Images
June 11, 2026 - Spring Melt in Foxe Basin
Tweet
The seasonal melting of sea ice combined with dramatic clouds created a near-surreal image of Foxe Basin on June 10, 2026, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image.
Fast sea ice surrounds numerous islands in Foxe Basin, including the near-oval Prince Charles Island and, to the east, Air Force Island. Fragments of broken and melting sea ice float on top of strikingly blue open water, primarily in the north. Puffy streaks of white cloud are oriented on a northwest-to-southeast axis, adding texture to the springtime scene.
The seasonal melting of sea ice across the central Arctic Ocean and surrounding basins peaks in July, the region’s warmest month, and is well underway by mid-June. Foxe Basin sits off the west coast of Baffin Island in Nunavut, Canada and measures about 250 miles (400 km) at its widest point. Hudson Bay lies to the south, connected to the basin by Foxe Channel and additional waterways within the Canadian Arctic Archipelago lie to the west. Formation of the winter’s sea ice typically begins in October and begins to melt by late may or early June.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 6/10/2026
Resolutions:
1km (99.1 KB), 500m (277.9 KB), 250m (622.9 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
The seasonal melting of sea ice combined with dramatic clouds created a near-surreal image of Foxe Basin on June 10, 2026, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image.
Fast sea ice surrounds numerous islands in Foxe Basin, including the near-oval Prince Charles Island and, to the east, Air Force Island. Fragments of broken and melting sea ice float on top of strikingly blue open water, primarily in the north. Puffy streaks of white cloud are oriented on a northwest-to-southeast axis, adding texture to the springtime scene.
The seasonal melting of sea ice across the central Arctic Ocean and surrounding basins peaks in July, the region’s warmest month, and is well underway by mid-June. Foxe Basin sits off the west coast of Baffin Island in Nunavut, Canada and measures about 250 miles (400 km) at its widest point. Hudson Bay lies to the south, connected to the basin by Foxe Channel and additional waterways within the Canadian Arctic Archipelago lie to the west. Formation of the winter’s sea ice typically begins in October and begins to melt by late may or early June.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 6/10/2026
Resolutions:
1km (99.1 KB), 500m (277.9 KB), 250m (622.9 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
