May 31 2014 MASIE Update
This is the gain/loss up to day 150. Negative = loss. Sorted with biggest loser in last 7 days at top. Northern Hemisphere is the grand total.
While melting resumed in many regions over the last one day, over the last 3 days daily melt was only -9,229 sq km per day.
The Greenland Sea continues to climb.
| Region | Start | End | Last 62 | Last 28 | Last 14 | Last 7 | Last 3 | Last 1 |
| Greenland Sea | 603,416 | 655,024 | 51,609 | 4,140 | -90 | -106,985 | 18,233 | 13,181 |
| Baffin Bay Gulf of St. Lawrence | 1,688,530 | 1,103,619 | -584,912 | -245,220 | -69,982 | -80,040 | 36,442 | -7,578 |
| Barents Sea | 645,917 | 397,108 | -248,810 | -267,741 | -108,359 | -50,858 | -27,296 | -23,217 |
| Laptev Sea | 897,845 | 818,855 | -78,990 | -78,990 | -74,487 | -25,700 | -10,619 | -7,430 |
| Canadian Archipelago | 853,214 | 810,271 | -42,943 | -42,943 | -23,912 | -15,090 | -4,928 | -3,406 |
| Kara Sea | 933,859 | 869,825 | -64,034 | -65,198 | -44,437 | -14,481 | -19,292 | -9,079 |
| Chukchi Sea | 966,006 | 903,001 | -63,005 | -49,419 | -23,794 | -11,676 | -15,364 | -6,480 |
| Sea of Okhotsk | 853,240 | 72,328 | -780,912 | -172,684 | -34,867 | -8,824 | -608 | 1,685 |
| Bering Sea | 697,324 | 110,295 | -587,029 | -259,246 | -112,201 | -7,340 | -4,777 | -5,541 |
| Central Arctic | 3,221,921 | 3,241,348 | 19,427 | -6,665 | -5,400 | -5,418 | -2,634 | -290 |
| Hudson Bay | 1,260,903 | 1,225,457 | -35,446 | -25,002 | 6,010 | -5,232 | -5,008 | -6,607 |
| Beaufort Sea | 1,070,445 | 1,066,643 | -3,802 | -3,802 | 16,656 | -495 | 539 | -280 |
| Baltic Sea | 15,337 | 0 | -15,337 | -8,219 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yellow Sea | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| East Siberian Sea | 1,087,137 | 1,034,287 | -52,850 | -52,850 | -52,850 | 13,387 | 7,625 | 248 |
| Northern Hemisphere (Total) | 14,805,115 | 12,309,541 | -2,495,574 | -1,274,566 | -527,729 | -318,446 | -27,687 | -54,792 |
| NH (Average Loss per Day) | -39,612 | -45,520 | -37,695 | -45,492 | -9,229 | -54,792 |
sunshine hours 
Comparing NOAA and MASIE Arctic Ice Extent
Some might be interested to compare MASIE results with NOAA Sea Ice Index, since NOAA is a typical reference for Arctic Ice news. NOAA uses only passive microwave readings, while MASIE includes other sources, such as satellite images and field observations.
For comparison, MASIE shows about 700.000 Km2 more ice extent than NOAA both at maximum and minimum. This is usually explained by microwave sensors seeing melt water on top of ice the same as open water.
For the years 2007 to 2013 inclusive, each year MASIE shows higher maximums than NOAA, on average 5% higher. In each of those same years MASIE shows higher minimums than NOAA, on average 15% higher. The melt extent is more comparable: NOAA shows an average annual loss of 70.5 %, while MASIE shows an average loss of 67.5%.
What can we expect from NOAA for 2014 minimum ice extent?
Average: 4.40 MKm2, (comparable to 5.09 for MASIE)
If the loss is the same as the seven-year average, the minimum for 2014 can be estimated to be 4.40MKm2, which is 10% less than the 2013 minimum of 5.08 MKm2. This is due to starting the melt with a smaller max extent.
Low: 3.29 Mkm2, (comparable to 3.81 for MASIE)
On the other hand, if the loss is as great as in 2012 (the record recent minimum), 2014 could go as low as 3.29 Mkm2, which would be a new record.
High: 4.97 MKm2,, (comparable to 5.74 for MASIE)
If the melt is as small as 2009, the 2014 minimum could be as high as 4.97 MKm2.
If the 2014 NH ice extent minimum is outside this range, then maybe the climate is changing. Note that an extent matching or exceeding 2013 would be outside this range.