NSIDC ARCTIC SEA ICE EXTENT (5 day trailing average) :- 4,390,697 km2(August 26, 2019)
With me AWOL yesterday and JAXA AWOL today, some of you may be showing signs of data-deprivation stress. So here is an analysis of NSIDC Extent in JAXA format. However, using 5 day trailing averages. I know it is only methadone, not decent grade heroin, but it is the best I can do.
Extent loss has been dismally low for about the last 10 days, but
- Extent is still 2nd lowest in the satellite record,
- Extent is 613 k greater than 2012, 260 k less than 2016.
- Extent loss on this day 13 k, 42 k less than the average loss on this day of 55 k.
- Extent loss from maximum 9,984 k, 457 k (4.8%) greater than the average of 9,527 k loss from maximum by this day,
- Extent loss from maximum to date is also second highest in at least the last 12 years, only second to 2012,
- On average 94.2% of the melting season done, with 18 days to average date of minimum (13 September).
The Perils of Projections.
Average remaining extent loss (0.59 million km) would give a minimum of 4.05 million km2, 2nd lowest in the satellite record, 0.66 million km2 above the 2012 low of 3.39 million km2 and 0.09 million below the 2nd lowest in 2016 of 4.14 million km2.
Ice Melt Outlook The peak days of daily melt are past. From now to minimum, on average daily extent loss will gradually but erratically reduce until the minimum.
On average, each day now consumes more than 5% of the time available for further extent loss. If, as in 2017 & 2018, extent loss from now was very low, the final minimum could be in 4th place, 2012, 2016 and 2007 being lower..
____________________________________________________________