The Baltic Sea is a seasonally ice-covered marginal sea located in a densely populated area in northern Europe. Severe sea ice conditions have the potential to hinder the intense ship traffic considerably. Thus, sea ice fore- and nowcasts are regularly provided by the national weather services. Typically, the forecast comprises several ice properties that are distributed as prognostic variables, but their actual usefulness is difficult to measure, and the ship captains must determine their relative importance and relevance for optimal ship speed and safety ad hoc.
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Düsternbrooker Weg 20, Kiel, Germany; Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, Folkborgsvägen 17, Norrköping, Sweden
Recommended Citation:
Löptien U,, Axell L. Ice and AIS: Ship speed data and sea ice forecasts in the Baltic Sea[J]. Cryosphere,2014-01-01,8(6)