At the beginning of November JAXA/ViSHOP extent is in a “statistical tie” with 2012 for 6th lowest for the date in the satellite era:
In the continuing absence of the Alfred Wegener Institute’s Arctic sea ice concentration map, here once again is the AMSR3 based map from the University of Bremen:
Here too is the University of Bremen’s latest SMOS/SMAP “thin ice thickness” map:
Watch this space!
The Arctic sea ice refreeze has started with a bang, and JAXA/ViSHOP extent is currently 17th lowest for the date in the satellite era:
A large area of the Beaufort Sea melted late and has now refrozen swiftly:
Here’s the current AWI concentration map. Click the image so view a 2 Mb animation showing the process in detail:
With the 2026 minimum extent rapidly approaching, JAXA/ViSHOP extent is currently 12th lowest for the date in the satellite era:
Despite the falling air temperatures, the AWI concentration map is still showing plenty of open water near the North Pole:
Note also the recent increase in the area of old ice heading for oblivion via the Fram Strait:
July was once again dominated by low pressure and anomalously low temperatures over the central Arctic:
As a consequence the NSIDC monthly average extent for July was 6th lowest in their record going back to 1979:
August began with low pressure still dominant. According to the Canadian Meteorological Centre yet another cyclone bottomed out with a mean sea level pressure of 973 hPa on the 4th:
The continuing cyclonic activity has dispersed the sea ice, and JAXA extent is currently 12th lowest in their record:
The other side of the same coin is that reduced sea ice concentration is now apparent across large areas of the Central Arctic Basin:
Continue reading Facts About the Arctic in August 2026The JAXA/ViSHOP web site is currently undergoing maintenance, but here is how their 2 day average extent graph looked for June 2nd:
Extent was 3rd lowest in the JAXA record, behind 2016 and 2019.
The Alfred Wegener Institute’s sea ice concentration data shows that the Bering Sea is now largely free of sea ice, and the areas of open water in the Beaufort, Chukchi, East Siberian and Laptev Seas continue to expand:
The sea ice concentration map also shows open water in much of Lancaster Sound. Also apparent is the widespread presence of melt ponds along the southern part of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Here’s a closer, albeit somewhat cloudy, look:
Hudson Bay has fully frozen over during January. However, there is still open water north of Svalbard and in the North Water Polynya. It’s even possible to go swimming in the Nares Strait according to the latest AMSR2 concentration map from the Alfred Wegener Institute:
JAXA extent is currently 3rd lowest for the date, in a “statistical tie” with 2017:
Looking at the third dimension next, PIOMAS volume was second lowest for the date by a whisker at the end of January:
Here’s the associated sea ice thickness map:
The latest Alfred Wegener Institute sea ice concentration map shows that the Pacific side of the Central Arctic Basin is now almost completely refrozen:
On the Atlantic side of the Arctic the Kara Sea is rapidly refreezing:
However, sea ice extent in the Barents Sea and Baffin Bay is currently lowest for the date in the AMSR2 record:
Pan Arctic JAXA/ViSHOP extent is currently lowest for the date in the satellite era:
At the beginning of last month JAXA/ViSHOP extent was third lowest for the date in the satellite era. With the date of the 2025 minimum extent rapidly approaching that is no longer the case:
Whilst JAXA extent is now 10th lowest, PIOMAS volume remains second lowest for the date:
Here’s the associated thickness map. Note the change of scale from last month
Compare and contrast that map with the AWI’s sea ice concentration map, particularly in the Beaufort Sea area:
At the beginning of September JAXA/ViSHOP extent was 4th lowest for the date in the satellite era:
For much more detail on sea ice extent for the next few weeks please see the dedicated 2024 minimum thread. However, note that as extent has been flatlining sea ice area is still declining:
The latest AMSR2 sea ice concentration map from the Alfred Wegener Institute reveals that the area of thick ice in the Chukchi Sea has still not melted:
The most recent sea ice age map currently available dates from the beginning of August. Comparison with the concentration map shows that most of the remaining first year ice is highly fragmented, even close to the North Pole:
Continue reading Facts About the Arctic in September 2024At the beginning of August JAXA/ViSHOP extent is 3rd lowest for the date in the satellite era:
In 2012 extent had just started its unprecedented plunge towards the record September minimum, and 2024 seems certain to cross above the 2012 curve shortly. However, the latest AMSR2 sea ice concentration map from the Alfred Wegener Institute reveals areas of open water across the majority of the Central Arctic Basin:
In particular the sea ice between the North Pole and northern Greenland is remarkably fragmented:
