Sea-ice forecasts

The sea ice in the Arctic Ocean affects both wildlife and human activities in the region. We have developed two model tools that produce forecasts for the Arctic and North Atlantic, TOPAZ and neXtSIM-F.

TOPAZ can be used for forecasts about both sea-ice and ocean conditions, while neXtSIM-F, based on the neXtSIM model, is only used for sea-ice forecasts. We produce daily alerts that reach nine days into the future. By including data from satellites and weather forecasting models in the calculation processes, the forecasts become more precise.

The forecasts provide an understanding of the situation and can form the basis for calculating future conditions in the Arctic, such as sea- ice extent, – type, – operation, and – thickness, as well as the snow depth on the sea ice. Alongside the ordinary forecasts available via the Copernicus Marine Service, we can produce more detailed forecasts for smaller geographical areas, depending on need.

For more information, contact research leader Einar Ólason.

Datasets

For access to visualised forecasts that show analyses and forecasts of sea ice in northern regions and the Arctic Ocean from neXtSIM, go to Copernicus

Datasets

For access to visualised forecasts that show analyses and forecasts of ocean conditions in northern regions and the Arctic Ocean from TOPAZ, go to Copernicus