Huge area of open water on Hudson Bay created by wind, not ice melt, NSIDC experts confirm
Posted on June 9, 2024
Sea ice experts at the US National Snow and Ice Data Center just confirmed my suspicion that the huge area of open water in eastern Hudson Bay during May this year was caused by winds, not ice melt. In other words, it’s a rare occurrence but not a sign of extra-early sea ice melt caused by global warming.
Money quote: “Unusual strong and persistent winds from the east caused the low extent.”
May sea ice Hudson Bay
From the NSIDC report (June 4), a NASA image of Hudson Bay taken 26 May 2024:
The graph below is from the same report, showing the “unprecedented” (since 1979 only) nature of this wind-driven event:
The Canadian Ice Service shows this in regional context for the first week of June in their stage of development chart (i.e. ice thickness, where medium green is 70-120 cm thick, dark green 120-200 cm or more):
https://polarbearscience.com/2024/06/09/huge-area-of-open-water-on-hudson-bay-created-by-wind-not-ice-melt-nsidc-experts-confirm/
