Observed storminess patterns and trends in the circum-Arctic coastal regime

Storm event statistics for the open-water season (June-October) were extracted from the terrestrial-based observational record throughout the circumpolar coastal regime over the period 1950-2000. The Barents/ Norwegian and Kara regions exhibited an active spring/ quiet summer signature typical of the mid-latitudes. The Kara and Laptev Sea regions had a strong June peak possibly associated with early sea ice breakup. The Chukchi sector exhibited large storm power values (defined as speed(2)*duration). Storm counts declined from 1950 to 1970, shifted rapidly from 1970 to 1974 to a level of greater mean activity and greater inter-annual variability, and declined after 1988.