In recent years there have been historic sea ice level lows in the Arctic, but the Antarctic has mostly been “on trend”. Over the last year, though, both polar zones have have had low extents relative to the time of year.

As of this week the sea ice extent in the Antarctic is at its lowest level ever recorded. Normally the yearly minimum would be some time in late February or early March, but there is still a strong rate of decrease, which indicates that the minimum will be quite a way below its current level of 2.26 million sq km, perhaps slightly below 2.2 million sq km.

dv said:

In recent years there have been historic sea ice level lows in the Arctic, but the Antarctic has mostly been “on trend”. Over the last year, though, both polar zones have have had low extents relative to the time of year.

As of this week the sea ice extent in the Antarctic is at its lowest level ever recorded. Normally the yearly minimum would be some time in late February or early March, but there is still a strong rate of decrease, which indicates that the minimum will be quite a way below its current level of 2.26 million sq km, perhaps slightly below 2.2 million sq km.

I put a nice map into the chat thread a few day showing where the median ice shuld be and where it is at present…

sarahs mum said:

I put a nice map into the chat thread a few day showing where the median ice shuld be and where it is at present…

Pretty stark, isn’t it? The whole Marie Byrd Land coast is clear.

Trump will make it great again and Turnbull will not answer any questions about it.

roughbarked said:

Trump will make it great again and Turnbull will not answer any questions about it.

The polar bears will hate it.

mollwollfumble said:

roughbarked said:

Trump will make it great again and Turnbull will not answer any questions about it.

The polar bears will hate it.

they’ve never really liked antarctica.

dv said:

In recent years there have been historic sea ice level lows in the Arctic, but the Antarctic has mostly been “on trend”. Over the last year, though, both polar zones have have had low extents relative to the time of year.

As of this week the sea ice extent in the Antarctic is at its lowest level ever recorded. Normally the yearly minimum would be some time in late February or early March, but there is still a strong rate of decrease, which indicates that the minimum will be quite a way below its current level of 2.26 million sq km, perhaps slightly below 2.2 million sq km.

Update on this, the minimum extent ended up being 2.106 million sq km.

Global sea ice extent got down to 16.1 sq km this season, below the previous minimum during the era of satellite observations, which was 16.8 sq km.

dv said:

dv said:

In recent years there have been historic sea ice level lows in the Arctic, but the Antarctic has mostly been “on trend”. Over the last year, though, both polar zones have have had low extents relative to the time of year.

As of this week the sea ice extent in the Antarctic is at its lowest level ever recorded. Normally the yearly minimum would be some time in late February or early March, but there is still a strong rate of decrease, which indicates that the minimum will be quite a way below its current level of 2.26 million sq km, perhaps slightly below 2.2 million sq km.

Update on this, the minimum extent ended up being 2.106 million sq km.

!https://s16.postimg.org/vqqxdupp1/ANTARCTICSEAICEEXTENT.png

Hmmm. Lowest area by a lot.

dv said:

Global sea ice extent got down to 16.1 million sq km this season, below the previous minimum during the era of satellite observations, which was 16.8 million sq km.

!https://s18.postimg.org/vr5f0ib21/GLOBALSEAICE.png

Fixed. My emphasis.