Decline slower than 1979 to 2000

By NUNATSIAQ NEWS

Arctic sea ice extent declined at a near-average rate through May, but overall it remained below average compared to the 1979 to 2000 average, the Colorado-based National Snow and Ice Data Center said June 4.

May 2013 was the tenth lowest May for ice cover in the satellite record, but still coming in at 390,000 square kilometres above the record low of 12.81 million sq km in 2011.

Through the month of May this year, extent declined at an average rate of 36,400 sq km per day, slower than the 1979 to 2000 average of 44,100 sq km per day.

As for temperatures, lower than average temperatures were the rule this past month for both Greenland, the Eastern Arctic and Alaska, while temperatures across much of Siberia were above average.