http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/0..._n_121970.html

"Last year was an unusual year when wind currents and other weather
conditions coincided with global warming to worsen sea ice melt, Serreze
said. Scientists wondered if last year was an unusual event or the start
of a new and disturbing trend.

This year's results suggest the latter because the ice had recovered a
bit more than usual thanks to a somewhat cooler winter, Serreze said.
Then this month, when the melting rate usually slows, it sped up
instead, he said."
-AP