December 28 Antarctic sea ice extent is higher than 1979, 1982, 1996, 2005 and most of the last seven years.
S_20231228_extn_v3.0.png (420×500)
S_19791228_extn_v3.0.png (420×500)
Experts say extent is the lowest in 7.5 billion years and vast regions of the coast were free of ice.
“we’d expect to see a winter like this about once every 7.5 billion years”
S_20230912_extn_v3.0.png (420×500)
ftp://osisaf.met.no/prod_test/ice/index/v2p2/sh/osisaf_sh_sie_daily.txt
December is the big month for Antarctic sea ice loss (averaging 6,530,271 km.sq. loss) and this month has been third lowest on record (so far) at 5,026,875.
It was actually less than three sigma deviation from the mean.
Four sigma deviations are common with weather.