Posted by CypressTX on 5/7/2009, 6:23 am, in reply to "Early Arctic Melt?"

the decline rate slowed quite a bit in April per this - but still it's a "decline rate" http://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/ "Conditions in context The decline rate for the month of April was the third slowest on record. The Arctic lost sea ice cover at a rate of 27,300 square kilometers per day (10,500 square miles), compared to an average of 41,600 square kilometers (16,000 square miles) per day for 1979 to 2000. Ice extent was well above normal in the Bering Sea, but below normal in the Barents Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk. For the past few years, Arctic sea ice extent for most months has been more than two standard deviations below the 1979 to 2000 mean, particularly in summer. Two standard deviations provide an estimate of the expected range of natural variability. Because of cooler than average temperatures, Arctic sea ice extent at the end of April 2009 was within the expected range of natural variability." --Previous Message-- : This might just be an aberration of the : imagery equipment, but it may also be an : indication of an early melt of sea ice in : the Arctic. : : If these images are valid then the 2009 : melting of Arctic ice is starting at least : one week earlier than the last two years. : : : http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/climo.html : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :