July 2010 Arctic Sea Ice News & Analysis
Arctic sea ice extent averaged for July was the second lowest in the satellite record, after 2007. After a slowdown in the rate of ice loss, the old, thick ice that moved into the southern Beaufort Sea last winter is beginning to melt out.
This is the latest NSDIC report, describing changes in the Arctic sea ice through the end of July. It included this:
Cool, stormy weather this July has made it less likely that the upcoming 2010 sea ice minimum will set a new record. It would take a very unusual set of conditions in August to create a new record low.
So 2010 may not break the 2007 record low, but it looks like it is going to be close.