Will we set a new record for low Arctic sea ice extent and/or volume this summer?

The US Coast Guard seems to think so. So does the US Navy, the Canadian Navy, the Russian Navy and all of the other countries that patrol or ship in the Artic. Glenn Beck doesn't think so...at least there's nothing on his blackboard.

Maybe. It depends on the weather from now until the minimum. Since weather is chaotic, I'm pretty sure that anything we say will be pure speculation. Sea ice volume has decreased dramatically in the past few years, so it looks set to take another extent plunge if the weather's right. On the other hand, we could get a cool Arctic summer.

Did you hear. The NINO3.4 SST anomalies are now negative. http://bobtisdale.blogspot.com/2010/05/nino34-sst-anomalies-are-now-negative.html They are falling so rapidly that many are predicting a La Nina is in store. That means that the warm currents from the El Nino that were flowing into the Arctic will be gone, and temperatures are going to start falling. Turn out the lights, your party is over.

i reckon so. i already owe gwen a virtual fiver for the side bet on 'fastest melt rate', i'm just trying to figure out the exchange rate to vitual canadian $.

Where I grew up in South Dakota, people looked forward to spring when ice melted, plants grew, flowers sprung, birds started nesting, animals had babies, etc... Now there are people that actually believe that is a bad thing. They long for the ice and and cold. Some people simply believe as they are told to believe.