The First Day of Drift Ice
The Abashiri Local Meteorological Observatory announced that on Jan. 13 this year’s first drift ice had been spotted off the coast of Abashiri.
Abashiri is located at 44 degrees north latitude, and the shores of Okhotsk are the southernmost point where the ocean freezes.
In Japan, drift ice can be seen floating across the Okhotsk Sea, which is located in the northeastern part of Japan.
When the naked eye perceives the ice to have surpassed the horizon, it is the First Day of Drift Ice. The ice came 8 days earlier than usual this year.
The ice originates from the Amur River in Russia and then drifts through the Sea of Okhotsk to reach Hokkaido.
Drift ice season is from January to March, with its peak in February.
The Ice drifts through the Sea of Okhotsk to reach Hokkaido typically in mid January to early February before disappearing again around mid March to early April.
Please come to see the drift ice by all means!
