This is one of the coolest 30-second videos I’ve seen. Coolest, and scariest. Literally coolest.
From the description, by Youtube user Revkin:
Ignatius Rigor, who studies Arctic ice and climate at the University of Washington, has created an animation showing how the oldest thickest sea ice has been progressively flushed from the Arctic Ocean over the last two decades.
More background here:
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/arctic/
and here:
http://seaice.apl.washington.edu/
Caveat: I don’t know what the source of the data is for this animation, whether it is a model or based on real satellite observations. That said:
Down the slippery side of a near-record or record low. Source: NSIDC.
And a picture of snow, for good measure.
The metal of the drain lid wasn't as kind to the snow as the asphalt...
I feel sad, and frustrated after reading this.