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Arctic Summer Melt Shows Ice Is Disappearing Faster Than Normal

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  • Region’s additional ice loss is equivalent to size of Wales
  • Record temperatures have beset areas from Alaska to Greenland
The retreating ice fields of Ellesmere Island.

The retreating ice fields of Ellesmere Island.

 Photographer: Mario Tama/Getty Images North America

Ice covering the Arctic Ocean reached the second-lowest level recorded for this time of year after July temperatures spiked in areas around the North Pole.

The rate of ice loss in the region is a crucial indicator for the world’s climate and a closely-watched metric by bordering nations jostling for resources and trade routes. This month’s melt is tracking close to the record set in July 2012, the Colorado-based National Snow & Ice Data Center said in a statement.