some young ice and a trace of old ice coming down from Baffin Bay. Eastern Davis Strait is comprised of bergy water. The Labrador Sea is bergy water with young ice and new ice development along the Labrador coast. Frobisher Bay contains a mixture of first-year ice and young ice. Cumberland Sound is comprised of a mixture of first-year, young and new ice. Hudson Bay is predominantly first-year ice with small amounts of young ice where the pack moves away from the coast. Hudson Strait contains a mixture of first-year ice and young ice. Ungava Bay contains mostly first-year ice with small amounts of young ice along the southwestern coast. James Bay is predominantly first-year ice with small amounts of young ice along the western coast.
Canada North
The Arctic Ocean is comprised of old ice. Nares Strait is comprised of mostly old ice with some first-year ice and young ice present. Jones Sound is comprised of first-year fast ice with some old ice present. Lancaster Sound is comprised of mostly first-year ice with some old ice present. The Gulf of Boothia is comprised of mobile first-year ice. There is a trace of old ice in the northern section coming down from Lancaster Sound. Foxe Basin is comprised of mostly first-year ice with some young ice.
Canada West
The Queen Elizabeth Islands are fast with old and first-year ice. Viscount Melville Sound contains predominantly fast old and first-year ice. M’Clure Strait is now fast old and first-year ice. Barrow Strait is covered by a mix of fast and mobile first-year ice, including a trace of old ice, along with a couple of areas of predominantly old ice with some first-year ice. M’Clintock Channel is now fasted with 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. Northern Victoria Strait is now fasted first-year ice. Southern Victoria Strait continues to be mobile first-year ice. 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
Sea ice conditions in the Chukchi Sea remained mostly stagnant over the past week. All sea ice present within Kotzebue Sound is now land-fast.
Cook Inlet
The ice edge continues to recede as air temperatures hover around freezing.
East Siberian Sea
The southward movement of pack ice in the East Siberian Sea has caused an increase in ice pressure and resulting in a significant expansion of the fast-ice edge.
Greenland Sea
Old ice has drifted southward as much as 20 nautical miles over the past week around northern Greenland. Southward sea ice drift increased within the Denmark Strait, up to 80 nautical miles. Air temperatures range from -22°C in the north to +02°C at Cape Farewell in the south.
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 is predominantly first-year ice with small amounts of young ice where the pack moves away from the coast. Hudson Strait contains a mixture of first-year ice and young ice. Ungava Bay contains mostly first-year ice with small amounts of young ice along the southwestern coast. James Bay is predominantly first-year ice with small amounts of young ice along the western coast. The Labrador Sea is bergy water with young ice and new ice development along the Labrador coast. Frobisher Bay contains a mixture of first-year ice and young ice.
Kara Sea
In the Kara Sea air temperatures range from -16°C near the Kara Gate to -30° over the Gulf of Ob. Ice growth in thickness is accelerated by these frigid temperatures. Warm waters drifting northward by the Murman Current (up the western coast of Novaya Zemlya) are preventing sea ice formation in the northern Kara Sea just north of Novaya Zemlya.
Laptev Sea
Areas of new and young ice continue to form adjacent to the fast ice edge in the Laptev Sea as northward drift of the pack ice persists.
Sea of Japan
Ice growth persists around Vladivostok due to air temperatures at -15 to -22°C. The ice edge has expanded southward, west of Sakhalin Island. Concentrations have increased around Shiretoko National Park.
Sea of Okhotsk
Sea ice edge has expanded east off of Sakhalin Island. Sea ice growth and development continues throughout the Sea of Okhotsk as freezing air temperatures persist at -6 to -22°C, especially within Penzhina Bay.
White Sea
With mostly stagnant weather over the White Sea in the past week, no major change in ice conditions occurred.
Yellow Sea
Ice growth and development continue in Lioadong and Korea Bays over the last week due to temperatures between -14°C and -20°C.
