Large Area of Antarctic Snow Just Melts Away

What NASA scientists referred to as "extensive areas" of snow in western Antarctica simply melted away in January 2005, due to warm weather, according to observations made with NASA’s QuikScat satellite.

Temperatures in the melted area, roughly the size of California, reached 41 degrees F and remained above freezing for as up to a week. In addition, the melt-down was observed in areas where melting temperatures were considered unlikely, including those at high latitudes, high elevations above 6,500 feet and within 310 miles of the South Pole.

As the largest reservoir of freshwater on the planet, changes in Antarctica’s ice mass directly impact global sea levels. In addition, says NASA, large volumes of melted fresh water flowing into the ocean could affect the ocean water’s salinity, currents and global climate.

"Antarctica has shown little to no warming in the recent past with the exception of the Antarctic Peninsula, but now large regions are showing the first signs of the impacts of warming as interpreted by this satellite analysis," said the lead researcher in a press release. "Increases in snowmelt, such as this in 2005, definitely could have an impact on larger scale melting of Antarctica's ice sheets if they were severe or sustained over time."

Also See:
Arctic Ice Shrinks to All-time Low, Could Disappear by 2030 (Environment)
Global Warming: Most Americans Believe it Exists (Environment)
Climate Change Could Trigger Dire Events
Insurers at Risk from Climate Change, GAO Finds