Highlights
Arctic sea ice extent for February 2011 tied with February 2005 as the lowest recorded in the satellite record. Sea ice extent was particularly low in the Labrador Sea and Gulf of St. Lawrence.
February 2011 tied February 2005 for the lowest ice extent for the month in the satellite record. Including 2011, the February trend is now at -3.0 percent per decade.
Arctic sea ice extent for February 2011 was 14.36 million square kilometers 5.54 million square miles. February ice extent remained below normal in both the Atlantic and Pacific sectors, particularly in the Labrador Sea and the Gulf of St. Lawrence.While ice extent has declined less in winter months than in summer, the downward winter trend is clear. The 1979 to 2000 average is 15.64 million square kilometers 6.04 million square miles. From 1979 through 2003, the February extent averaged 15.60 million square kilometers 6.02 million square miles. Every year since 2004 has had a mean February extent below 15 million square kilometers 5.79 million square miles.
As during winter 2010, when Environment Canada reported that sea ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence was at the lowest level on record, the lack of ice will make it difficult for harp seals to give birth to their pups on the sea ice, as they normally do in February and March.
The source article Arctic Sea Ice News & Analysis was published March 3, 2011 by NOAA National Snow and Ice Data Center .
