Break-up of Sea Ice

View this map

---

Abstract

The typical retreat of the sea ice cover from the late winter to late summer is shown on this map. Sea ice is any form of ice that is found at sea and has originated from the freezing of seawater. Melting of sea ice begins in spring in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and East Newfoundland, retreating northward towards the Labrador coast. In June openings appear in Baffin Bay and the Beaufort Sea, while clearing is already underway in Hudson Bay. Break-up continues throughout the summer months, reaching a minimum extent around mid-September.

---

Break-up of Sea Ice shows the typical retreat of the sea ice cover from late winter (mid-March) to late summer (mid-September) on a bi-weekly basis. The dates shown in the legend of the map indicate the extent of the sea ice cover at those dates.

Map Description

Decay or melt of sea ice begins in spring in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and over East Newfoundland waters, retreating northward towards the Labrador coast. June openings appear in the northern portion of Baffin Bay and along the western coast of Greenland, progressing eastward and southward during June and July. During that time the Beaufort Sea begins to show signs of break-up while clearing is already underway in Hudson Bay.

Break-up continues throughout the summer months, reaching a minimum extent around mid-September, after which freeze-up begins through the remainder of September.

[D]
Click for larger version, 70 KB
Polar bear on ice in Beaufort Sea mid-winter

Sea Ice Animations

Two animations are created for sea ice. Each animation was presented in two different formats: flash and html. The Atlas of Canada relies on Macromedia’s technology for the delivery of multimedia content. The Atlas of Canada media player will attempt to detect whether you have the necessary software installed, and will give you notice if you do not. In order to play the animations in flash, you must install the Macromedia Flash Player. Installation instructions on Macromedia Flash Player are available at Macromedia Web site.

• Animation of the Minimum Extent of Sea Ice 1969 to 1998 presents the variation of the minimum extent of ice between each year for the period 1969 to 1998, with a concentration of 9/10 or greater. A concentration of 9/10 corresponds to at least 90% of the water which is covered by ice. flash or html
• Animation of the Seasonal Change of Sea Ice presents a normal ice season in Canadian waters by showing the normal evolution of sea ice throughout the course of a year. The animation does not reflect any real observed sea ice season, but rather a 30-year statistical compilation. flash or html