The Guardian is reporting that the Arctic sea ice has shrunk to the fourth lowest extent on record. Its report begins:
Ice coverage in the Arctic this year shrunk to its fourth lowest extent on record, US scientists have announced. The National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC) in Colorado said that the ice reached a low of 4.41m sq km on 11th September in what experts said was a clear indicator of climate change.
Sea ice melt is closely tied to warmer weather over the region, which can be affected by climate change and short-term weather variability. The weather patterns recorded over the summer were favourable to a low ice extent, the NSIDC said.