Photo courtesy of NOAA.

I hope Santa has a swimsuit, because this webcam picture from the North Pole shows pools of meltwater opening up as sea ice reaches a record low. Ice coverage is predicted to drop to unprecedented levels as early as this weekend (if it hasn’t already — it takes a while to compare and collate all the data).

Reader support helps sustain our work. Donate today to keep our climate news free. All donations DOUBLED!

The ice has been losing 38,000 square miles a day in the last few days, well on track to break 2007’s record. But, you know, keep listening to those guys who believe in magical vagina venom when they tell you climate change doesn’t exist!

Grist thanks its sponsors. Become one.