JAXA DATA - Extent as at 3 Oct 2018 = 22,783,227 Km2,
Extent is
- 1,087 k (4.8%) below the 2010's average.
- 174k km2 (0.8 %) below 2017,
- 194k (0.8%) below 2016,
- Lowest in the satellite record,
- 6k LESS than extent on 30 September.
Antarctic ice extent is dithering around the maximum though declining in the last 2 days,(i.e. melt very slow), Arctic ice extent increase is still very slow.
There are on average 32 days to maximum. Average remaining extent gain would produce a maximum of 24.83 million km2, 2nd lowest in the satellite record. Higher by just over 1 million than the 2016 record minimum maximum.
This measure is subject to highly volatile change, and projections of outcomes are of little value. However, the data does tell us that currently global sea ice is extremely low, and has been for some time.