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This article was originally published at KNOM.org and is republished here with permission.
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NOME -- Ice on the Bering Sea has reached what would usually be considered a normal extent for this time of year, and that bodes well for Western Alaskans who are using the ice for snowmachining or subsistence purposes.
Rick Thoman, a climatologist with the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy, says as of Feb. 14, the entire Norton Sound was ice-covered, with some breaks here and there.
“And those will get moved around with the wind, but at this point we don’t really have anything that would be described as open water. And unlike the last couple of years, we have pretty thick ice in southern Norton Sound as well, and that is all a big change from the last couple of years and good news for the region.”
Significant increase in #seaice thickness in the Gulf of Anadyr & south of St. Lawrence Island (SMOS data courtesy U. Hamburg). Some increase in Norton Sound/Kuskokwim Bay too. This is all good news for Bering Sea communities. #akwx #Arctic @Climatologist49 @KNOMnews @KYUKNews pic.twitter.com/KFO8bFo96c
— Rick Thoman (@AlaskaWx) February 13, 2020
Following a stretch of several subzero days with colder wind chills, the Bering Sea near the Seward Peninsula saw a sizable boost in sea ice growth. Thoman says not only did the extent improve, so did the ice thickness.
“Over the past week, big changes in thickness with thicker ice throughout much of the area west and south of St. Lawrence Island, and that is potentially very good news for the spring subsistence activities, especially with that ice west of St. Lawrence Island in the Gulf of Anadyr.”
Thoman says it is unlikely that a stormy pattern will occur in the Bering Strait region anytime soon. But even if a storm does hit the region, the thicker sea ice will always be more resistant than last year’s ice was at this time.
It’s still important to be cautious on the ice, as conditions can quickly worsen in a small area. Thoman urges residents to use local and traditional knowledge when determining when to do their subsistence activities on the sea ice.
“Certainly we’re are in a better place than we’ve been, but conditions can change very quickly over short distances, so heads up and everyone will get through it just safe.”
The National Weather Service sea ice forecast shows lots of shore-fast ice in southern Norton Sound, with ice thickness increasing along the coast from Nome to Unalakleet.