Arctic Ice Volume Lowest Ever Recorded As Rapid Thinning Continues - Reuters

[hatrack]

GENEVA - Ice volume around the Arctic region hit the lowest level ever recorded this year as climate extremes brought death and devastation to many parts of the world, the U.N. weather agency WMO said on Tuesday. Although the world's average temperature in 2008 was, at 14.3 degrees Celsius (57.7 degrees Fahrenheit), by a fraction of a degree the coolest so far this century, the direction toward a warmer climate remained steady, it reported.

"What is happening in the Arctic is one of the key indicators of global warming," Michel Jarraud, Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), said. "The overall trend is still upwards."

A report presented by Jarraud at a news conference showed Arctic ice cover dropping to its second lowest extent during this year's melt season since satellite measuring began in 1979.

However, the Geneva-based agency said, "because ice was thinner in 2008, overall ice volume was less than in any other year." It added: "The season strongly reinforced the 30-year downward trend in the extent of Arctic Sea ice." The dramatic collapse of a quarter of ancient ice shelves on Canada's Ellesmere Island in the north of the Arctic Ocean added to earlier meltdowns, reducing cover in the region from 9,000 square km (3,500 sq miles) a century ago to just 1,000 sq kms.

EDIT

http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/55612

[Dead_Parrot]

1. Never mind the quality, feel the width!

:hide:

[pscot]

2. Once the ice melts

the drink warms up in a hurry.

[HughMoran]

3. Interesting how average temps have been cooler, but the ice continues to melt

The average person tends to judge global warming by average temperatures where they live.

[joshcryer]

4. Yeah, unfortunately global warming hits the poles the most, particularly the north.