From a journal of the Jet Propulsion Lab:

The total sea ice extent in the Arctic at this time was about 0.5 million square kilometers (0.2 mission square miles) larger than that at the same time last year. That difference in sea ice extent amounts to an area the size of Spain.

Update: A reader notes:

It was still the second least amount of ice cover since they had begun recording it. In the words of the agency that released the study, “While slightly above the record low minimum set in 2007, this season further reinforces the strong negative trend in summertime sea ice extent observed over the past 30 years.”

Fair enough. But adding a Spain-sized chunk of ice sounds like an interesting counter-trend. To be sure, if arctic ice went the other way, we’d be hearing a lot more about arctic ice. Also, contrary to popular misconceptions, I’m no expert in glacial ice, but it seems to me that a 30 year trend line is a pretty short trend line.

Update II: A reader isn’t surprised by the growing coldness up there:

That’s a given, with Sarah in the lower 48.
Plus, my compass is getting all screwy …
(See palinfacts.com for these and other little known facts about the ways in which Sarah affects the weather, and liberal sanity …)