This forecast was made by specialists from the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, the institute’s press service reported. His ice forecast for the first half of the navigation (from June to August), drawn up in March and updated in June, was fully confirmed.
“In the second half of the sailing season, ice conditions will be light in most seas along the Northern Sea Route. But in the north-eastern part of the Kara Sea, the eastern part of the East Siberian Sea and the Chukchi Sea in the southwest, can be described as medium. Drift ice will remain, but overall conditions will be quite good,” said Alexander Makarov, director of the institute.
Until the end of October there will be clean water in the southeast of the Barents Sea and in the southwestern part of the Kara Sea. Ice is expected to form here in late October or early November. This is later than normal. Also later than usual, ice will appear in the Laptev Sea and in the western part of the East Siberian Sea. This will happen in the period beginning in mid-October.
The scientists promise to publish a long-term forecast for the first year-round winter sailing season along the Northern Sea Route by the end of November. All forecasts will be quickly updated based on the results of continuous monitoring.
