In September 2002, sea ice in the Arctic reached a record minimum[5], 4% lower than any previous September since 1978, and 14% lower than the 1978–2000 mean minimum extent of about 7 million km². In the past, a low ice year would be followed by a rebound to near-normal conditions, but 2002 was followed by two more low-ice years, both of which almost matched the 2002 record. The September ice extent trend for 1979–2004 is declining by 7.7% per decade[6].
A new record low-ice year in 2005 in which a minimum extent of 5.32 million km² was reached. September 2006 saw a slight recovery. Record Low Arctic Sea Ice in 2007 - Showing the Northwest passage open Record Low Arctic Sea Ice in 2007 - Showing the Northwest passage open
In 2007 the ice melt accelerated, The minimum extent fell by more than a million square kilometers, the biggest decline ever. The minimum extent fell to 4.14 million km², by far the lowest ever. New research shows the Arctic Sea ice to be melting faster than predicted by any of the 18 computer models used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in preparing its 2007 assessments
