Sea Ice Extent around Antarctica

[gerontocrat]

JAXA ANTARCTIC SEA ICE EXTENT :- 18,188,659 km2（October 8, 2019）

Extent dithered around the maximum and the melt season is very slow in getting under way. Perhaps the recent and ongoing Southern  SSW has had an effect?

- 2019 is still 5th lowest in the satellite record since 2002 (but not by much),
- Extent is above 2018, 2017, 2016, & 2008,
- Extent decrease on this day 8 k, 31 k less than the average extent loss (last 10 years) of 39 k on this day,
- Extent loss to date 0.16 million km2, 0.19 million (55%) less than the 10 year average of 0.35 million km2 by this day.
- 2.2% of the season done, with on average 135 days to the average minimum date of 20 Feb.

The Perils of Projections

Average melt from this date would produce a minimum of 2.48 million km2, 6th lowest since 2002.
__________________________________________

[gerontocrat]

JAXA ANTARCTIC SEA ICE EXTENT :- 18,153,837 km2（October 9, 2019）

For a changeextent loss greater than average on this day

- 2019 is still 5th lowest in the satellite record since 2002,
- Extent is above 2018, 2017, 2016, & 2008,
- Extent decrease on this day 35 k, 10 k less than the average extent loss (last 10 years) of 25 k on this day,
- Extent loss to date 0.19 million km2, 0.19 million (50%) less than the 10 year average of 0.38 million km2 by this day.
- 2.4% of the season done, with on average 134 days to the average minimum date of 20 Feb.

The Perils of Projections

Average melt from this date would produce a minimum of 2.47 million km2, 6th lowest since 2002.
__________________________________________

[gerontocrat]

The University of Bremen image shows a lot of 50% sea ice. I think the extent data disguises the degree of meting to date.

[gerontocrat]

JAXA ANTARCTIC SEA ICE EXTENT :- 18,136,162 km2（October 13, 2019）

Extent loss has stalled in the last three days - to the extent of a net increase in extent

- 2019 is 6th lowest in the satellite record since 2002, but 13th since 1987
- Extent is below the 1980's average by a mere 32k, and oly 84 k below the 990's average
- Extent increase in the last 3 days 12 k, compared with average extent loss (last 10 years) of 132 k in these 3 days,
- Extent loss to date 0.21 million km2, 0.32 million (60%) less than the 10 year average of 0.53 million km2 by this day.
- 3.3% of the season done, with on average 130 days to the average minimum date of 20 Feb.

The Perils of Projections

Average melt from this date would produce a minimum of 2.61 million km2, 6th lowest since 2002.

i.e. the Antarctic melting season has not got going. What a contrast with the Arctic
__________________________________________