Arctic Ice Deals Scientists and Tree Huggers a Blow

Before the economic meltdown took over front page news, the media was full of doom and gloom (and falsehoods) about how global warming was going to melt the arctic ice cap this summer.

Well, sometimes nature ignores the statements of scientists, reporters and tree-huggers. It didn't melt. In fact, it made a comeback of sorts, about 10% greater than 2007 according to the "National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), which is part of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado at Boulder."


(You can view the full size graph here.)

While well below the average for the 30 years that NSIDC has been tracking the ice coverage, and below 2005's coverage, 2008 splits the difference between the lowest ever recorded (2007) and 2005.

The growth/recovery is also backed up by NASA and the University of Illinois. I guess they just didn't see it coming. Not that the mainstream media is covering it. After all, it isn't doom and gloom.


The Register is an online newspaper mostly for geeks and those in the Information Technology industry. While opinionated (which I'm not of course) it doesn't pull punches and offers in-depth independent analysis of a number of newsworthy subjects.

This is from August 15, 2008
Arctic ice refuses to melt as ordered • The Register: "Just a few weeks ago, predictions of Arctic ice collapse were buzzing all over the internet. Some scientists were predicting that the 'North Pole may be ice-free for first time this summer'. Others predicted that the entire 'polar ice cap would disappear this summer'."

"NASA Marshall Space Flight Center data shows 2008 ice nearly identical to 2002, 2005 and 2006."

(Via The Register.)

That is about the only mention I can find about this non-event that admits that it was a non-event.

On the other hand...

On August 31, 2008 The Daily Telegraph ignored the growth trend and pointed out:

Arctic becomes an island as ice melts - Telegraph: "The North Pole has become an island for the first time in human history as climate change has made it possible to circumnavigate the Arctic ice cap.

(Via The Daily Telegraph.)

September 1st, 2008

Arctic Ice Cap Melting To Dangerous Lows - EON: "Situation In Arctic Ice Affects Many Things Including Weather

Chukchi Sea, Alaska- The conditions of the Arctic Ice flow located in the far North has scientists around the world concerned, the ice cap is nearing new all time lows, the lowest amount of ice since records have been first kept."

(Via EON.)

While it doesn't lie, it insinuates that the decline continued this year and "since records have been first kept" sounds like a long time. Yeah, 30 years. I have boots older than that.

Science News on Friday, October 3, 2008 actually admitted a "slight recovery from 2007".

Science News / A Near-record Arctic Melting: "This summer, the share of the Arctic Ocean covered by sea ice was the second-lowest since satellite measurements began in 1979. And because much of the ice had formed just this past winter and was therefore relatively thin, the volume of floating ice at the top of the world probably reached a record low, scientists estimate."

(Via Science News.)

On Friday as well, the NSIDC proclaimed:

NSIDC Press Room: Sea Ice Minimum 2008: "Arctic sea ice extent during the 2008 melt season dropped to the second-lowest level since satellite measurements began in 1979, reaching the lowest point in its annual cycle of melt and growth on September 14, 2008."

(Via National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC).)

The best line of all those is from Treehugger.com back in March when it warned that the "Arctic Ice Cap could be Gone by Summer".

Arctic Ice Cap Could be Gone by the Summer : TreeHugger: " If there's one thing scientists have learned over the past few years, it is that the effects of climate change are too variable and convoluted to make accurate predictions."

(Via TreeHugger.com.)

Personally, I'd rephrase that as "If there's one thing scientists have learned over the past few years, that the climate is too variable and convoluted to make accurate predictions."

Note: There has been a lot of doom and gloom over the arctic ice cap melting, coastal flooding, etc. Those spreading that manure should actually read some basic college textbooks. Unlike Antarctica where the ice cap sits on land, the arctic ice cap is floating on the ocean. It already displaces a volume of water equal to the weight of the ice. Should it melt completely, it will not affect sea level by even one millimeter. Source

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