Arctic sea ice melts at nearly double the average rate in August, dips below 4 million square kilometers

Posted on September 6, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

The graph above shows Arctic sea ice extent as of September 3, 2012, along with daily ice extent data for the previous five years. 2012 is shown in blue, 2011 in orange, 2010 in pink, 2009 in navy, 2008 in purple, and 2007 in green. The 1979 to 2000 average is in dark gray. The gray area around this average line shows the two standard deviation range of the data. Sea Ice Index data. Graphic courtesy NSIDC.

August extent just half of the average levels recorded in the 1980s and 1990s

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT VOICE — For the first time in the modern satellite record, Arctic sea ice extent has dropped below 4 million square kilometers, marking a 45 percent reduction from the levels recorded in the 1980s and 1990s.

The National Snow and Ice Data Center said the ice extent may shrink for another week or so before the Arctic region starts to cool off, leading to a renewed cycle of freezing.

During most of August, the ice extent remained well below the levels of 2007, when the previous record low was set. The only place where sea ice remained near its average long-term extent was along the east coast of Greenland. (more…)

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Global warming: Arctic sea ice hits record low

Posted on August 27, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

The blue line shows this year’s Arctic sea ice decline. Graph courtesy NSIDC.

With three more weeks of melting, this year’s decline likely to far exceed previous record

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — The ice trackers at the National Snow and Ice Data Center said today (Aug. 27) that Arctic Sea Ice appears to have dropped below the record low set in 2007 with a few more weeks left in the melt season.

Arctic sea ice coverage fell to 1.58 million square miles on Aug. 26, about 27,000 square miles below the Sept. 18, 2007 minimum. Forecasters expect the ice pack to shrink more before the melting season ends in late September.

Including this year, the six lowest ice extents in the satellite record have occurred in the last six years (2007 to 2012).

Sea ice melting was on an equal pace with 2007 throughout much of July. In early August, the rate increased dramatically, then slowed again, to about 29,000 square miles (about the size of South Carolina) per day, which is still faster than the average melt rate of about 15,000 square miles per day for this time of year. (more…)

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Arctic sea ice tracks near record low in July

Posted on July 31, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Arctic sea ice extent has been tracking near record low levels much of the summer.

Melting slowed down during second half of the month

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Arctic sea continued to track at or near record low levels throughout July, as an early start to the melt season led to large areas of open water that speed up melting in adjacent ice areas.

As of July 23, satellite images showed areas of low sea ice concentration in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas, the Canadian Archipelago, the East Greenland Sea, and north of Siberia. In the Beaufort and Chukchi seas, according to the latest update from the National Snow and Ice Data Center.

During the first half of July, sea ice reached record-low levels numerous times, but melting slowed slightly during the second half of the month as storm systems brought cooler air to the region.

Large areas of open water (called polynyas) are being reported around areas of multiyear sea ice. Low ice concentrations mean a low surface albedo, allowing for more of the sun’s energy to be absorbed, melting even more sea ice. This makes the multiyear ice in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas vulnerable to melting out this summer, according to the NSIDC.

In parts of the Barents, Kara and Laptev seas, open water extends as far north as typically seen during September, at the end of the summer melt season. Sea ice extent is near normal in the Chukchi Sea and slightly above normal in the East Greenland Sea.

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Climate: Arctic sea ice near record low

Posted on July 6, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Spring northern hemisphere snow cover extent has been dropping rapidly for 15 years.

Arctic air temps soaring well above average

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Along with the heat wave gripping a large part of the lower 48 states, some exceptional mid-June warmth in the far north helped speed Arctic sea to some record daily low levels in mid-month.

The ice extent on June 30 (3.70 million square miles) would not normally be expected until July 21, based on 1979-2000 averages. This puts extent decline three weeks ahead of schedule.

While weather patterns over the Arctic varied widely, air temperatures in the area stayed above the 1981 to 2010 average by as much as 7.2 degrees, and as much as 12.6 to 16.2 degrees above average over northern Eurasia and near southern Baffin Bay.

(more…)

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Climate: May Arctic sea ice extent dips below average

Posted on June 10, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Arctic sea ice extent dipped down toward historic low levels by the end of May. GRAPH COURTESY NATIONAL SNOW AND ICE DATA CENTER.

Average May sea ice extent has been declining by 2.3 percent per decade

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — After hovering near average in April, Arctic sea ice melted rapidly in early May, dipping to near the extent seen in 2007, when the year ended with a record low sea ice extent.

But in the monthly update, scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Center said there is little historic correlation between May levels and the extent at the end of the melt season in September.

For the month, Arctic sea ice extent averaged 5.07 million square miles, which is about 185,000 square miles below the 1979 to 2000 average. Record low sea ice extent during the satellite measurement era was in 2004. (more…)

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Climate: Arctic sea ice peaks for the season

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Thin ice formed in late season expected to melt quickly; thick, multi-year ice continues to decline

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Arctic sea ice extent peaked in late March, reaching its highest level in the past 10 years, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center’s monthly update.While sea ice extent in March was higher than in recent years, most of the ice that formed late in the season is very thin and expected to melt rapidly.

The average March sea ice extent of 5.87 million square miles is ranked ninth lowest out of the 34 years of satellite data for the month, but it was the highest March average ice extent since 2008 and one of the higher March extents in the past decade. (more…)

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