Government Energy Policy, Business and Technology

Arctic Ice Reaches a Low Winter Maximum

The New York Times: The winter ice covering the Arctic Ocean has reached its annual peak, but the extent of sea ice cover this winter is smaller than it has been at the end of any winter since 1978, when scientists began keeping consistent satellite records.

The vast amount of sea ice covering the Arctic fluctuates on a seasonal basis, and the winter peak marks a turning point before a melting period during the warmer spring and summer months. Arctic sea ice typically expands to a maximum in March and shrinks to a minimum in September each year. The National Snow & Ice Data Center said on Thursday that this year’s maximum occurred on Feb. 25, about two weeks earlier than the average, barring any unlikely additional growth of ice late in the season.

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