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Polar Alert: Alaskan Sea Ice Melting Faster

Katherine Stornebrink/Shutterstock.com

Sea ice along northern Alaska disappeared far earlier than normal this spring, alarming coastal residents that rely on wildlife and fish. The ice melted as a result of exceptionally warm water temperatures extending far out into the ocean. The last five years have produced the warmest sea-surface temperatures on record in the region, contributing to record low sea ice levels.