Arctic Sea Ice Shrinks to Minimum Extent for 2019

Published Sep 24, 2019 2:08 AM by The Maritime Executive

Arctic sea ice has likely reached its minimum extent for the year, at 4.15 million square kilometers (1.60 million square miles) on September 18, 2019, according to scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) at the University of Colorado Boulder.

The 2019 minimum is ranked at second lowest in the 41-year satellite record, effectively tied with 2007 and 2016.

The minimum extent was reached four days later than the 1981 to 2010 median minimum date of September 14.

Note: Changing winds or late-season melt could still reduce the Arctic ice extent further yet, as happened in 2005 and 2010.