Standing at the Brink: The Upcoming Winter and What it Means for Western Alaska Sea Ice

Speaking: Rick Thoman, Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy

This presentation will review the current and forecast state of the oceans and atmosphere and provide several scenarios for the winter and spring with an emphasis on sea ice.

The winter of 2017-18 brought record late freeze-up and extremely low sea ice cover to the southern Chukchi and Bering Seas with dramatic impacts to the ecosystem this past summer. Naturally, inquiring minds want a heads-up on the upcoming season. This presentation will review the current and forecast state of the oceans and atmosphere and provide several scenarios for the winter and spring with an emphasis on sea ice.