Publication Date May 23, 2017 | NOAA Climate.gov

Low sea ice in the Chukchi Sea off Alaska

United States

Sea ice this spring in the Chukchi Sea, off northwest Alaska, is breaking up and melting earlier and much more extensively than is typical for May. While small areas of open water in this region during mid-May are normal, it appears to be unprecedented in the satellite era to have this much open water north of 68°N latitude (Point Hope) at this time of year.