National Snow & Ice Data Center:
Arctic sea ice continues to track below average but remains well above the levels seen last year. The relatively slow ice loss is a reflection of the prevailing temperature and wind patterns. As of July 1, NSIDC Arctic Sea Ice News and Analysis and the Sea Ice Index have transitioned to a new 30-year baseline period, 1981 to 2010.
Overview of conditions
Figure 1. Arctic sea ice extent for June 2013 was 11.58 million square kilometers (4.47 million square miles). The magenta line shows the 1981 to 2010 median extent for that month. The black cross indicates the geographic North Pole. Sea Ice Index data. About the data
Credit: National Snow and Ice Data Center
High-resolution imageJune is a transition period for Arctic sea ice as 24-hour daylight reigns, and melt reaches towards the North Pole. Thus it is an appropriate time for NSIDC to transition to a new 30-year baseline period, also called a “climate normal.” The satellite record is now long enough to allow NSIDC to match current National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) standard baselines of 1981 to 2010 for weather and climate data. Full details of the changes and the implications for NSIDC sea ice statistics are described in the NSIDC Sea Ice Index.
Average sea ice extent for June 2013 was 11.58 million square kilometers (4.47 million square miles). This was 310,000 square kilometers (120,000 square miles) below the 1981 to 2010 average (the new baseline period) of 11.89 million square kilometers (4.59 million square miles). In comparison, the 1979 to 2000 period that we previously used averaged 12.16 million square kilometers (4.70 million square miles). June 2013 was 760,000 square kilometers (293,000 square miles) above the record low June extent in 2010.
Conditions in context
Figure 2a. The graph above shows Arctic sea ice extent as of June 30, 2013, along with daily ice extent data for five previous years. 2013 is shown in blue, 2012 in green, 2011 in orange, 2010 in pink, 2009 in navy, and 2008 in purple. The 1981 to 2010 average is in dark gray. Sea Ice Indexdata.
Credit: National Snow and Ice Data Center
High-resolution image
Figure 2b. The graph above shows Arctic sea ice extent as of June 30, 2013, along with daily ice extent data for 2012, the record low year, and both the new and old baseline average periods. The 1981 to 2010 average is shown by a dark gray line. The gray area around this average line shows the two standard deviation range of the 1981 to 2010 average. The 1979 to 2000 average is shown by a blue line. The light purple shading around this line shows the two standard deviation range of the 1979 to 2000 average.
Credit: National Snow and Ice Data Center
High-resolution imageAlthough the rate of ice loss increased toward the end of June, overall ice has retreated more slowly this summer compared to last summer, reflecting patterns of atmospheric circulation and air temperature. Average June temperatures at the 925 mb level were average to slightly below average over most of the Arctic Ocean, contrasting with above average temperatures over most of the surrounding land. This temperature pattern is associated with unusually low sea level pressure centered near the North Pole. This type of circulation pattern is known to slow the summer retreat of ice, not just because it fosters cool conditions, but also because the pattern of cyclonic (counterclockwise) winds tends to spread the ice out. An interesting regional aspect of this pattern is that on the heels of unusually cold spring conditions, the Alaska interior experienced some days of record high temperatures during June.
June 2013 compared to previous years
Figure 3. Monthly June ice extent for 1979 to 2013 shows a decline of 3.6% per decade relative to the 1981 to 2010 average.
Credit: National Snow and Ice Data Center
High-resolution imageSea ice extent declined steadily through most of the month, in sharp contrast to last year when June experienced a record fast pace of sea ice retreat. There was a speed-up in ice loss toward the end of the month. Overall, extent dropped an average of 70,300 square kilometers (27,000 square miles) per day through the month, slightly higher than the 1981 to 2010 average.
June 2013 was the 11th lowest June in the 1979 to 2013 satellite record, 760,000 square kilometers (293,000 square miles) above the record low in 2010. The monthly trend is -3.6% percent per decade relative to the 1981 to 2010 average (also -3.6% per decade relative to the old 1979 to 2000 baseline).
