Sea Ice on the Arctic Ocean at its Lowest Ever.

The outlook for the pan-Arctic sea ice extent in September 2008, based on July data, indicates a continuation of dramatic Arctic sea ice loss.

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	Click here to read the SEARCH report

The range of responses was from 3.2 to 5.6 million square kilometers. All estimates are well below the 1979-2007 September climatological mean value of 6.7 million square kilometers.

The SEARCH Sea Ice Outlook Core Integration Group announces this with the release of July report "Outlook Based on July Data.

This is in line with the warnings scientist from NASA issued in statements as reported by news outlet such as The Observer on August 10.

"The head line that traveled around the world on August 10 was that the North Pole could be free of ice in just five year's time in 2013, instead of 2060 as earlier predicted, says GoNorth! program director Mille Porsild. She goes on to note that "this relates to the summer months - not the level of sea ice during the winter, however it is still very significant, not least to the population of polar bears and other sea mammals depending on the extend of the sea ice on the Arctic Ocean."

The July Sea Ice Outlook report is based on a synthesis of 22 individual projections utilizing a range of methods. Projections based on July data show no indication that a return to historical sea ice extent will occur this year.

The SEARCH Sea Ice Outlook is an international effort to provide an integrated, community-wide summary of the state of Arctic sea ice over the 2008 summer season. The Sea Ice Outlook effort has produced monthly reports based on an open and inclusive process that synthesizes input from a broad range of scientific perspectives.

Each monthly report is based on the previous month's data (e.g., the "July Report" is published in August, using observational data from July). A final retrospective analysis will be issued after September.

To read the full article from The Observer "Meltdown in the Arctic is speeding up", click here

Source: ARCUS