Massive Greenland Ice Sheet Loss in Just 3 Days; Experts Warn About More Water Melting Each Year

The Copernicus satellite of the European Union recently captured a climate change-induced scene showing areas of turquoise and various shades of blue, which are melting water that flows along the bedrock surface that should be whitish in color since it is usually frozen.

As reported on Mail Online, Greenland experienced a "spike melt" from July 15 to 17, which saw its huge ice sheet lose adequate water to fill more than seven million Olympic-sized swimming pools, and the dramatic occurrence was captured in a satellite image, revealing how 18 billion tons of runoff water alters the landscape.

The stunning melt was because of a heatwave gripping the country that enveloped the site at steady 60 degrees when temperatures are usually no higher than 50 degrees this year.

Even though there have been numerous melts in the past years, the recent one is twice larger than normal, and experts have warned it has greatly added to a rise in the global sea level.

High-Pressure Dome Over Greenland

Essentially, a CNN report specified, the melting of Greenland's ice sheet has contributed approximately half an inch in sea level rise over the last three decades, although if the whole 695,000-square-mile structure completely melts, it would increase levels by 20 feet, which would flood many of the coastal cities of the world.

According to senior research scientist Ted Scambos, from the University of Colorado's Earth and Science and Observation Center and National Snow and Ice Data Center, much of the melting was because of warm air that flowed in from the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

The Canadian Arctic Archipelago is found north of the Canadian continental mainland, which was hit by a heatwave as well, that sent temperatures soaring to over 60 degrees Fahrenheit, they are negative in July.

Nonetheless, the warm wind was joined by a high-pressure dome over Greenland, causing the calm winds and sunny skies, both of which increase temperatures.

The Greenland Ice Sheet

The Weather and Climate reported that in July, the average maximum daytime temperatures are cool, ranging from six degrees Celsius in KapTobin to 10 degrees Celsius in Angmagssalik.

Nighttime temperatures generally drop to two degrees Celsius in Angmagssalik and zero degrees Celsius in KapTobin. It is one of the warmest months this year. This then led to six billion tons of ice being lost in only three days.

The Greenland ice sheet is the second largest mass of freshwater ice on Earth, next to Antarctica, which is the largest.

The Arctic has been warming fast because of climate change. Recent data reveals that the region could be warming up to four times as rapidly as any other area all over the world.

More Water Going Into the Ocean

Furthermore, Greenland's ice sheet's melting began in 1990 and has revved since 2000. In July last year, climate scientist Marco Tedesco from Columbia University reported that Greenland's ice sheet lost 8.5 billion tons of surface mass in just one day, enough ice water to cover entire Florida in two inches.

Nonetheless, the extreme melting occurred with temperatures higher than 68 degrees. It was 2019 though, that shattered all the melting records thus far.

Furthermore, a USA Today report said more melting is coming. It also specified that according to experts, it can be expected on the "order of 100 billion tons of water going into the ocean."

As a whole, the experts also warned, that Greenland is losing an enormous amount of ice each year. Related information about meltwater into Greenland is shown on UCLA's YouTube video below:

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