15 Days Straight of Record Low Arctic Sea Ice

The National Snow and Ice Data Center not only reports on the extent of Arctic sea ice for every day of the year, but also maintains that data for previous years. Indeed, its plots of sea ice extent regularly feature the 1979-2000 average for each calendar day and the zone of two standard deviations within that average as a helpful indication of what “normal” has been in the Arctic. It’s been years and years since the extent of Arctic sea ice has reached the 1979-2000 average. For most of last year, the extent of Arctic sea ice was more than two standard deviations below the 1979-2000 average. In each of the past 15 days, the extent of the sea ice in the Arctic has reached a record low.