Arctic Sea Ice Hits Annual Minimum: Sixth Lowest on Record

It turns out that Arctic sea ice is still at risk of shrinking. NASA has announced that the ice official hit its annual minimum on Sept. 17 and that it was the sixth lowest on record since recordings began.

Over the 2014 summer, Arctic sea ice melted back from its maximum extent reached in March to a coverage area of 1.94 million square miles. This minimum is actually similar to last year's minimum, but is below the 1981 to 2010 average extent of 2.4 million square miles.

"Arctic sea ice coverage in 2014 is the sixth lowest recorded since 1978," said Walter Meier, research scientists at NASA's Goddar Space Flight Center, in a news release. "The summer started off relatively cool, and lacked the big storms or persistent winds that can break up ice and increase melting. Even with a relatively cool year, the ice is so much thinner than it used to be. It's more susceptible to melting."

In fact, it's true that summer ice has covered more of the Arctic in the last two years than in 2012's record low summer. Yet scientists caution that this isn't an indication that the Arctic is returning to average conditions. This year's minimum extent still remains in line with a downward trend for sea ice extent, and it's estimated that the Arctic Ocean is losing about 13 percent of its sea ice per decade.

The latest findings reveal the importance of tracking sea ice extent now and into the future. As ice continues to decline and as more ocean opens up, it's important to monitor the full impacts of these changes when it comes to our shifting climate.

For more information about the sea ice extent, visit this website.

Want to see the ice for yourself? Check out the video below, courtesy of NASA and YouTube.