Arctic sea ice coverage shrinks to record low: NOAA

Arctic sea ice receded to record lows in October, according to data released Monday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Ice coverage recorded in October was 32.2 percent below the 1981-2010 average, according to the NOAA, and the 10 smallest extents of sea ice coverage for the month of October have all occurred since 2007.

{mosads}The data also found Europe, the Caribbean, Africa, the Hawaiian islands and Oceania all recorded temperatures among the highest ever recorded for October in 2019, and the world’s average sea surface temperature ranked second-warmest ever recorded for the year to date, and a fraction of a degree colder than 2016’s record warmth.

The data also found that the average global land and ocean surface temperature for October was 1.76 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th century average, the second-highest temperature on record for the month and only 0.11 degrees colder than 2015, the warmest recorded October.

The NOAA’s data also found that the 10 warmest Octobers recorded have been since 2003, with the five warmest occurring since 2015. It was also the 43rd October in a row with temperatures above the 20th century average and the 418th consecutive month overall.