Cold Pool in the Bering Strait

[Niall Dollard]

I noticed this cold pool in the Bering Strait recently on various SST charts for the Bering region. SST of sub 4 C surrounded by areas 8 C and higher on all sides. (Although I note these low temps are not showing currently on Nullschool).

If we accept it is true, I wonder what dynamics are involved?  Cooler currents sliding along Russian Arctic coast and then surfacing for some reason in the Bering Strait ?

 

[vox_mundi]

The temperature reading appears to be directly over the Russian island Ostrov Ratmanova, also referred to as 'Big Diomede'.  It is the site of a Russian autonomous weather station. It may be a land based temperature.

Coincidentally, the current temperature on Big Diomede is 4°C (... 1 hour after you posted)
https://www.google.com/search?safe=strict&ei=icRdXe-_G8ec-gT3uZTQCQ&q=Big+Diomede+current+temperature+in+C&oq=Big+Diomede+current+temperature+in+C&gs_l=psy-ab.12...15469.35593..38597...0.1..0.111.709.4j3......0....1j2..gws-wiz.......0i71j0i8i30._w3sHR83UF4&ved=0ahUKEwivqKnBgJXkAhVHjp4KHfccBZoQ4dUDCAo

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/Chukchi-txu-oclc-6654394-nq-1-2-2nd-ed.jpg

[pearscot]

I actually noticed that on Monday but didn't really think anything of it. I've been following these for a while and consider them to be pretty reliable so you're certainly onto something. What does it mean? Sadly, I don't have any good guesses beyond a number of storms/wind moving thru the area.

[petm]

Is this a new or unusual feature?

From zero previous knowledge and not much research (so probably incorrect), it could be the Siberian Coastal Current or wind driven ESS surface waters. Or could simply be upwelling of one of the Pacific currents (the Bering Shelf current?) -- not sure how cold they are at depth.



https://www.weather.gov/afg/SIWO_overview



https://www.ospo.noaa.gov/Products/ocean/sst/contour/



http://psc.apl.washington.edu/HLD/Bstrait/bstrait.html#Importance


https://woostergeologists.scotblogs.wooster.edu/2018/08/08/can-heat-flow-in-ocean-models-predict-seasonal-arctic-sea-ice-retreat/

[pearscot]

It's a 'new' feature insofar as the entire north Pacific/Bearing Strait have been trending far above average this entire year. For the most part, the entire region has been a similar hue of anomalous orange/red so that's a new feature this year in terms of what we have seen in that small, specific area. In my unsubstantiated opinion, I think a lot of deep, warm water is flowing into the arctic this year, and when I see random cold pools like that I like it is driven by upwelling.