Arctic Ice Continues Record Melting

[unhappycamper]

Scientists report that arctic ice the size of the state of Florida has melted in the last six days. (ABCNEWS)


Arctic Ice Continues Record Melting


An area of Arctic sea ice the size of Florida has melted away in just the last six days as melting at the top of the planet continues at a record rate.

2007 has already broken the record for the lowest amount of sea ice ever recorded, say scientists, smashing the old record set in 2005.

Currently, there are about 1.63 million square miles of Arctic ice, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colo. That is well below the record of 2.05 million square miles set two summers ago and could drop lower before the final numbers are in.

In just the last six days, researchers say 69,000 square miles of Arctic ice has disappeared, roughly the size of the Sunshine State.

Scientists say the rate of melting in 2007 has been unprecedented, and veteran ice researchers worry the Arctic is on track to be completely ice-free much earlier than previous research and climate models have suggested.

"If you had asked me a few years ago about how fast the Arctic would be ice free in summer, I would have said somewhere between about 2070 and the turn of the century," said scientist Mark Serreze, polar ice expert at the NSIDC. "My view has changed. I think that an ice-free Arctic as early as 2030 is not unreasonable."


Rest of article at: http://www.abcnews.go.com/Technology/GlobalWarming/story?id=3582433&page=1

[againes654]

1. That is scary!!!!

:scared:

[truebrit71]

2. Um, that's a SHITLOAD of ice....

...who has the gin? I have the tonic... :sarcasm:

[Gman]

3. They want an ice free Arctic Ocean

because of the economic and trade benefits. That's one of the reasons they "deny" global warming even though they want global warming to melt the Arctic Ocean.

[soothsayer]

4. wow, and in the same shape! what are the chances of that

[phantom power]

5. :-)

[Dead_Parrot]

7. ...

:spray:

[emmadoggy]

6. Dammit!!

:cry: :scared: