Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook Archive

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 west, north, and east of the island lies a region of very close pack ice consisting of mainly first year ice floes. A small polynya is currently located along the west coastline of the island just south of Gambell extending up to 3 nautical miles offshore. To the south of the island beyond the lagoons lies a very large polynya extending up to 70 miles to the south that has frozen over with new and young sea ice. 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...

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. Beyond the shorefast ice edge to the north and east of the island lies a region of very close pack ice consisting mainly of first year ice floes. To the south of the island beyond the lagoons and along the west facing coastline lies a very large polynya that has some new and young sea ice forming within it. Wales to Shishmaref The shorefast ice along the coast from Shishmaref up to Kotzebue Sound is limited to the barrier islands at this time. A region of consolidated first year ice has formed in the past month along the coast from Wales to Shishmaref extending up to 14 miles beyond the barrier islands. Beyond the consolidated pack lies a region...

State of the Ice at Season’s Start Analysts at the Alaska Ice Program cannot recall a time in recent memory when the ice around the Bering Strait was so broken up this early in the year. Compared to the extreme ice year of 2013, there is less ice over the Gulf of Anadyr; there is even less ice in that region than in 2014. Figures 1-3, below, show that there is less ice in the area than at this time of year in 2013 and 2014. Given the current state of the ice and the forecast by the Climate Prediction Center for a good chance of warmer than normal conditions, ice may be out of the area faster than the past 2 years. Figure 1: Ice extent at the end of March 2013. Note ice is broken up over the area around the Bering Strait and St. Lawrence Island. A small polynya is present south of St. Lawrence Island with some new ice in the polynya. Gulf of Anadyr is more of a solid mass with some...

Near St. Lawrence Island St. Lawrence Island is sea ice-free beyond the western, southern, and eastern coastlines. Strips of brash sea ice are continuing to stream off the main pack ice remaining near the Gulf of Anadyr and are passing to the north and northwest of the island at this time. The remainder of the Northern Bering Sea is mainly open water to sea ice-free. Wales to Shishmaref Lagoons from Wales to Espenberg are mostly sea ice-free at this time. Sea ice-free conditions lie from the Bering Strait through much of the southeastern Chukchi Sea offshore from Wales to Shishmaref. 5 to 10 Day Forecast Weather System/Wind Synopsis High pressure will be situated over the northern Bering Sea on Friday, 20 June, with a light northerly flow around 15 to 25 mph (10 to 20 kt). These winds will decrease through Saturday the 21st and become light (<15 mph or <10 kt). On Sunday, 22 June...

Near St. Lawrence Island St. Lawrence Island is sea ice free beyond the western, southern, and eastern coastlines. Very open-to-open pack ice lies near the northern coast from Dovelawik Bay to Kangee Camp and from Cape Kitnik over to Tomname Lagoon. Open water to sea ice free conditions lie beyond the northern coast up to the Bering Strait with isolated areas of very open pack ice that are rapidly melting. Strips of sea ice are continuing to stream off the main pack ice remaining near the Gulf of Anadyr and are passing to the northwest of the island at this time. Wales to Shishmaref Lagoons in the inner waters from Wales to Singeak are mostly open water to sea ice free at this time. Up to 2 miles beyond the lagoons off the coast lies an area of previously shorefast sea ice that is continuing to melt out. Aside from this narrow ice band the southern Chukchi Sea from the Bering Strait up...

Near St. Lawrence Island Sea ice floes continued to melt in the northern Bering Sea this past week. St. Lawrence Island is sea ice free beyond the western, southern, and eastern coastlines. Open water lies off the north coast from near Gambell over to Camp Iveetok. Open to very open pack ice lies off the coast beyond Tomname Lagoon. Strips of sea ice are continuing to stream off the main pack ice remaining near the Gulf of Anadyr and are passing to the northwest of the island at this time. Wales to Shishmaref The outer extent of the remaining shorefast ice from Wales to Ikpek broke away from the shoreline this week. Sea ice within the lagoons is melting in place. Floes of the broken shorefast ice are drifting to the northeast at this time near the coastline. Beyond the ice floes there is open water and very open pack ice is drifting through the eastern half of the Bering Strait. 5 to 10...

Near St. Lawrence Island Sea ice floes remaining in the northern Bering Sea continued to melt quite dramatically this past week. Sea ice remaining in the lagoons along the southern coast of St. Lawrence Island is continuing to melt. The previously shorefast sea ice along the northern coast is continuing to melt out from the shore as it also destabilizes and breaks off. St. Lawrence Island is sea ice free to the west, south, and east. Very open pack ice consisting of brash ice and broken pieces of shorefast ice lies within 2 to 10 miles of the northern coastline, and open pack ice lies just beyond this area. Wales to Shishmaref The outer extent of the shorefast ice near Ikpek continued to destabilize this past week and the minimal shorefast ice remaining from near Wales to Ikpek is expected to break off in the next week. Sea ice within the lagoons is melting in place. Very open pack ice...

Near St. Lawrence Island The remaining sea ice in the northern Bering Sea melted quite dramatically this past week. Ice that was previously shorefast around St. Lawrence Island is flooding and forming melt ponds. This ice is expected to continue to melt in place from the shoreline and to break off in the coming week. Isolated areas of very open pack ice to open water lie near Koozata Lagoon on the southern coastline and Kiloknak Lagoon on the eastern coastline. The island is surrounded by primarily sea-ice-free to open-water areas with the nearest close pack ice located 4 miles offshore from Gambell and the nearest open pack ice roughly 15 miles offshore from Savoonga. Wales to Shishmaref The outer extent of the shorefast ice from Ikpek up to Shismaref destabilized this past week and is continuing to do so. Melt ponds are continuing to form and sea ice within lagoons is beginning to...

Near St. Lawrence Island The large polynya that was present along the southern coastline of St. Lawrence Island last week shifted so it now extends roughly 100 miles off the west coast of the island. An isolated high concentration area of mainly young and new sea ice lies near Powooiliak Bay along the southern coast of the island. An area of open pack ice consisting of small and medium floes lies off the southern coastline from Koozata Lagoon to near Boxer Bay. A polynya near Oomeyaluk Bay extends 5 to 30 miles beyond the shorefast ice edge. Shorefast ice along the northern coastline is continuing to destabilize and break off currently extending up to 4 miles from the shoreline. Open water and very open pack ice lie beyond the shorefast ice along the northern coastline of the island at this time. Wales to Shishmaref The outer extent of the shorefast ice from Ikpek up to Shishmaref...

Near St. Lawrence Island Satellite imagery shows a large polynya along the southern coastline of St. Lawrence Island stretching over 100 miles to the west-southwest. Grease ice covers parts of the polynya, mainly forming overnight and melting during the day. Another polynya lies off the northern coastline from just east of Savoonga over to the east coast of the island stretching 35 to 55 miles beyond the shorefast ice edge. Shorefast ice in this region is beginning to destabilize and break off. Very open pack ice consisting of brash ice to big floes lies off the east coast of the island. Very close pack ice consisting of small to vast ice floes lies off the west coast of the island and the north coast from Gambell over to Savoonga. The shorefast ice along the northern coastline of the island extends roughly 1 to 4 miles, while the shorefast ice along the southern coastline is mainly...

Near St. Lawrence Island Satellite imagery shows a large polynya along the southern and western coastline of St. Lawrence Island, stretching 25 to 150 miles beyond the shoreline. Grease ice covers parts of the polynya, mainly forming overnight and melting during the day. Open pack ice composed of small to vast floes lies off the northern coastline beyond the shorefast ice extent with new and young sea ice in between the floes. The shorefast ice along the northern coastline of the island extends roughly 1 to 4 miles, while the shorefast ice along the southern coastline is mainly limited to the lagoons. Wales to Shishmaref The outer extent of the shorefast ice from Ikpek up to Shishmaref remained relatively stable this past week. The shorefast ice extent along the coast now varies from 2 miles off Shishmaref to 19 miles off Ikpek to 8 miles off Mugisitokiwik. The outer extent of the...

Near St. Lawrence Island Satellite imagery shows a large polynya along the southern and western coastline of St. Lawrence Island, stretching 30 to 150 miles beyond the shoreline. Grease ice and strips of young ice cover parts of the polynya. Open pack ice composed of small to vast floes lies off the northern coastline beyond the shorefast ice extent with new and young sea ice in between the floes. The shorefast ice along the northern coastline of the island extends roughly 1 to 12 miles, while the shorefast ice along the southern coastline is mainly limited to the lagoons. Wales to Shishmaref The outer extent of the shorefast ice from Ikpek up to Shishmaref destabilized and broke off again this past week. The shorefast ice extent along the coast now varies from 2 miles off Shishmaref to 10 miles off Ikpek to 8 miles off Mugisitokiwik. The outer extent of the shorefast ice along this...

Near St. Lawrence Island Satellite imagery shows that the polynya along the southern coastline of St. Lawrence Island has frozen over with new and young sea ice in an area stretching 20 to 50 miles beyond the shoreline. Close pack ice composed of small to vast floes lies off the northwestern coast of Gambell to Savoonga with new and young sea ice in between the floes. Along the northern coast east of Savoonga lies very close pack ice composed of medium to vast floes. The shorefast ice along the northern coastline of the island extends roughly 2 to 15 miles, while the shorefast ice along the southern coastline is mainly limited to the lagoons. Wales to Shishmaref The shorefast ice extent along the coast varies from 15 miles off Shishmaref to 32 miles off Ikpek to 9 miles off Mugisitokiwik. The outer extent of the shorefast ice along this coastline formed later in the year and may not be...

Near St. Lawrence Island Satellite imagery shows that the polynya along the southern coastline of St. Lawrence Island has frozen over with new and young sea ice in an area stretching 20 to 50 miles beyond the shoreline. Close pack ice composed of small to vast floes lies off the northwestern coast of Gambell to Savoonga with new and young sea ice in between the floes. Along the northern coast east of Savoonga lies very close pack ice composed of medium to vast floes. The shorefast ice along the northern coastline of the island extends roughly 2 to 15 miles, while the shorefast ice along the southern coastline is mainly limited to the lagoons. Wales to Shishmaref The shorefast ice extent along the coast varies from 15 miles off Shishmaref to 32 miles off Ikpek to 9 miles off Mugisitokiwik. The outer extent of the shorefast ice along this coastline formed later in the year and may not be...

Near St. Lawrence Island Satellite imagery shows a polynya along the southern coastline of St. Lawrence Island with a width of 5 to 40 miles. Close pack ice composed of medium to vast floes lies off Gambell’s western coast with new and young sea ice in between the floes. Beyond the shorefast ice along the northern coastline lies very close pack ice composed of medium to vast floes with high concentrations of young ice between the floes. The shorefast ice along the northern coastline of the island extends roughly 5 to 13 miles, while the shorefast ice along the southern coastline is mainly limited to the lagoons. Wales to Shishmaref Beyond the shorefast ice from Shishmaref up to Kotzebue Sound there is a polynya 2 to 6 miles wide that has frozen over with young and new sea ice. The shorefast ice extent along the coast varies from 15 miles off Shishmaref to 30 miles off Ikpek to 10 miles...

Near St. Lawrence Island Satellite imagery shows close pack ice in medium to vast floes surrounding St. Lawrence Island, with high concentrations of new and young sea ice filling in between the floes. The shorefast ice along the northern coastline of the island extends roughly 7 to 13 miles, while the shorefast ice along the southern coastline is mainly limited to the lagoons. Wales to Shishmaref Beyond the shorefast ice from Shishmaref up to Kotzebue Sound lies a large polynya 5 to 15 miles wide that has frozen over with new and young sea ice. The shorefast ice extent along the coast varies from 13 miles off Shishmaref to 30 miles off Ikpek to 10 miles off Mugisitokiwik. Close pack ice lies near the Bering Strait and mainly consists of medium to vast floes. 5 to 10 Day Forecast A low pressure system in the western Bering Sea with high pressure in the Beaufort Sea will result in east...

Near St. Lawrence Island St. Lawrence Island is completely sea ice free with the open water edge located roughly 70 miles to the north of the island. Wales to Shishmaref The seasonal melt has continued in the southern Chukchi Sea this past week. The Bering Strait and southern Chukchi Sea up to roughly 69.5 degrees north are mainly open water. No shorefast ice remains along the coastline from Wales to Shishmaref. The ice remaining consists of open to very open pack ice stretching up to 15 miles off the coastline. Bays and waters within the barrier islands are open water. 5 to 10 Day Forecast A low-pressure system over the Chukchi Sea will bring southerly winds of 25 to 30 mph (20 to 25 knots) on Friday, 28 June. On Saturday, 29 June, the low will move over the northern Beaufort Sea as high pressure builds over the north slope of Alaska and southern Beaufort Sea through Sunday, 30 June. A...

Near St. Lawrence Island The coastline of St. Lawrence Island is now sea ice free, with large areas of open water surrounding the island in the northern Bering Sea. A strip of sea ice is located to the west of the island and is continuing to melt. There are also a few strips of sea ice remaining northwest of the island that are rapidly melting. Wales to Shishmaref The seasonal melt in the southern Chukchi Sea has continued this past week. The Bering Strait and southern Chukchi Sea up to roughly 68.5 degrees north are mainly open water with very open to open pack ice stretching up to 69.5 degrees north. Shorefast ice is still present along part of the coastline with the ice extent varying from 13 miles off Ikpek to 6 miles off Mugisitokiwik. In the bays, melting is in full swing with 3 to 8 tenths ice concentration melting rapidly and open water forming near Ikpek and Shishmaref. Beyond...

Near St. Lawrence Island Over the past week the St. Lawrence Island area has experienced a major seasonal melt of the ice pack near the island. The ice remaining within shallow bays and inlets is no longer shorefast and is melting rapidly. Open water to very open pack ice lies to the north of the island and a roughly 5 to 8 mile wide belt of ice is floating near the southern coastline with open water beyond. Other belts of sea ice are rapidly melting and drifting within the northern Bering Sea as well. Wales to Shishmaref The southern Chukchi Sea has also experienced a major seasonal melt of the ice pack this past week. The Bering Strait and southern Chukchi Sea up to roughly 68ºN are mainly open water with the remaining ice located near the shorelines. Shorefast ice is still present along part of the coast with the ice extent varying from 14 miles off Ikpek to 6 miles off Mugisitokiwik...

Near St. Lawrence Island A large polyna along the southern coastline of St. Lawrence Island stretches up to 45 miles wide, but is filling in and will continue to do so this week with southerly winds. Close pack ice lies in the region beyond the polyna consisting of young, first year, and new sea ice. The close pack ice along the northern coastline of the island is drifting offshore due to the southerly winds and has opened a polyna. Much of the northern Bering Sea is open water or very open pack ice. Shorefast ice is continuing to become unstable and is breaking off. Wales to Shishmaref Very close to close pack ice remains just beyond the shorefast ice along the coastline from Wales to Shishmaref. Leads are present in the pack ice with most oriented parallel to the coastline. The Bering Strait is mainly open water and the southern Chukchi Sea is filled with open pack ice to close pack...

Near St. Lawrence Island Close pack ice has consolidated along most of the northern coastline of St. Lawrence Island stretching 10 to 25 miles offshore. Beyond the pack ice lies an area of very open to open pack ice. Northerly flow has opened a polyna along the southern coastline of the island stretching 5 to 20 miles wide. Beyond the polyna lies a region of close pack ice. Shorefast ice is continuing to become further unstable. Wales to Shishmaref A polyna has opened off the west coast near Wales. Very close pack ice remains in much of the southern Chukchi Sea and is mobile along the shorefast ice edge. A polyna is filling with pack ice just off the shorefast ice edge near Shishmaref stretching to the north. The shorefast ice extent varies from 2 miles near Shishmaref to 14 miles off Ikpek to 13 miles off Mugisitokiwik. The outer edges of the shorefast ice are continuing to become more...

Near St. Lawrence Island A large polyna is open along the entire northern coastline of St. Lawrence Island, stretching from 5 to 15 miles wide near Gambell up to 25 miles wide near Savoonga. Beyond the polyna lies an area of close pack ice. The shorefast ice along the northern coastline is continuing to become more unstable. Southerly flow has consolidated the ice pack along the southern side of the island and closed most leads. Wales to Shishmaref Open water to very open pack is present from the western third of the Bering Strait stretching up into the southern Chukchi Sea. Very close pack ice remains mobile along the shorefast ice edge and through the eastern two thirds of the Bering Strait. A large polyna 8 to 20 miles wide has formed just off the shorefast ice edge from near Ikpek stretching up to the entrance to Kotzebue Sound. The shorefast ice extent varies from 2 miles off...

Near St. Lawrence Island A polyna remains along the northern coastline of St. Lawrence Island stretching from 3 to 9 miles in width. Beyond the northern coastline polyna is an area of close pack ice consisting of first year medium to new sea ice. Off to the east of the island is a large area of very open pack ice. The southern coastline of the island has filled in with close pack ice with the exception of the area from near Powooiliak Camp to near Silook Camp where a polyna has opened with a width of 2 to 15 miles. Wales to Shishmaref Open to very open pack ice is present from the western half of the Bering Strait stretching up into the southern Chukchi Sea. Very close pack ice remains mobile along the shorefast sea ice stretching from Wales to Shishmaref. A polyna that is roughly 5 miles wide has formed at the shorefast ice edge near Ikpek up to Shishmaref. The shorefast ice extent...

Near St. Lawrence Island Persistent southwesterly flow near St. Lawrence Island allowed close pack ice to fill in the polyna that was present along the southern coastline of the island last week. The southwesterly flow has also opened a polyna beyond the shorefast ice off the northern coastline stretching from just east of Gambell over to the eastern side of the island as seen in satellite imagery. The polyna is roughly 5 miles wide near Savoonga and up to 25 miles wide near Lietnik along the northeastern coast of the island. Beyond the polyna lies a region of close pack ice. Wales to Shishmaref Persistent southerly flow through the Bering Strait has consolidated the main pack ice of the southern Chukchi Sea to a point near Shishmaref. Open to very open pack ice remains near the Bering Strait, and a polyna, roughly 10 miles wide, has formed beyond the shorefast ice edge between Ikpek...

Near St. Lawrence Island Persistent northerly flow near St. Lawrence Island has allowed compact pack ice to close in along the northern coastline, extending 25 to 35 miles from the shoreline. Beyond the compact pack ice to the north and northwest lies a large region of open pack ice stretching to the Russian coastline up to the north near the Bering Strait. Shorefast ice remains within the barrier islands along the southern shoreline of St. Lawrence Island with a large polyna extending up to 80 miles to the south. Low concentrations of new ice may be forming within the polyna due to the cold air temperatures, and strips of broken off shorefast ice have been seen on satellite imagery along the southeast shoreline. Wales to Shishmaref The satellite view and reports from the field suggest that shorefast ice remains stable at this time along the northwest Seward Peninsula, however the ice...