The 2020 June Sea Ice Outlook (SIO) Report is now available online. For the pan-Arctic, the median June Outlook value for September 2020 sea-ice extent is 4.33 million square kilometers, with quartiles of 4.06 and 4.59 million square kilometers. The median is close to the 2019 June Outlook, of 4.40 million square kilometers, and to the observed 2019 September sea-ice extent of 4.32 million square kilometers.
Submission Deadline for the 2020 Sea Ice Outlook July Report (based on May & June data): 6:00 p.m. (AKDT) Monday, 13 July 2020. Find guidelines for contributions here.
The SIO, a product of the Sea Ice Prediction Network–Phase 2 (SIPN2), provides an open process for those interested in Arctic sea ice to share predictions and ideas. The monthly reports contain a variety of perspectives—from advanced numerical models to qualitative perspectives from citizen scientists. The Outlook is not an operational forecast.
For the 2020 June report, 33 contributions were received that included pan-Arctic predictions. Of those contributions, eight included predictions for pan-Antarctic and the Alaska Region. Additionally, we received 13 submissions of sea-ice probability and ten submissions of first ice-free date. New this year, the report includes ice-free conditions for the Hudson Bay region; the September sea-ice concentration contour in the Fram Strait region, motivated by the MOSAiC expedition; and we invited contributors to submit initial conditions (sea-ice concentration and sea-ice thickness) of their forecasts to better understand how observations are being used in forecasts.
Further information about the SIO
For questions, please contact Betsy Turner-Bogren, ARCUS (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
