Arctic sea ice melt comes close, but misses record

Arctic sea ice melt comes close, but misses record
09/17/2008 01:29 AM

WASHINGTON -
Crucial Arctic sea ice this summer shrank to its second lowest level on record, scientists said Tuesday.

Sea ice hit its low on Friday, covering 1.74 million square miles (4.5 million sq. kilometers) of the Arctic, marking a low point for this summer. That is according to NASA and the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Colorado. Last summer it covered only 1.59 million square miles (4.1 million sq. kilometers), the lowest since record-keeping began in 1979.

Arctic sea ice, which expands in winter and retreats in summer, is crucial to worldwide weather patterns and helps reflect heat. Scientists predict summer ice could disappear altogether within 10 years. -AP

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/120820/Arctic-sea-ice-melt-comes-close-but-misses-record