The subject of climate change has been brought up after it became evident the Arctic is become a warmer place.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), their report titled State of the Arctic, the loss of snow and sea ice reached new levels and not in the right direction.
The report covered the Arctic conditions between October 2011 and August 2012
"The Arctic is changing in both predictable and unpredictable ways, so we must expect surprises," said NOAA Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere Jane Lubchenco. "The Arctic is an extremely sensitive part of the world and with the warming scientists have observed, we see the results with less snow and sea ice, greater ice sheet melt and changing vegetation."
The report concluded a record low in snow for the Northern hemisphere in June following another low record in Eurasia territories in May.
The ice sheet also set record lows for Greenland in July while the Arctic sea's ice extent reached an "all-time record low" since satellite images captured how big the ice were in 1979.
Ocean temperatures have also been on the increase during the summer.
"The record low spring snow extent and record low summer sea ice extent in 2012 exemplify a major source of the momentum for continuing change," said the 2012 Report Card Co-Editor and Arctic Advisor Martin Jeffries. "As the sea ice and snow cover retreat, we're losing bright, highly reflective surfaces, and increasing the area of darker surfaces-both land and ocean-exposed to sunlight. This increases the capacity to store heat within the Arctic system, which enables more melting-a self-reinforcing cycle."
The NOAA noted it is unlikely that conditions will return to normal due to the alarming record-breaking figures.
The NOAA first introduced the annual State of the Arctic Report in 2006, and this year's report can be seen here.
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