Publication Date February 4, 2016 | Weather Underground

Absurd January Warmth in Arctic Brings Record-Low Sea Ice Extent

Greenland
Departures from average in Arctic sea ice extent for January, 1979-2016. Image credit: NSIDC
Departures from average in Arctic sea ice extent for January, 1979-2016. Image credit: NSIDC

This winter’s freezing season in the Arctic is falling short. The extent of Arctic sea ice this week is hovering near record-low values for early February, based on observations that extend back to the start of satellite monitoring in 1979. Data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) shows that last month had the lowest overall Arctic sea ice extent of any January in the satellite record.