"Col" wrote in message
...
Good grief, it's going into freefall!

http://www.ijis.iarc.uaf.edu/seaice/...ent_prev_L.png

Yes, interesting isn't it, as others have been commenting in a couple of
other similar threads over the past few days. That link that Graham provided
of:

http://www.iup.uni-bremen.de:8084/ssmis/index.html

seems to show the extent fairly well on a polar map (albeit I understand
with suboptimal satellite imagery at present) especially when the png image
is zoomed in and centred. Anyone have any dates as to when the new satellite
will come onstream? Or does it need many months of cross-correlation with
other existing imagery because its data is consiered valid?

The NE passage seems well and truly open now with not even any need for a
diversion towards Alaska to enter the Bering Strait. Shame that the
synoptics seem to be encouraging a stubborn ice block in the McClure Strait
to the north of Banks Island because otherwise the NW passage would appear
to be fully open too.

JGD