Arctic ice at second-lowest extent since 1979

In late August, sea ice extent was way below average for that time of year, and it was predicted we were headed for at least a near-record low this year. Those predictions have, unfortunately, turned out to be true. On September 9, sea ice extent reached its yearly minimum, the second lowest since satellite records began in 1979 -- and so close to the record low in 2007 that it's a statistical tie. NASA has posted series of pictures of sea ice this year taken by its Aqua Earth-observing satellite. Here's the Arctic ice as it was in March (top) and September 2011 (bottom):