National Ice Center—Area of Interest

National Ice Center

The National Ice Center (NIC) is a multiagency sea ice analysis center operated by the U.S. Navy, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the U.S. Coast Guard. The NIC's mission is to meet the strategic, operational, and tactical requirements of U.S. interests globally.

This year-round responsibility encompasses the polar regions and surrounding marine areas subject to sea ice. In the Arctic, this includes areas as far south as the Bay of Fundy and the Yellow Sea, which lie at about 45 degrees and 35 degrees north latitude, respectively. The Antarctic area of responsibility includes the entire ocean south of 50-degree south latitude except in the immediate vicinity of South America. Ice is also mapped in the Great Lakes and Chesapeake/Delaware Bay regions during the annual ice season. In total, NIC is responsible for mapping sea and lake ice covering more than 20,500,000 square nautical miles.

Courtesy of National Ice Center.

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