Arctic sea ice reaches 2008 minimum

The National Snow and Ice Data Center has announced that the Arctic sea ice appears to have reached its minimum extent for 2008.

“On Sept. 12, 2008 sea ice extent dropped to 4.52 million square kilometers (1.74 million square miles),” the data center reported. “This appears to have been the lowest point of the year, as sea (ice) has now begun its annual cycle of growth in response to autumn cooling.”

The 2008 extent is the second lowest since the era of reliable satellite ice monitoring began in 1979. The lowest extent, an area of 1.59 million square miles, occurred in September 2007. Especially high rates of sea ice melting in August of this year had led to speculation that the 2008 ice extent might drop below the 2007 record.

—Alan Bailey