Ice, ice maybe
In 2016, the Arctic minimum sea ice covered an area of around 1.38 million square miles, according to NASA. Every summer the Arctic ice cap melts down to what scientists call its "minimum" before colder weather begins to cause ice cover to increase. These satellite-based passive microwave images of the sea ice area have provided a reliable tool for continuously monitoring changes. Slide to compare minimum sea ice area's change.
vs. 2016
Ice, ice maybe
In 2016, the Arctic minimum sea ice covered an area of around 1.38 million square miles, according to NASA. Every summer the Arctic ice cap melts down to what scientists call its "minimum" before colder weather begins to cause ice cover to increase. These satellite-based passive microwave images of the sea ice area have provided a reliable tool for continuously monitoring changes. Slide to compare minimum sea ice area's change.
Choose a year to compare with 2016:
Sources: National Ocean Economics Program, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio
Interactive: Jiachuan Wu, Roque Ruiz / NBC News