Images
December 12, 2021 - Ice forming on Hudson Bay
Tweet
On December 9, 2021, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a true-color image of ice forming off the north-western shore of Hudson Bay. Fast ice clings to the shore and extends for more than 90 miles (145 km) eastward over the blue waters of the Bay.
Each winter, as daylight decreases and temperatures plummet, Hudson Bay freezes over. Ice-up typically begins by mid-November and tends to proceed rapidly. This year, despite earlier-than-average ice-up over much of the Arctic, the start of ice formation on Hudson Bay has been delayed by a few weeks, mostly likely due to lingering warm temperatures. Once frozen, Hudson Bay becomes a key habitat for migrating polar bears, which spend much of their time on the ice until it starts to melt again around June.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 12/8/2021
Resolutions:
1km (870 KB), 500m (2.4 MB), 250m (1.9 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
On December 9, 2021, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a true-color image of ice forming off the north-western shore of Hudson Bay. Fast ice clings to the shore and extends for more than 90 miles (145 km) eastward over the blue waters of the Bay.
Each winter, as daylight decreases and temperatures plummet, Hudson Bay freezes over. Ice-up typically begins by mid-November and tends to proceed rapidly. This year, despite earlier-than-average ice-up over much of the Arctic, the start of ice formation on Hudson Bay has been delayed by a few weeks, mostly likely due to lingering warm temperatures. Once frozen, Hudson Bay becomes a key habitat for migrating polar bears, which spend much of their time on the ice until it starts to melt again around June.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 12/8/2021
Resolutions:
1km (870 KB), 500m (2.4 MB), 250m (1.9 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
