Scientists from the Finnish Meteorological Institute have revealed the annoying fact: ice cover over local sea areas is extremely low. According to the meteorologists, ice cover reached its minimum this winter.
Experts from Finland concerning about the decreasing of the ice cover this winter, the scientists warn that the ice is extremely thin over sea and the upcoming spring will not improve the current situation.
Jouni Vainio, the senior expert from the Finnish Meteorological Institute stresses the unusual for winter indices of ice’s thickness. According to the meteorologist:
“It depends how you look at it, but this has been a tragic winter for ice. We had a promising start in November when freezing temperatures helped the ice develop quite early. But then the winter decided to take a nap and we’ve only seen bitter cold again this week. There wasn’t much ice built up before the thaw, and there still isn’t too much to be had,”
Mr Vainio said.
The World Meteorological Organization has noted the same phenomenon in the Arctic. The researchers registered in 2016 and 2017 year the new records regarding the ice sheets’ thickness, and the figures are rather alarming.where ice extent lows in January continued a pattern that started last October. The Arctic Sea Ice News site says sea ice cover in January was the lowest extent in the group’s 38-year satellite monitoring records.
The biodiversity is under threat, so the scientists hope that next winter the ice cover will be more solid. According to The Arctic Sea Ice News official data, sea ice cover in January was the lowest extent in the group’s 38-year satellite monitoring records.
