Mid-December polar bear habitat update

Compared to last year, polar bear habitat at 15 December 2021 is way up in the Barents and Bering Seas but way down in Hudson Bay but nothing any polar bear has to worry about.

Here’s what the ice charts look like.

Global sea ice

2021 at 15 December (12.1 mkm2):

Last year on the same date (11.7 mkm2):

Graphically, 2021 vs. the last four years (for regions that are not completely iced over):

Sea Ice in Canada

Hudson Bay ice anomaly for the week of 13 December (red is less ice than usual):

Hudson Bay stage of development for the week of 13 December 2021:

Compare above to Hudson Bay ice in 2020 at 15 December:

Last year’s Hudson Bay anomaly for the week of 14 December (blue is more ice than usual):

Chukchi and Bering Seas

This year at 14 December:

Last year at 14 December (2020):

Barents and Kara Seas

This year at 15 December:

Last year at 15 December (2020), which shows the low levels in the Kara Sea as well (upper right):