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Products Available - Ice Models

Ice models are computer simulations of ice movement and development, starting from information obtained from various sources (reconnaissance aircraft, satellite images, ship reports, floating buoys, on-site observations, etc.).

Ice models help predict the changing conditions of the ice cover in the country's ice-covered waters. Because of the complexity of the atmosphere and ocean environments, only short-term forecasts are possible - typically 24 to 48 hours into the future.

Ice Concentration Charts

These charts represent the daily predictions of ice concentration forecast up to 48 hours into the future. These charts are based on output from the Community Ice-Ocean Model (CIOM), the most sophisticated sea-ice model in use by CIS and developed mainly by the Bedford Institute of Oceanography.

Initial ice conditions are based on CIS daily ice charts and the model is run daily at 1800 Universal Co-ordinated Time (UTC). Forecast ice concentrations are provided throughout the ice season to help users plan the next day's activities.

The ice concentrations are represented by the contour lines of uniform ice concentration at intervals of importance to navigation. The following colours represent the sea-ice concentration contours:

Period of availability: daily during the ice season.

Ocean Current Velocity Charts

These charts represent the daily predictions of near-surface ocean currents up to 48 hours into the future. These charts are based on output from the Community Ice-Ocean Model (CIOM).

These predicted ocean currents have evolved from climatological oceanographic data provided by the BIO. The highest data resolution remains in southern Canadian ocean areas. These charts are provided year round to help users plan the next day's activities.

The vectors represent near-surface ocean current speeds by the arrow length:

Period of availability: year round.

Ice Trajectory Charts

These charts represent the daily predictions of sea-ice motion up to 48 hours into the future, beginning at 18 UTC. They are also based on output from the Community Ice-Ocean Model (CIOM). Data from the previous day or 24 hours prior to the model run is used to start this chart.

The sea-ice trajectories are derived from the model predictions of ice velocity and they do not incorporate the effect of ice melt.

These charts are prepared daily during the ice season to help users plan the next day's activities.

The vectors represent ice speed by the arrow length:

Period of availability: daily during the ice season.