However, since the mid-2000s it's been accelerating. Normally the big news has been with the Sea Ice Extent minimum reached in September, but recently the decline in the Sea Ice Extent maximum in March is becoming increasingly concerning.
This year we have reached a new record low Arctic SIE Maximum, about 40,000Km2 lower than the previous maximum reached in 2015. This is after 6 months in 2016 where the Arctic SIE was at record low levels and even this year it has spent about 30% of the time in record low territory over and above (or should it be under and below) the record lows over that period in 2016.
The record itself was reached near the beginning of March (March 06), but because the extent can vary quite significantly up and down at the maximum point, it's not safe to call the maximum until it can be reasonably known that it's peak will be exceeded.
That point has been reached, the current extent reached 13.61mKm2 as of March 16 and there is no year from the year 2000 to 2016 where SIE has risen by more than the 270,000Km2 that would be required for 2017 to break its current peak.
Here's the graphic.
