As a consequence of a diminishing sea ice cover in the Arctic, activity
is on the rise. The position of the sea ice edge, which is generally
taken to define the extent of the ice cover, changes in response to
dynamic and thermodynamic processes. Forecasts for sea ice expansion due
to an advancing ice edge will provide information that can be of
significance for operations in polar regions. However, the value of this
information depends on the quality of the forecasts. Here, we present
methods for examining the quality of forecasted sea ice expansion and
the geographic location where the largest expansion are expected from
the forecast results. The algorithm is simple to implement, and an
examination of two years of model results and accompanying observations
demonstrates the usefulness of the analysis.