Update: I’ve added the 10 years with the lowest amount of Antarctic Sea Ice on day 259 at the bottom.

Antarctic Sea Ice is at it’s 5th highest amount ever on day 259. Using the data from Cryosphere I have graphed the record breaking Antarctic Sea Ice data. It is the most Antarctic Sea Ice ever for day 259, but it soon may break the all time satellite record that occurred in 2007. Highlighted are 2012, 2007 and the median for 1979-2008.

Antarctic Sea Ice Days Above 16 million sq km

Year	Day of Year	Ice Area (millions of sq km)
2007	263	16.2323818
2007	264	16.2156487
2007	265	16.1711521
2007	266	16.1504288
2012	259	16.1458836
2007	267	16.1177235
2012	258	16.1003437
2012	257	16.0984936
2007	262	16.0848694
2007	268	16.0605392
2012	256	16.0570793
2010	227	16.0503387
2000	253	16.0354385
2007	256	16.0280628
2007	272	16.0231705
2010	226	16.0212231
2012	255	16.0202618
2012	254	16.0092392
2010	228	16.0086727

 

10 Lowest on Day 259 – Lots of Days from the previous century when it was supposedly colder.

Year	Day of Year	Ice Area (millions of sq km)
1986	259	14.4532652
2003	259	14.5089273
2002	259	14.5463839
1992	259	14.6024981
1984	259	14.6457319
2001	259	14.6587334
1990	259	14.6708126
1979	259	14.7004375
1988	259	14.7971506
1987	259	14.8088818