Wednesday, August 20, 2025
ADVT 
National

Sea ice at second-lowest level in record

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 21 Sep, 2020 07:54 PM
  • Sea ice at second-lowest level in record

Satellite pictures show Arctic sea ice is at its second-lowest level in more than four decades.

And scientists say they believe the defining feature of life in northern waters could shrink even further before the melt season is over.

The U.S.-based National Snow and Ice Data Centre has decided that today is likely to be when the overall level of sea ice across the Arctic stops melting and starts growing again.

Centre director Mark Serreze says the amount of Arctic sea ice is at least 1.5 million fewer square kilometres less than the average.

The ice barely beats that from 2012, the year with the all-time lowest level in the 42 years satellites have been photographing the Arctic.

Sea ice is a crucial factor in Arctic ecosystems, determining the fate of everything from one-celled animals to polar bears.

It is also thought by many to have a strong role in southern weather patterns.

MORE National ARTICLES

PM: democracy needs to function in pandemic

PM: democracy needs to function in pandemic
For his part, Trudeau said Canadians "deserve an ambitious plan for a healthier and safer Canada, a Canada that's fair and inclusive, a Canada that's clean and competitive and, with the speech from the throne on Sept. 23, that's exactly what our government is ready to do."

PM: democracy needs to function in pandemic

Nine pedestrians hit, Montreal driver arrested

Nine pedestrians hit, Montreal driver arrested
The driver, a 38-year-old man, was arrested at the scene and will be questioned by investigators.

Nine pedestrians hit, Montreal driver arrested

Review board limits freedoms for man who killed five

Review board limits freedoms for man who killed five
Matthew de Grood, who is now 29, was found not criminally responsible for the 2014 killings of Zackariah Rathwell, Jordan Segura, Kaitlin Perras, Josh Hunter and Lawrence Hong, because he was suffering from schizophrenia at the time.

Review board limits freedoms for man who killed five

Man sentenced to life for Indigenous woman's death

Man sentenced to life for Indigenous woman's death
Michael William Okemow, 40, was found guilty of second-degree murder in the 2015 beating death of Crystal Andrews, 22, at God's Lake First Nation, a Swampy Cree and Metis community located about 1,000 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg.

Man sentenced to life for Indigenous woman's death

Ethics watchdog bites ex-ambassador to U.S.

Ethics watchdog bites ex-ambassador to U.S.
David MacNaughton was Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s point man in Washington for 3 1/2 years before he left one year ago.

Ethics watchdog bites ex-ambassador to U.S.

Damaged cars being removed from derail site: CN

Damaged cars being removed from derail site: CN
The CP freight train was hauling potash, a non-hazardous, potassium-rich type of salt, when the cars left the bridge, dumping some of the material into a nearby creek.

Damaged cars being removed from derail site: CN