Drivers of observed winter–spring sea-ice and snow thickness at a coastal site in East Antarctica

Antarctic sea ice and its snow cover play a pivotal role in regulating the global climate system through feedback on both the atmospheric and the oceanic circulations. Understanding the intricate interplay between atmospheric dynamics, mixed-layer properties, and sea ice is essential for accurate future climate change estimates. This study investigates the mechanisms behind the observed sea-ice and snow characteristics at a coastal site in East Antarctica using in situ measurements in winter–spring 2022. The observed sea-ice thickness peaks at 1.16 m in mid–late October and drops to 0.06 m at the end of November, following the seasonal solar cycle. On the other hand, the snow thickness variability is impacted by atmospheric forcing, with significant contributions from precipitation, Foehn effects, blowing snow, and episodic warm and moist air intrusions, which can lead to changes of up to 0.08 m within a day for a field that is in the range of 0.02–0.18 m during July–November 2022. A high-resolution simulation with the Polar Weather Research and Forecasting model for the 14 July atmospheric river (AR), the only AR that occurred during the study period, reveals the presence of AR rapids and highlights the effects of katabatic winds from the Antarctic Plateau in slowing down the low-latitude air masses as they approach the Antarctic coastline. The resulting convergence of the two airflows, with meridional wind speeds in excess of 45 m s⁻¹, leads to precipitation rates above 3 mm h⁻¹ around coastal Antarctica. The unsteady wind field in response to the passage of a deep low-pressure system with a central pressure that dropped to 931 hPa triggers satellite-derived pack ice drift speeds in excess of 60 km d⁻¹ and promotes the opening up of a polynya in the Southern Ocean around 64° S, 45° E from 14 to 22 July. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the complex interactions within the Antarctic climate system, providing valuable insights for climate modeling and future projections.