Susan Crockford
A broad band of sea ice is jammed up against the western shore of Hudson Bay, hanging on despite warm mid-July temperatures. Its unusual thickness suggests it won’t be gone anytime soon, which means most Western Hudson Bay polar bears will likely remain offshore for at least a few more weeks.
The dark blue in the “departure from normal” chart below shows just how unusual this phenomenon is for the northern reaches of Hudson Bay:
Sea ice thickness
For the week of 15 July 2024, sea ice on Hudson Bay is still at least 1m thick (medium green) but up to 2m thick in places (dark green). The thickest ice extends into Foxe Basin to the north:
Polar bears on ice
Bears tagged by University of Alberta researchers are almost all still on the ice — only two have come ashore so far:
As I remarked last week, it’s getting harder and harder for polar bear specialists to ignore the fact that their assumptions about sea ice concentration and polar bear behaviour during the ice-melt season was flat-out wrong. This year, some WH bears could again remain on the ice until August, despite what has been, on paper, the earliest breakup year on record for Hudson Bay sea ice.
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W. Hudson Bay sea ice not going away anytime soon
Bear with us…
Every year has its idiosyncrasies
It’s almost as if bears have minds of their own and don’t read the literature.
They used to sell sweets before they were told about the evils of capitalism
“it’s getting harder and harder for polar bear specialists to ignore the fact that their assumptions about sea ice concentration and polar bear behaviour during the ice-melt season was flat-out wrong”
Time to put some pressure on them about this? Ask them to explain why their prophecies were wrong? I know nothing about this topic- but for one thing- if humans don’t kill the bears, they’ll be thriving.
“”“it’s getting harder and harder for polar bear specialists””
But not impossible.
From the perspective of their careers it is impossible to NOT ignore the fact that their assumptions about sea ice concentration and polar bear behaviour during the ice-melt season were flat-out wrong
That’s where a poker face comes in.
“…flat-out wrong.” Nice to see real science and have to wonder how many research topics don’t get treated like this as they should and if they did would they survive. There are a few, but based on a random search of two, one was not too bad but one ended like this–“…. information and knowledge on environmental thresholds is a further critical component to management success.” Gee, I didn’t know that!! It took 12 authors from three continents with dozens of references to teach or is it preach this.
It’s the Bears’ Choice….
That’s why they shouldn’t have guns.
Surely that’s the [future] simians?
I see what you did there. I used to have that album.
“polar bears will likely remain offshore for at least a few more weeks.“
Sort of a summer vacation at the beach.
Once again, is it bears or the seals that need the sea ice?
MASIE Hudson Bay sea ice.
Yes, it started to clear early, but is now back near “normal”
I’m a chemist and had a career as an industrial research manager. It’s incredible that academic scientists cannot accept that their theory is wrong after the data comes in. I lived with this my whole career. You’re not a scientist when the data rebukes your theory and refuse to accept it
The temperature above the 80th parallel in summer does not rise and will fall as the angle of the Earth’s axis decreases.
Dear Ireneusz – it’s so good to find someone else fond of this Danish(?) graph. Everyone note that it’s 80North plus, that since 1958 the Arctic had risen to a frightening degree and a half positive C for about a month every year without trend or change. Otherwise freezing. So where’s this warming Arctic? Couple spikes in winter months but still very sub zero.
These spikes over the pole in winter are frost waves in mid-latitudes.
7th of June the dooming is coming-
Global heating to cut Australian ski season, report warns | Watch (msn.com)
July dooming for bushwalkers-
Polar outbreak hitting eastern Australia to bring most snowfall in two years across NSW over next 24 hours – ABC News
Chaotic scenes at ski fields as heavy snowfall sparks safety warnings (yahoo.com)
Cold front moving across Australia’s south-east forecast to bring strong winds, hail, rain and snow – ABC News