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Arctic sea ice was at a record low maximum extent for the second straight year. Air temperatures over the Arctic Ocean for the months of December, January and February were 4 to 11 degrees Fahrenheit above average in nearly every region. Sea ice extent over the Arctic Ocean averaged 5.607 million square miles on March 24, beating last year's record low of 5.612 million square miles on February 25. Unlike last year, the peak was later than average in the 37-year satellite record, setting up a shorter than average ice melt season for the coming spring and summer. [Source: National Snow and Ice Data Center]
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