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Animation of the Seasonal Change of Sea Ice
Formation of sea ice begins in mid-September in the Canadian Arctic and advances southward through the onset of winter. Sea ice begins to form in the St. Lawrence estuary around January 1st and advances from coastal inlets into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Sea ice in Canada normally reaches a maximum extent at the beginning of March. At that time, sea ice is usually present in coastal waters of Canada except for those of British Columbia where warm ocean currents from the south prevent the formation of sea ice.
Decay or melt of sea ice begins in the spring in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and over East Newfoundland waters and retreats northward towards the Labrador coast. In June openings appear in the northern portion of Baffin Bay and along the Western coast of Greenland which progress eastward and southward during June and July. During that time the Beaufort Sea begins to show signs of break-up while clearing is 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.
