The Amundsen Sea is practically sea ice free

Watching the sea ice extent this summer in Antarctica has been a bit surprising. The Antarctic sea ice extent has been tracking at record lows virtually the whole austral summer. We are very close now to the expected sea ice minimum, and this is where we are:

Antarctic sea ice extent 12 Feb 2017 & diff from mean 1989-93 on same day. Blues imply more ice and reds imply less compared with the mean.
Antarctic sea ice extent 12 Feb 2017 & diff from mean 1989-93 on same day. Blues imply more ice and reds imply less compared with the mean.

On the left is the sea ice extent from the DMSP satellite 12 February 2017, and on the right the difference between the mean sea ice extent on 12 Feb over the period 1989-93 and 12 Feb 2017. I chose this time period as the cycle has been generally quite stable from year to year.

The current sea ice extent is:

Antarctic sea ice extent. Downloaded from NSIDC 14 February 2017.
Antarctic sea ice extent. Downloaded from NSIDC 14 February 2017.

It's clear the sea ice over the summer 2016-17 is showing historic lows. But it's also clear from the sea ice extent above that there is little sea ice left to melt out before the summer turns. Where the sea ice remains - mainly in the Weddell Sea and along the coast of Wilkes Land it is clearly densely packed. If the winds change and the remaining sea ice is decompressed then the extent may fall some more.

This is an animation of the Antarctic sea ice extent from 1 January 2017 to 12 February 2017:

The Antarctic sea ice extent 1 January to 12 February 2017. Data from DMSP SMMI
The Antarctic sea ice extent 1 January to 12 February 2017. Data from DMSP SMMI

And finally the difference between the mean sea ice extent by day for the 5-year period 1989-1993 minus the concentration from 1 Jan to 12 Feb 2017. Blue shades imply an increased sea ice extent compared with a 5-year mean, and reds imply a decreased sea ice extent.

The difference between the mean sea ice extent by day for the 5-year period 1989-1993 minus the concentration from 1 Jan to 12 Feb 2017. Blue shades imply an increased sea ice extent compared with a 5-year mean, and reds imply a decreased sea ice extent.
The difference between the mean sea ice extent by day for the 5-year period 1989-1993 minus the concentration from 1 Jan to 12 Feb 2017. Blue shades imply an increased sea ice extent compared with a 5-year mean, and reds imply a decreased sea ice extent.

Not long until the Antarctic sea ice minimum.