The Arctic sea ice cover on Sept. 16 shrank to 3.41 million square kilometers, the lowest summer minimum extent since satellite records began in 1979, as a result of global warming, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Friday.

Citing statistics from the United States National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), the WMO said this year's minimum was nearly 50 percent lower than the 1979-to-2000 average.

There has been a total loss of 11.83 million square kilometers of ice since this March, the largest summer ice extent loss on record.

Each year, the Arctic sea ice reaches its minimum extent in September. Recognized as a sensitive climate indicator, the region's sea ice extent has shown a dramatic overall decline over the past 30 years.

The WMO said the melting of the sea ice in the Arctic Ocean is related to global warming. Acceleration of the melting process in the Arctic and reduction in the size of the ice pack might lead to more extreme weather, the organization said.

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