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 Bay of Bothnia the ice is drifting to northwest. In the Bay of Bothnia 5-15 cm thick level ice and new ice in the archipelago. Farther out thin ice and new-ice formation approximately to Bothnia buoy and Raahe lighthouse.
Barents Sea
Sea ice in the Barents Sea has expanded southward, to within 50 NM of Svalbard. Fasted ice is now present across Franz Josef Land. Within the Svalbard archipelago, ice concentrations increased, especially around Spitsbergen and Edge Island.
Bering Sea
New and young ice persists along the Alaskan coastline, with temperatures hovering around -6 degrees Celsius as new ice formation occurs near St. Lawrence Island.
Canada East
Most ice within the Archipelago is fasted first-year ice. More significant amounts of old ice are present north of Axel Heiberg Island. Northwestern Baffin Bay is predominantly first-year ice, including a small amount of second and multi-year ice. The rest of Baffin Bay contains a mix of young and new ice. Jones Sound contains fasted first-year ice, with some mobile first-year, young and new ice near the mouth and around Cape Vera. First-year with a trace of multi-year ice extends past its mouth, partway into Lancaster Sound, then southeast just south of 70N. Lancaster Sound is mostly first-year ice. Prince Regent Inlet and Gulf of Boothia are first-year ice to the east and a mix of first-year, young and new ice to the west and in southern sections. Foxe Basin contains predominantly young ice, with the rest being new ice and some first-year is now forming in the center. Davis Strait is a mix of young and new ice in western sections with bergy water in the east. Cumberland Sound is new and young ice.
Canada North
In Nares Strait and north and northwest of Ellesmere Island, the ice is primarily multi-year ice with smaller amounts of second-year, first-year, and young ice. North of Kane basin a bridge of ice has formed, but the ice is still mobile. The fiords of Ellesmere contain predominantly first-year fast ice. The entrance to Nansen Sound also has a trace of multi-year ice.
Canada West
The ice in the Queen Elizabeth Islands is consolidated with mostly multi-year and some second- year ice, with some first-year ice mixing in towards Norwegian Bay and in the southwestern section. The previously consolidated multi-year ice along the northern edge of the Queen Elizabeth Islands has become mobile again. M’Clure Strait contains mostly multi-year ice in the west which gradually transitions to first-year ice towards the east. Barrow Strait contains first-year ice with a trace of multi-year ice. McClintock Channel, Larsen Sound, Victoria Strait and northern Queen Maud Gulf contain predominantly first-year ice. There is some young ice mixed into the pack along parts of the coasts. The remainder of Queen Maud Gulf, as well as Peel Sound and Coronation Gulf contain consolidated first-year ice. Amundsen Gulf is predominantly first-year ice with some young ice along parts of the coasts. The ice over the Beaufort Sea is first-year ice mixed with young ice at the coast transitioning to a mix of multi-year and second-year ice in the northern
Chukchi Sea
Movement across the Chukchi was generally to the west over the course of the past week. An area of new and young ice approximately 125 NM in width formed off of the western coast of Alaska as a result of this movement. New areas of fasted ice can be found within Kotzebue Sound.
Cook Inlet
Young and new ice are present in Cook Inlet, while the ice edge extends from West Foreland to East Foreland.
East Siberian Sea
Sea ice movement in the East Siberian Sea was mostly stagnant over the past week. This minimal movement, along with continued frigid temperatures, allowed for the fast ice edge along the Russian coast to expand.
Greenland Sea
Not much change in the area of the ice edge from last week. Southward drift continued to push the multi-year ice further down 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
Hudson Bay and James Bay consist of open water conditions with new and young ice forming along the western coastlines and around Southampton Island. Hudson Strait is bergy water with some new and young ice forming along the northern coast. Ungava Bay is mostly bergy water with new and young ice forming along the coast. Frobisher Bay is mostly bergy water with some new and young ice forming along the coastlines. Labrador Coast consists of mostly bergy water with very small amounts of young ice fasting along the coast. Lake Melville northern half is open water.
Kara Sea
Extensive ice grown has occurred over the past week with new and young ice present in the majority of the eastern Kara Sea. Straits and transit lanes in vicinity of Novaya Zemlya are now frozen over. New ice grown along the western coast of the island are expanding seaward. Small polynyas have opened along the coasts of northern islands but rapidly re-froze with new and young ice.
Laptev Sea
Slight northwestern movement across the Laptev Sea allowed for isolated areas of new ice to form in the western region. The fast ice edge along the central coast of Russia expanded slightly.
Sea of Japan
First-year ice is progressively increasing in the Tartar Strait as a result of lower temperatures.
Sea of Okhotsk
The first-year and young ice continues to develop and spread in Penzhin Bay. The eastern shore of Sahaklin Island is also exhibiting new ice formation, along with some areas of fast ice along the coastline.
White Sea
Coastal ice continues to expand due to freezing temperatures. Smaller areas of fasted ice are now present along the southern portions of Divina Bay and northwest Kandalaksha Gulf. Isolated pockets of new ice growth are now forming on the Kola Peninsula.
