Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook Archive

This final outlook of 2017 focuses only on the remaining sea ice in the Wales to Shishmaref area Wales to Shishmaref The ice along the coast continues to deteriorate and is no longer shorefast. Very close pack ice extends 1 to 3 nautical miles offshore. Beyond that is open water and sea ice free conditions, with the exception of a small area of open pack ice that extends up to 15 nautical miles offshore near Shishmaref. NWS hourly weather graph for Shishmaref Forecast Discussion Ice Forecast Near the Wales to Shishmaref coast, pieces of ice are expected to gradually break off the very close ice pack while concentration along the ice edge continues to quickly diminish through the next week. Pieces that break off of the pack will rapidly melt as they move into warmer waters offshore. NWS Alaska Sea Ice Program 5-day Sea Ice Forecast Wind Synopsis Winds on Friday Jun 9th will be northerly...

SIWO 2017 SEASON ALMOST OVER - There is very little ice left in the Bering Strait region, so this may be our last report of the spring. Near St. Lawrence Island Sea ice remains shorefast along the northeast coast of St. Lawrence Island up to 2 nautical miles from the coast. Close pack ice extends an additional 1 to 3 nautical miles from the shorefast ice with very open pack ice along the eastern coast of St. Lawrence Island as ice has been dragged by winds and ocean currents. Shorefast ice remains within Nayvaghpak (Niyokpok) Lagoon. Nome Norton sound is nearly sea ice free as a result of warmer waters from the Bering Sea moving into the region. There is currently no sea ice near Nome, with very open pack ice 30 nautical miles to the west and 50 nautical miles to the east. Wales to Shishmaref Shorefast ice continues to show rapid deterioration lately with new leads developing. Much of...

NEW FOR 2017: Click the name of each community below to view more frequently updated and detailed information from the National Weather Service. Near St. Lawrence Island Sea ice remains shorefast along the northeast coast of St. Lawrence Island up to 2 nautical miles from the coast. Very close pack ice extends from 2 to 7 nm beyond the shorefast ice. Shorefast ice is gone from the northwest coast of the island, although shorefast ice remains within Nayvaghpak (Niyokpok) Lagoon. The remainder of the waters surrounding the island are sea ice free. Nome There is some close pack ice to the west of Nome along the coast and up to 12nm offshore. There is also some close pack ice along the coast near Safety. The coastal waters around Nome otherwise consist mainly of sea ice free waters. Wales to Shishmaref Shorefast ice continues to show rapid deterioration lately with new leads developing...

NEW FOR 2017: Click the name of each community below to view more frequently updated and detailed information from the National Weather Service. Near St. Lawrence Island Sea ice remains shorefast along the northeast coast of St. Lawrence Island up to 2 nautical miles from the coast. Very close pack ice extends from 1 to 6 nm beyond the shorefast ice. Shorefast ice is mostly gone from the northwest coast of the island, with very open pack ice extending up to 1 nm offshore. The east side of the island has very open pack ice extending up to 2 nm offshore. The south and west sides of the island are sea ice free. Nome The coastal waters around Nome consist mainly of open to very open pack ice extending 10 nm offshore, with open water beyond that. A vast flow of close pack ice is located 10 nm offshore to the southwest of Nome. Wales to Shishmaref Shorefast ice has shown rapid deterioration...

NEW FOR 2017: Click the name of each community below to view more frequently updated and detailed information from the National Weather Service. Near St. Lawrence Island Sea ice remains shorefast along the north coast of St. Lawrence Island out 1-2 miles on the northwest side of the island and to up to 2 miles from the coast on the northeast side. Beyond the shorefast ice on the northwest side of the island is close pack ice up to 1 mile. Very close pack ice extends on the northeast side of the island away from 2 to 7 miles out from the shorefast ice. The southeast side of the island has up to 1 mile of shorefast ice. Beyond the shorefast ice is open water. The south and west sides of the island are sea ice free. Nome Shorefast ice extends up to 2 miles from the Nome area coast, but is generally around 1 mile closest to Nome. A small area of very open pack ice and/or open water extends...

NEW FOR 2017: Click the name of each community below to view more frequently updated and detailed information from the National Weather Service. Near St. Lawrence Island Sea ice remains shorefast along the north coast of St. Lawrence Island out 2 miles on the northwest side of the island and to up to 3 miles from the coast on the northeast side. Beyond the shorefast ice on the northwest side of the island is open water. Very close pack ice extends on the northeast side of the island away from 2 to 7 miles out from the shorefast ice. The southeast side of the island has up to 1 mile of shorefast ice. Beyond the shorefast ice is open water. The south and west sides of the island are sea ice free. Nome Shorefast ice extends up to 5 miles from the Nome area coast, but is generally around 1 mile closest to Nome. A small area of very open pack ice extends 3 to 5 miles beyond the shorefast ice...

NEW FOR 2017: Click the name of each community below to view more frequently updated and detailed information from the National Weather Service. Near St. Lawrence Island Sea ice is shorefast along the north coast of St. Lawrence Island 2 miles out on the northwest side of the island and up to 3 miles from the coast on the northeast side. Very close pack ice extends on the northeast side of the island away from 2 to 10 miles out from the shorefast ice. The southeast side of the island has up to 1 mile of shorefast ice. Beyond the shorefast ice is open water. The south and west sides of the island are sea ice free. Nome Shorefast ice extends up to 6 miles from the Nome area coast, but is generally 1-2 miles. Otherwise there is close to very close pack ice throughout the northern portion of Norton Sound with big to giant floes. There is a large polynya to the east of Nome with open water...

NEW FOR 2017: Click the name of each community below to view more frequently updated and detailed information from the National Weather Service. Near St. Lawrence Island Sea ice is shorefast along the north coast of St. Lawrence Island out 2 miles on the northwest side of the island and to up to 3 miles from the coast on the northeast side. Very close pack ice extends on the northeast side of the island away from 2 to 7 miles out from the shorefast ice. The southeast side of the island has up to 2 miles of shorefast ice. Beyond the shorefast ice is open water. There is open water west and southwest of Gambell. Nome Shorefast ice extends up to 6 miles from the Nome area coast, but is generally 1 to 2 miles. Otherwise there is close to very close pack ice throughout the northern portion of Norton Sound with big to giant floes. The polynya to the west has closed significantly to 1 to 2...

NEW FOR 2017: Click the name of each community below to view more frequently updated and detailed information from the National Weather Service. Near St. Lawrence Island Sea ice is shorefast along the north and east coasts of St. Lawrence Island out 2 to 7 miles from the coast. Shorefast ice on the northwest side of the island has diminished to zero to 2 miles as several big to vast floes have broken off of the shorefast ice. Most of the shorefast ice has diminished on the south side of the island with open water extending up to 65 miles off the coast. A polynya has formed on the northeast side of the island up to 10 miles off the coast. The east side of the island beyond the shorefast ice is open pack ice with medium to big floes. There is open water west and southwest of Gambell. Nome Shorefast ice extends up to 6 miles from the Nome area coast, but is generally 1-2 miles. Otherwise...

NEW FOR 2017: Click the name of each community below to view more frequently updated and detailed information from the National Weather Service. Near St. Lawrence Island Sea ice is shorefast along the north, east, and southeast coasts of St. Lawrence Island out 2 to 7 miles from the coast. A polynya continues to expand on the south side of the island now up to 115 miles offshore. While there is close pack ice of new and young ice forming on the eastern side of the polynya, the western side of the polynya west of Silook Camp is very open pack ice with new ice. The north and east sides of the island beyond the shorefast ice is very close pack ice. There is open pack ice with small to vast floes north and west of Gambell, while southwest of Gambell is close ice pack with vast and giant floes mixed with brash ice. Nome Shorefast ice extends up to 6 miles from the Nome area coast. There is a...

State of the Ice at Season’s Start Contributed by Matthew Druckenmiller (National Snow and Ice Data Center and SEARCH Sea Ice Action Team ) & Hajo Eicken (University of Alaska Fairbanks) Arctic-wide, this year’s winter maximum sea ice extent observed on March 7 was the lowest in the satellite record (the National Snow and Ice Data Center reported this on March 22, and will offer a more detailed report in April 2017). In fact, the last lowest three winter maximum extents have all occurred in the last three years (2015, 2016 and 2017). This year, sea ice coverage in the Bering Sea remained well below average, despite substantial advancement in coverage during February, due in part to a late fall freeze-up, south winds prevailing through early-winter (Figure 1), and unseasonably warm temperatures throughout winter (Figure 2). Figure 1. Monthly average North-South surface wind in the...

Near St. Lawrence Island The only sea ice remaining near St. Lawrence Island lies near Tomname Lagoon along the northeast coast of the island. The remainder of the island is surrounded by sea ice free waters at this time. Wales to Shishmaref Sea ice in the vicinity of Wales to Shishmaref continued to retreat very rapidly this past week. At this time, lagoon areas from Wales up to Espenberg have melted out to leave only open water conditions. Beyond the lagoon areas from Mugisitokiwik to Espenberg lies a very narrow belt of close pack ice that has consolidated near the coast, but is rapidly deteriorating. Very open pack ice to open water conditions lie beyond this region. The remainder of the southern Chukchi Sea offshore is sea ice free. Forecast Discussion Ice Forecast St. Lawrence Island is expected to be sea ice free for the season by early next week. Along the coast from Wales to...

Near St. Lawrence Island Very minimal sea ice remains around St. Lawrence Island at this time. Open water to very open pack ice lies along the northern and eastern coastline of the island and all remaining sea ice is rapidly deteriorating. A belt of rapidly deteriorating sea ice currently stretches from the northeast corner of the island to the north to the eastern half of the Bering Strait. Wales to Shishmaref Sea Ice in the vicinity of Wales to Shishmaref retreated very rapidly this past week. At this time lagoon areas from Ikpek up to Espenberg have melted out to leave only very open pack ice. Beyond the lagoon areas from Mugisitokiwik to Espenberg lies a region of close pack ice that is rapidly deteriorating. Very open to open pack ice is currently drifting in the current between Little Diomede Island and Wales. Forecast Discussion Ice Forecast St. Lawrence Island is expected to be...

Near St. Lawrence Island Ice-free waters currently stretch from near Gambell around the western and southern coastlines of St. Lawrence Island to near Kialegak Point. Very minimal coastal sea ice remains in isolated areas along the northern coast of the island. Very open to open pack ice lies just offshore from the northern coastline, and the remaining first year sea ice floes are rapidly melting. A belt of ice currently stretches from east of Little Diomede Island to offshore from the east coast of St. Lawrence Island and is drifting due to wind and current forcing. This belt of ice is rapidly deteriorating. Wales to Shishmaref Close pack ice consisting of first year ice floes is currently drifting in the current between Wales and Little Diomede Island. The western half of the Bering Strait has open water to very open pack ice at this time. Shorefast ice along the coastline from Wales...

Near St. Lawrence Island Sea ice along the northern coastline of St. Lawrence Island continued to break apart and destabilize during the past week. Shorefast ice remains along the northern coastline extending offshore up to 5 nautical miles. West of Savoonga, beyond the shorefast ice of the northern coast lies a polynya with open water to very open pack ice consisting of first year ice floes. Beyond the shorefast ice of the northern coast, east of Savoonga, there is close pack ice. Open water currently lies off the coast near Gambell with open pack ice drifting with the winds and ocean currents further offshore. Belts of ice are being pulled down past the east coast of the island with open to close pack ice. Rotting first year ice floes are currently drifting past the southeastern coastline of the island. These ice floes are riding low in the water and are expected to melt out rapidly...

Near St. Lawrence Island Sea ice along the northern coastline of St. Lawrence Island has changed rapidly in the past week. Shorefast ice remains along the northern coastline extending offshore up to 5 nm. Beyond the shorefast ice of the northern coast lies a polynya with very open pack ice consisting of first year ice floes. Beyond the polynya lies a region of open to close pack ice. Open water currently lies off the coast near Gambell with open pack ice drifting with the winds and ocean currents further offshore. Belts of ice are being pulled down past the east coast of the island with open to close pack ice. Rotting first year ice floes are currently drifting past the southern coastline of the island. These ice floes are low riding in the water and are expected to melt out rapidly in the coming week. Wales to Shishmaref Shorefast ice along the coast from Wales to Shishmaref remains in...

Near St. Lawrence Island Shorefast ice remains secure along the northern coastline of St. Lawrence Island with consolidated first year sea ice stretching approximately 20 to 35 nm to the north of the coastline from Gambell to Savoonga. Beyond this ice area lies mainly new and young sea ice with isolated first year ice floes continuing to drift to the south through the Bering Strait. Along the west coast of the island, first year sea ice floes are drifting to the southwest past the coastline. Off the east coast of the island lies a larger belt of first year pack ice also drifting to the southwest down past the coastline. Along the southern coast of the island is a very large area of open water with ice-free conditions at this time. Wales to Shishmaref Shorefast ice along the coast from Wales to Shishmaref remains in place at this time, with very close first-year pack ice beyond the...

State of the Ice at Season’s Start Contributed by Matthew Druckenmiller, National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) and SEARCH Sea Ice Action Team Conditions in the Bering Sea region this year are generally consistent with much of the Arctic. The National Snow and Ice Data Center reported the 2016 maximum winter extent of Arctic sea ice to be the lowest in the satellite record (1979-present), noting that unusually warm conditions have undoubtedly played an important role. This was due to a combination of factors, including unusually high winter air temperatures and well above normal water temperatures in the northeast Pacific (see January AOOS post ), which was in part due to a strong El Niño. With reduced winter ice extent this year, the open ocean is able to take up more heat from the sun during spring, which may then also cause more rapid and extensive ice retreat in the northern...

Near St. Lawrence Island The only sea ice left around St. Lawrence Island remains in the lagoons. This sea ice is rotting in place. The island is surrounded by sea ice-free conditions at this time. Wales to Shishmaref The only sea ice remaining is near Mugisitokiwik, as well as in the southern end of Lopp Lagoon. The ice along the coast near Mugisitokiwik extends out 1 nautical mile or less from the coast. 5 to 10 Day Forecast Weather System/Wind Synopsis Low pressure will be over the mainland of Alaska on Friday, 5 June, producing northerly winds of 20 to 25 kt (25 to 30 mph). A weak low will move over the Bering Strait Saturday night with winds changing from the north at 15 to 20 kt (20 to 25 mph) early Saturday to southerly at 15 to 20 kt (20 to 25 mph) by midday Sunday, 7 June. A front approaches from Siberia on Monday, increasing the southerly winds to 20 to 25 kt (25 to 30 mph)...

Near St. Lawrence Island Sea ice conditions near St. Lawrence Island have continued to decline this week. Sea ice within the lagoons around the island is no longer shorefast. Niyakpak Lagoon has surface and near shore melting with open water conditions. From Camp Iveetok over to Tomname Lagoon and Camp Kalowiye the ice near shore is melting from the coastline out with surface meltwater ponds forming. There is also very open pack ice drifting between Camp Iveetok and Tomname Lagoon, with sea ice-free water beyond the isolated area. To the south of the island within the lagoons, the sea ice continues to slowly melt in place with meltwater ponds forming on the ice surface. Much of the island is surrounded by sea ice-free or open water conditions at this time. Wales to Shishmaref More of the previously shorefast sea ice along the coast from Wales up to Shishmaref broke off from the...

Near St. Lawrence Island Sea ice conditions near St. Lawrence Island have continued to decline this week. Sea ice within the lagoons around the island is no longer shorefast. Niyakpak Lagoon has surface and near shore melting with open water conditions and an isolated first year strip of ice off the coastline from the lagoon. From Camp Iveetok over to Tomname Lagoon and Camp Kalowiye the ice near shore is melting from the coastline out with surface meltwater ponds forming. Very open pack is drifting past the coast near Camp Kalowiye, with open water beyond the isolated area. To the south of the island within the lagoons the sea ice continues to slowly melt in place with meltwater ponds forming on the ice surface. Much of the island is surrounded by sea ice free or open water conditions at this time. Wales to Shishmaref Much of the previously shorefast sea ice along the coast from Wales...

Near St. Lawrence Island Sea ice conditions near St. Lawrence Island have continued to decline this week. The shorefast ice along the northern coastline of the island is currently limited to Niyakpak Lagoon, a narrow shorefast strip near Savoonga up to 1 mile offshore, and a belt of shorefast ice from near Ataakas Camp on over to Camp Kulowiye extending up to 4 miles offshore. The shorefast ice along the southern coastline of the island is limited to the lagoons. Open water to very open pack ice conditions lie beyond the shorefast ice to the north and northeast of the island. The boundary of an area of close pack ice consisting of mainly first year ice floes lies roughly 10 to 20 miles off the coast of the island from Ataakas Camp to Camp Kulowiye. To the west, south and east of the island, waters are mainly free of sea ice with some open water conditions very near shore. Wales to...

Near St. Lawrence Island Sea ice conditions near St. Lawrence Island have steadily declined this week. The shorefast ice along the northern coastline of the island continues to be limited in extent, currently extending up to 4.5 miles, while the shorefast ice along the southern coastline remains limited to the lagoons. Beyond the shorefast ice to the north and northeast of the island lies a region of very close to close pack ice consisting of first year ice floes. To the east of the island, close pack ice is shifting in and out near the shoreline. The coastline from Gambell around to the west and south facing coasts of the island are open water, with isolated first year ice floes passing in a strip from the pack ice north of the island beyond the coastline near Gambell on to the southwest. Wales to Shishmaref Shorefast ice remains in place along the northwest Seward Peninsula. The...

Near St. Lawrence Island Sea ice conditions near St. Lawrence Island have changed quite a bit from last week. The shorefast ice along the northern coastline of the island continues to be limited in extent, currently extending up to 4.5 miles, while the shorefast ice along the southern coastline remains limited to the lagoons. Beyond the shorefast ice to the north of the island, there is a region of very close to close pack ice consisting of first year ice floes. To the east of the island close-pack ice is shifting in and out near the shoreline. The coastline from Gambell around to the west- and south-facing coasts of the island are open water, with isolated first year ice floes passing in a strip from the pack ice north of the island beyond the coastline near Gambell on to the southwest. Wales to Shishmaref Shorefast ice remains in place along the northwest Seward Peninsula. The...

Near St. Lawrence Island The shorefast ice along the northern coastline of the island continues to be limited in extent, currently extending up to 8 miles offshore, while the shorefast ice along the southern coastline is limited to the lagoons. To the north and east of the island lies a region of very close pack ice consisting of mainly first year ice floes. To the west and south of the island lies an area covered mainly with young and new ice with isolated first year ice floes in the vicinity. Wales to Shishmaref Shorefast ice along the northwest Seward Peninsula beyond the lagoons does not appear to be quite as stable this year as some years in the recent past. The edge of the shorefast ice currently extends 13 miles off the coast from Mugisitokiwik, 13 miles from Ikpek, and is limited to the extent of the lagoons near Shishmaref. Sea ice continues to be mobile through the Bering...