Polar bear habitat update at mid-August
2 days ago
From Polar Bear Science
Oddly, after light winter ice coverage on Canada’s east coast and a slightly earlier sea ice breakup on Hudson Bay, the Arctic melt season has stalled. That’s not my opinion but the observation of the sea ice experts at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC):
Sea ice loss during the first half of August stalled, though ice in the Beaufort Sea is finally starting to weaken. The Northern Sea Route appears closed off in 2021, despite being open each summer since 2008.
Overall, ice coverage is well above what it was in 2012 (the lowest September extent since 1979) and many years since:
Russia and the Northern Sea route
No getting through that ice, shown below at 19 August 2021 closeup (NSIDC MASIE):
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2021/08/21/polar-bear-habitat-update-at-mid-august/
