The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite on the NOAA-20 (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) satellite captured this image of fragmented ice in Hudson Bay on June 28, 2023. The sea ice typically melts away between June and August, and the bay begins to freeze over again in late October or November.
The ebb and flow of ice and its distribution play a vital role in the lives of many animals, especially polar bears. When there is ice in the bay, polar bears head out to hunt for ringed seals and other prey. When the ice melts, the bears retreat to shore, where they fast or feed on whatever bits of food they can find until the ice returns.
Warm weather in early June 2023 accelerated Hudson Bay’s ice breakup, according to data from the Canadian Ice Service. This left much of the bay with less ice than usual by the end of the month, especially in the western and central parts of the bay.
Image Credit: NASA/Wanmei Liang; NOAA
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