A little while back there were several predictions that this year the annual summer melt would mean that the arctic ice cover would reach a new record low. This from the BBC on August 13th is one such report.
As of the 16th August, the ice cover had already retreated to what was its previous record minimum extent. See these dramatic images from the National Snow and Ice Data Center.
Now, as of the 22nd August, it is "currently tracking at 4.92 million square kilometers (1.89 million square miles), already below the 2005 record absolute minimum of 5.32 million square kilometers (2.05 million square miles)"; and there are still perhaps 4 to 6 weeks of melting to go yet!
No wonder the Arctic gold (Oil) rush seems to have already begun!
And its getting so warm that the Innuit are now wandering around wearing T shirts and sandals! (As reported in today's Gruaniad)
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