April 21, 2003
Summary authors & editors: Jim Foster; Norman Kuring
This SeaWiFS image of the Bering Sea (lower center) was taken in early April, 2003 and shows both cloud formations and the incipient stages of ice break up. The west coast of Alaska is at the upper right, and a portion of northeastern Siberia is at upper left. The bottom half of the image is dominated by clouds from storm systems in the Bering Sea and the Aleutian Islands, however, the top portion of the image is relatively cloud-free, permitting observations of the sea surface to be made. While the pack-ice is still solid and unbroken in the Chukchi Sea (top center), it's beginning to deteriorate along the west coast of Alaska and in the northern reaches of the Bering Sea. Note that much of the snow has melted in southwestern Alaska (brown hues). This past winter was unusually mild across the northwestern part of North Anerica. America's largest state.