In 2002, warmer temperatures and shifts in atmospheric circulation patterns contributed to the greatest surface melt on the Greenland Ice Sheet in the 24-year satellite record. There was also a record low level of Arctic sea ice extent in September, the lowest since satellite monitoring began in 1978, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center.

Citing This Report

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Monthly Global Snow and Ice Report for Annual 2002, published online January 2003, retrieved on March 28, 2024 from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/global-snow/200213.