Image of the Season: NASA/MODIS satellite image shows a massive low-pressure center spinning across the central Arctic Ocean on August 5, 2012. Canada and Alaska are located to the left, with Europe and Russia to the right. (Image courtesy NASA Earth Observatory.)

A major intent of the Sea Ice Extent newsletter is to communicate the NOAA Sea Ice Forecasting team's activities and partnerships this year and what's on board for next year to keep the conversation and collaborations going.

NOAA conducts a wide variety of sea ice related research, forecasting, modeling, observation and service activities, and, although interest is high, resources for needed Arctic observations, model development, and forecast product improvement has stayed at a steady level. Improvements to our sea ice forecasting capability makes coordination across NOAA and with our other-agency, academia, and stake-holders more important than ever. This year's record low sea ice extent was matched by a record-high in cross- and inter-agency efforts.

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