This year's Arctic sea ice melt is behind last year's, but has accelerated quite a bit in August, "triggered by a series of strong storms that broke up thin ice in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas" reports the National Snow and Ice Data Center: Arctic Sea Ice News & Analysis - August 11, 2008 Sea ice decline accelerates, Amundsen's Northwest Passage opens. They report on the status of the Northwest Passage:
Opening of Amundsen's Northwest Passage
The Northwest Passage that Roald Amundsen navigated with great difficulty starting in 1903 is opening for the second year in a row, as shown in the AMSR-E sea ice product from the University of Bremen (Figure 4).
The most recent operational analysis from the Canadian Ice Service and the U.S. National Ice Center on August 8 showed a small section of Amundsen’s historic path still blocked by a 50-kilometer (31-mile) stretch of sea ice, although that should melt within the next few days.
Amundsen’s route requires sailing through treacherous narrow and shallow channels, making it impractical for deep-draft commercial ships. The more important northern route, through the wide and deep Parry Channel, is still ice-clogged. The northern route opened in mid-August last year; it may still open up before the end of this year's melt season.
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