Every year, Hudson Bay cycles through periods dominated by ice and open water. Thick layers of sea ice cover most of the surface of the shallow inland sea during the winter. As longer and warmer days arrive in May and June, ice begins to thaw and break up. By August, Hudson Bay is usually ice-free. The cycle begins anew in October and November as temperatures drop. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Aqua satellite captured this view of ice breaking up on Hudson Bay on June 18, 2014. Sea ice appears white; open water is dark blue.