Alaska Sea Ice

MODIS-Terra image courtesy of the University of Alaska

I've been waiting for a good clear sky MODIS image to see the extent of sea ice off the North Slope, and here it is. This image is from 2pm ADT Thursday, and practically all that blue-white area north of the coast is sea ice. The ice edge is still south of 71N in the Chukchi Sea, but notice the large holes in the ice northwest of Barrow, north of 72N. Look for a rapid retreat of the ice edge over the next couple weeks as these holes grow and coalesce.

Courtesy UAF Sea Ice group

Left is the view Thursday afternoon (almost exactly the same time as the MODIS image) from Barrow, looking north-northwest. A real chamber of commerce day.