In this study we investigate the relationship of the atmospheric circulation and thesea-ice distribution in the Laptev Sea in the summers 1979 to 1996. Sea-ice datafrom passive-microwave radiometers, global atmospheric data analyses, cyclonestatistics and simulations of the regional climate model HIRHAM4 were analysed tofind out if periods of reduced or increased sea-ice concentrations are linked tosynoptic patterns (circulation anomalies, cyclone activity).A canonical correlation analysis between Arctic sea level pressure and sea iceconcentration anomalies confirms large-scale relationships among these variables.We did not find a simple relationship between sea-ice area anomalies and cycloneactivity in the Laptev Sea area.