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
The isolated area of sea ice southeast of Svalbard remains persistent. Conversely, fast ice within Franz Josef Land has shown ongoing degradation, with only two localized areas still intact.
Canada East
The ice in Nares Strait is now completely mobile except for some fast ice along its coastline. The ice in the Strait is old and first-year ice in roughly even proportion. Eureka Sound and Jones Sound contain first-year ice with a small amount of old ice. Northern and eastern Baffin Bay consists mainly of bergy water while southwestern Baffin Bay contains mostly first-year ice with some old ice in close pack conditions. Western Davis Strait contains first-year ice with some old ice is close pack conditions while its eastern section consists of bergy water. The Labrador Sea is bergy water.
Canada North
Frobisher Bay is bergy water at the head of the Bay and first-year and old ice at its mouth. Canada Basin contains old ice with some first-year ice present to the northwest of Axel Heiberg Island. Lancaster Sound consists of bergy water. 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 mostly 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. M’Clintock Channel, Peel Sound and the western section of Barrow Strait are fast first-year ice with a trace of old ice. The eastern section of Barrow Strait is bergy water with a mix of first-year ice with a trace of old ice. The ice in Amundsen Gulf is now mobile; Dolphin and Union strait remain fast ice. The ice is now mobile and melting, forming small areas of bergy water mostly south of Kugluktuk and southern Coronation Gulf. Queen Maud Gulf is fast first-year ice and continues to show signs of rotting with small opening of bergy water along parts of the coast. The Rassmussen Bassin is still fast ice except the southern area in Chantrey inlet is now melting and mobile. The same scenario appeared around Matty Island. Canada Basin is primarily old ice with some first-year ice present. The Beaufort Sea is predominantly first-year ice along the coast. Old ice mixes into, and eventually dominates, the pack ice further north in the Beaufort Sea. The first-year fast ice along the coast continued to fracture.
Chukchi Sea
Strong northerly winds drifted mobile ice into ice free waters, accelerating degradation as it interacted with warmer surface temperatures. A low-pressure system over the pole and a high-pressure system to the south contributed to oscillating drift across the region, enhancing overall instability of the pack.
East Siberian Sea
Additional sea ice degradation has occurred due to influences from ongoing riverine inputs and strong coastal winds. Concentrations continue to decrease as melt conditions persist.
Greenland Sea
Air temperatures over the Greenland Sea range from -02°C in the north to +06°C in the south. Sea surface water temperatures at Scoresby Sound and points south are 0°C and warmer. These two combined weather features are leading to rapid sea ice melt in the vicinity of Scoresby Sound. Buoys in the Greenland Sea are drifting 30 to 70 nautical miles allowing High Arctic old ice to drift southward.
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 with areas of open water along its shorelines. Hudson Bay comprises first-year ice. Areas of open water are present in northwestern and eastern Hudson Bay. Western Hudson Strait is largely bergy water with first-year ice along the southern shoreline of Baffin Island. Eastern Hudson Strait contains a small area of first-year ice with some old ice. Ungava Bay has first-year ice with a trace of old ice in the west and largely bergy water to the east. Foxe Basin contains first-year ice with some open water areas present.
Kara Sea
The eastern Kara Sea is mostly ice free as it continues to experience significant melt. Concentrations of ice remain focused along the eastern shore of Novaya Zemlya, where a large lead extending nearly the full length of the island persists. Fast ice has degraded as melt season continues.
Laptev Sea
The polynya near Severnaya Zemlya continues to expand southeastward along the Russian coast; as this feature grows, lower ice concentrations have developed around its perimeter. The fast ice is also beginning to weaken, with new openings forming within the fast ice sheet and introducing increasing structural instability.
Sea of Okhotsk
Sea ice degradation continues in western Sea of Okhotsk.
