NSIDC Update 9/4/07 - Arctic Ice Coverage 900K KM2 Below Record: August Time Series Shows Collapse

[hatrack]

Figure 1: Sea ice extent for for September 3, 2007



4 September 2007
Overview of current sea ice conditions
Sea ice extent continues to decline, and is now at 4.42 million square kilometers (1.70 million square miles), falling yet further below the record absolute minimum of 5.32 million square kilometers (2.05 million square miles) that occurred on September 20–21, 2005.

Figure 2: Summer melt season Arctic sea ice extent



Current sea ice conditions in context

Figure 2 is the updated time series of daily ice extent for 2007, which can be compared to the time series for 2005 and to the 1979 to 2000 average. Compared to conditions cited in our last entry, we have lost an additional 360,000 square kilometers (138,000 square miles) of ice, an area larger than the size of the state of New Mexico. We noted in our last entry that the daily rate of ice loss was starting to slow; the loss rate has increased again, as Figure 2 shows.

Figure 3: August time series of monthly average ice extent



August in review

Many scientists prefer to look at monthly average sea ice extent, rather than daily extent values, because looking at an average of many numbers lends more confidence to the overall picture. Put another way, an average is more reliable than a single daily value.

Figure 3 provides a time-series of monthly average sea ice extent from August 1979 to August 2007. The low ice extent for August 2007 stands out sharply compared to all previous Augusts. The August 2007 monthly average extent was 5.32 million square kilometers (2.05 million square miles), falling well below August 2005 extent, which was 6.30 million square kilometers (2.42 million square miles). Additionally, August 2007 ice extent is 31% below the long-term average of 7.67 million square kilometers (2.95 million square miles).

Even more stunning is that the August 2007 monthly average is the lowest extent in the satellite record for any month, including any previous September, which is typically the lowest month each year. September 2005, the previous record, had a monthly mean extent of 5.56 million square kilometers (2.14 million square miles).

August 2007 sea ice extent was lower than September 2005 extent by 240,000 square kilometers (92,000 square miles).

(Ed. - italics in original)

EDIT

http://nsidc.org/news/press/2007_seaiceminimum/20070810_index.html

[phantom power]

1. I have a feeling that this year, the minimum will occur in October.

[truebrit71]

2. Bloody hell!!

That is some scary stuff....

[XemaSab]

3. Thanks for the update.

:)