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Arctic sea ice in July at record low average extent

Published: August 3rd, 2011 08:16 AM
Last Modified: August 3rd, 2011 11:36 AM

The average extent of Arctic sea ice in July was the lowest ever for the month, according to a report from the National Snow and Ice Data Center. Furthermore, notes the Treehugger website, the oldest, thickest ice continues to melt away. The NSIDC said the melt-off was slowing in late July, but Bloomberg notes that the entire northern shipping route above Europe and Asia appears to be ice-free or nearly so and quotes the Russian government as saying there will be "very easy" shipping on the route through September.

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From the NSIDC:

Average ice extent for July 2011 was 7.92 million square kilometers (3.06 million square miles). This is 210,000 square kilometers (81,000 square miles) below the previous record low for the month, set in July 2007, and 2.18 million square kilometers (842,000 square miles) below the average for 1979 to 2000.

On July 31, 2011 Arctic sea ice extent was 6.79 million square kilometers (2.62 million square miles). This was slightly higher than the previous record low for the same day of the year, set in 2007. Sea ice coverage remained below normal everywhere except the East Greenland Sea.