Winter Arctic sea ice extent dips to new 34-year low: data centre

Arctic sea ice extent for Feb. 25 was 14.54 million sq. km. The orange line shows the 1981 to 2010 median extent for that day. The black cross indicates the geographic North Pole. (IMAGE COURTESY OF THE NSIDC)

This year’s maximum Arctic sea ice extent occurred early — and it’s also the lowest level recorded in the satellite record, which goes back more than 30 years.

That was the judgement March 19 from the Colorado-based National Snow and Ice Data Centre.

However, a late season surge in ice growth is still possible, the NSIDC said, even if it now appears unlikely that the growth could surpass the extent reached Feb. 25.

On Feb. 25, satellite images showed that Arctic sea ice extent appeared to have reached its annual maximum extent, marking the beginning of the sea ice melt season.

Then, the ice measured in at 14.54 million square kilometres — a lot, but still the lowest in the satellite record, with below-average ice conditions everywhere except in the Labrador Sea and Davis Strait.

The maximum Arctic sea ice extent came in at 1.10 million sq. km. below the 1981 to 2010 average of 15.64 million sq. km. and 130,000 sq. km below the previous lowest maximum recorded in 2011.

As well, this year’s maximum took place 15 days earlier than the 1981 to 2010 average date of March 12.

The date of the maximum has varied considerably over the years, occurring as early as Feb. 24 in 1996 and as late as April 2 in 2010, the NSIDC said.

But a record low sea ice maximum extent does not necessarily lead to a record low summer time minimum extent.

“The winter maximum gives you a head start, but the minimum is so much more dependent on what happens in the summer that it seems to wash out anything that happens in the winter,” said Walt Meier from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center said in a March 19 release.

The news of the new low winter maximum nonetheless prompted Greenpeace to issue a statement late March 19 calling for “immediate action” to curb climate change.

“This news comes as a glaring reminder that our climate is changed and we need to take immediate action to alter this course,” said Greenpeace’s Farrah Khan.

“Offshore oil drilling will only aggravate the already fragile Arctic environment and lead to inevitable oil spills that could destroy Arctic coastlines while at the same time expediting climate change. Such grim news will only be welcomed by the Harper government and Big Oil executives who are eyeing this delicate region with dollar signs in their eyes.”

This NASA video shows the Arctic sea ice freeze cycle from October through this year’s apparent winter maximum on Feb. 25.