Unusually big blooms of tiny ocean plants occurred in the Arctic this past summer, linked to early summer retreat of sea ice.
August sea surface temperatures in the Arctic are rising by as much as 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) per decade.
Despite a few cold spots, it was the the second-warmest year on record Arctic wide. Since 2000, Arctic temperatures have been more than twice as far above average as the planet as a whole.
The 15th installment of NOAA's Arctic Report Card NOAA's 15th Arctic Report Card catalogs the numerous ways that climate change continues to disrupt the polar region.