The Arctic is melting. Last January, its sea ice registered a new all-time low, according to satellite images. With a loss of 13,400 billion square kilometers, scientists predict that this winter will be one of the most difficult for the Arctic. and, above all, for its inhabitants, like the polar bear, who need the ice to be able to approach and hunt their prey. This situation is related to the fact that The melting of the Arctic is affecting the diet of polar bears. and their survival.
However, the average global temperature continues to rise. The polar regions are especially vulnerable, as the snow reflects the sun's rays, sending them back into space. But eventually, it weakens and melts, causing sea levels to rise, an issue discussed in [this article on the consequences of Arctic ice melting](https://www.meteorologiaenred.com/consequences-arctic-thaw.html).
In this image you can see the area that the ice occupied during the month of January of the years 1981-2010 marked with a red line. Image - National Snow and Ice Data Center
In this image from the National Snow and Ice Data Center, you can see the area covered by ice during the month of January from 1981 to 2010, marked with a red line, and the area covered this year. The difference is huge. But, the situation could not be different. According to NOAA, It has been the third warmest month of January taking the same period (1981-2010) as a reference. This is in line with reports on the critical situation of the Arctic ice and the impact this has on the environment.
Temperature anomalies on the land and ocean surface in January 2017. Image - NOAA
The global average temperature stood at 0,88ºC above the 12ºC average of the last century, the third highest in January in the period 1880-2017, and the temperature of the sea surface was 0,65ºC of the 15,8ºC of the average of the XNUMXth century, which was the second highest for the same reference period. This reflects a worrying increase, as detailed in the analysis on The increase in clouds in the Arctic and its impact on the greenhouse effect.
Percentage loss of Arctic sea ice during the months of October through February since 1981. Image – National Snow and Ice Data Center.
To learn more about the situation and the impacts of the thaw, Click here.
