File:Summer Arctic Storm (HD Animation) (8003823787).jpg

Early in the month of August, 2012, storms in the Arctic affected the motion of the sea ice north of Siberia and Alaska. This animation shows the motion of the winds over the Arctic in conjunction with seasonal melting of the Arctic sea ice from August 1 through September 13, 2012, when the NASA scientists determined that the sea ice reached its annual minimum extent. The surface winds, shown my moving arrows, are colored by the velocity. Slower winds are shown in blue, medium in green and the fast winds are shown in red.

Note: Scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Center, who calculate the sea ice minimum based on a 5-day average, identified September 16 as the date when the lowest minimum extent occurred. NASA scientists who calculate area on each individual day identified September 13th as the date of the minimum sea ice, although there is little difference in size between the two days. To read more go to: www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/2012-seaicemin.html

To download this video go to: svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?3992

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio.

Wind data provided by NCEP Reanalysis project at the Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) at NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric research(NOAA/OAR) from the Physical Sciences Division (PSD) in Boulder, Colorado, USA. For more detail on this data, see their Web site at www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/

The Blue Marble data is courtesy of Reto Stockli (NASA/GSFC).

NASA image use policy.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.

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