Sea ice melt adds less-saline water to the surface ocean. This creates vertical gradients in salinity, temperature, and partial pressures of carbon dioxide (pCO₂). The concentration difference of pCO₂ across the air-ocean boundary is used to estimate gas transfer. Thus, the depth that we measure will impact our estimates. Similar patterns were observed in multiple Arctic fjords years apart, suggesting these vertical gradients may be common during the spring melt season.