ST. PETERSBURG, April 5. /TASS/. The Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI) forecasted generally favorable ice situations for the navigation along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) in the summer navigation's first half. The ice situations may be more complicated in the Kara, East Siberian and Chukchi Seas, the institute's experts reported.
"AARI has released an ice forecast for the Russian Arctic seas in the first half of the summer navigation. Between June and August, 2023, the scientists expect moderate ice conditions in the Kara Sea's northeast, the Chukchi Sea's southwest and in the East Siberian Sea. In other parts of the Northern Sea Route's waters they expect favorable and moderate navigation conditions with tendencies towards favorable conditions," the institute's press service said commenting on the forecast.
The most favorable navigation conditions would be in the Russian Arctic's western region, in the southeastern part of the Barents Sea and in the southwestern part of the Kara Sea. In the second half of June, the ice cover there will be thawing rapidly, and in early July ice masses will disappear from significant water areas in those seas. The ice cover in the Barents Sea is expected to be less than normally.
The more difficult conditions in the northeastern part of the Kara and the western part of the East Siberian Seas are classified as moderate. Currently, there is a large ice area, and the coastal ice thickness is high (according to polar stations, the ice thickness is currently by 10-40 cm bigger than normally). Scientists expect moderate ice conditions in the Chukchi Sea's southwestern part. The coastal ice breaking between Cape Yakan and Cape Vankarem is expected four days later than normally.
The most difficult ice situation is forecasted for the East Siberian Sea's eastern part. A significant amount of two-year-old ice has remained there since the previous year. The slower melting and destruction of the ice cover, the presence of two-year-old ice in the sea may create certain difficulties in the East Siberian Sea's central coastal and eastern parts.
In the Laptev Sea, the Taymyr and Yana ice massifs in July - August are expected to be about 10% less than usually. Thus, for the first half of the navigation in the Laptev Sea's western part scientists expect an average background of ice conditions development with a tendency towards favorable, and in its eastern part - moderate with a tendency towards favorable. The destruction of ice over in the Laptev Sea's coast in the western part is expected five days earlier than usually, and in the eastern part - six days earlier than normally.
About AARI
The Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute is the world's leading scientific center to study the Earth's polar areas. The Institute carries out the entire cycle of works in high latitudes in the interests of the Russian Federation and commercial companies. The institute's scientific divisions are engaged in fundamental and applied research of climate, processes in the atmosphere, near space, marine environment and ice cover. The institute is a national operator for activities in the Arctic and Antarctic.