Tides on the NSR

(from Navigational Book 4151; translated from Russian)

Tides in the Arctic seas are mainly semidiurnal. Only in isolated areas as Proliv Karskiye Vorota, Proliv Shokal’skogo, Proliv Vil’kitskogo, Proliv Dmitriya Lapteva and some areas in the southern part of the Chukchi Sea, tides are mixed semidiurnal.

In the main part of the Kara Sea and in the Laptev Sea spring tide range is 0.2 to 0.6 m. Near Ostrov Kotel’nyy spring tide range is 0.6 to 0.8 m.

ln the main part of the East Siberian Sea the spring tide range does not exceed 0.2 - 0.3 m; only at the northern coasts of Novosibirskiye Ostrova does it reach 1.0 - 1.6 m and 0.6 - 0.8 m near Ostrov Vrangelya. In the Chukchi Sea spring tide range is 0.9 - 1.0 m at the Ostrov Vrangelya, and further to the SE it decreases to 0.2 - 0.3 m (Bering Strait region).

Neap tide range is usually 2 - 2.5 times less than the spring tide range. Semidiurnal tide period is mainly 2 to 3 days.

Oscillations of Arctic sea level in a surge is observed during active cyclone activity. When a cyclone passes from W to E its front causes surge of low level, but the rear of high level. For large parts of the Arctic coastline winds from WSW - NNE inflict high level of surge, but winds from ENE - SSW generate a low level of surge.

Maximum amplitude of the surge is observed in the eastern part of the Laptev Sea, where it reaches 7 m. In the East Siberian and Chukchi Seas surge amplitude is 3 to 4 m, and in the Kara Sea 2 to 2.5 m.

ln the vicinity of islands along the whole of the NSR surge amplitudes are less than near the continental coast and do not exceed 2 m.

Marked seasonal sea-level changes are characteristic for all Arctic seas. According to observations over a number of years a minimum sea level occurs in March - April and maximum in October and December. A noted sea-level rise occurs during annual spring floods at the mouth of Russian rivers flowing north (May and June).

Seasonal sea-level amplitude is 0.2-0.4 m; reaching 0.5 m in some years. Multi-year sea-level variations are 0.2 to 0.4 m.

State hydrographic department of the Ministry of Transport of Russian Federation, 1996, Tides on the NSR, .©