Arctic sea-ice thinnest on record. Melting 2009, early, and proceeding.

polar bears, sea-ice, thinnest ice, AGW, polar bear extinction,thin ice,

Current Areal extent, though greater than smallest area of 2006-2007, is well below the long term average Arctic sea ice area. As the warming of Earth by mankind continues, the spread of the warmth is most noticed in the high polar latitudes, especially in the Arctic Ocean area.

Monthly March Ice Extent, 1979 to 2009. Reduction is 2.7% /decade.
Image: National Snow and Ice Data Center

It is now thinner than ever. Polar Bear of Alaska probably just won't be able to swim across the resulting open water. Looks like US Polar Bear final extinction is brought closer every year. Mothers who return to denning on the Alaska coast will not be able to teach their offspring, the polar bear's only future, how to survive -- since the trip to the ice is too far for swimming and survival.

http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/324806main_meierfig3_full.gif

This graph puts a little perspective to it.

image: National Snow and Ice Data Center
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Arctic winter: warmer than average

National Snow and Ice Data Center courtesy NOAA/ESRL Physical Sciences Laboratory

NSIDC Text---"Overall, it was a fairly warm winter in the Arctic. Air temperatures over the Arctic Ocean were an average of 1 to 2 degrees Celsius (1.8 to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above normal, with notable regional variations. The Barents Sea region was over 4 degrees Celsius (7.2 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than average this winter. This warmth probably stemmed from unusually low sea ice extent in the region throughout much of the winter, which allowed the ocean to pump heat into the atmosphere. The Bering Sea, in contrast, experienced a cool winter, with temperatures 1 to 2 degrees Celsius (1.8 to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) below average. The cooler conditions were consistent with the above-average sea ice extent in the Bering Sea through much of the winter."-- NSIDC Text.

Additional perspective: Melting on the Greenland Ice Cap, 2008

Image:NASA Earth Observatory, last update Feb 24,2009